Facebook whistleblower testifies before US Senate day after global blackout

Frances Haugen

© APA | Frances Haugen

# 05 October 2021 18:39 (UTC +04:00)

Facebook whistleblower is testifying before US Senate day after global blackout, APA reports citing BBC.

Whistleblower says Facebook harms children, democracy and more.

Beginning her opening statement, Frances Haugen says she joined Facebook because of its potential to "bring out the best in us".

"But I am here today because I believe that Facebook’s products harm children, stoke division, weaken our democracy and much more," she says.

Then comes her key assertion: Facebook's leaders know how to make their products safer but they "won't".

"They have put their immense profits before people," she says.

Working at Facebook, Haugen says, "I saw that Facebook repeatedly encountered conflicts between its own profits and our safety."

Next comes the key point: "Facebook consistently resolved those conflicts in favour of its own profits."

The answer, the says, is Congressional oversight.

"Left alone, Facebook will continue to make choices against the common good," she says.

Facebook can change, she emphasises, but it will not do so on its own.

"I believe we still have time to act," she says. "But we must act now."

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THE OPERATION IS BEING PERFORMED