On the Facebook Whistleblower Testifying to Congress

 

Last week, former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified to a Congressional subcommittee that the company knows how to make its platform safer and prevent the spread of misinformation, but has decided not to in order to boost its profit margins. Here are the takes of various media outlets on the situation:

Tends to skew right:

Fox News: Whistleblower says Facebook is a US 'national security issue'

This article focuses on the reported threat to America’s security that Facebook poses, which caters to the priorities to right-wing readers by centering the United States’ and its citizens' interests. The statements made by the Facebook whistleblower to Congress are featured predominantly through the article, with her claims of Iran’s espionage and Facebook’s “understaffing of the counter-espionage information operations and counterterrorism teams” mentioned early on. It notes the “rare bipartisan fashion” of the hearings and the desire of both parties to regulate Facebook. Quotes from Republican Senator Dan Sullivan and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal are featured, mirroring the balance of the issue. It contrasts the political framing of the issue with a comment from Facebook’s Global Head of Security stating that most users feel “safe and secure” on the platform. Thus, the article is well-balanced in both addressing the political side (for which no clear partisan divide exists anyway) and the conflict between Facebook and the whistleblower. 

Trends toward the center:

The New York Times: Facebook Whistle-Blower Urges Lawmakers to Regulate the Company

This article’s broad headline gives way to a comprehensive explanation about the Facebook whistleblower situation. The credibility of the whistleblower is established using details such as how long Ms. Haugen worked at the company, her educational background and previous Silicon Valley experience, and the technological expertise she demonstrated in relation to Facebook’s system. Haugen is quoted as telling lawmakers that Facebook’s products “harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy” and that the company knows how to make the platforms safer “but won’t make the necessary changes.” Much like the previous article, this mentions that both Democrats and Republicans are united around the issue. It also features Mark Zuckerburg’s statements defending the company to demonstrate all sides of the conflict, as well as quotes from Senators of both parties. In comparison to Fox News, the New York Times provides more background on the whistleblower, such as when she shared documents with the Wall Street Journal and contacted five state attorney offices. Overall, the article is balanced and provides a full picture of the Facebook whistleblower’s accusations. 

Skews toward the left:

CNN: Facebook whistleblower testifies company 'is operating in the shadows, hiding its research from public scrutiny'

This headline takes a more dramatic stance than the others, outright accusing Facebook of deceiving the public. Instead of the Fox News focus on a possible national security threat, CNN mentions Instagram’s “potential toxic effect on teen girls” first. They include a similar amount of background on the whistleblower Frances Haugen as the New York Times article while also featuring her testimony where she “implores” Congress to take the same action that the government did on tobacco companies in the past. This shows her commitment to the cause. Mark Zuckerberg’s statement that Haugen paints “a false picture of the company” is elaborated on, as well as the tweet from Facebook spokesperson Andy Garcia attempting to discredit Haugen’s experience at the company. Statements from Democratic Senator Blumenthal are featured in their own section because he is the chair of the Senate committee on consumer protection, which was receiving the testimony. Overall, this article includes many of the same details as the New York Times article but in a less concise way. No noticeable bias is featured, much like the other articles this week. 

My balanced take:

Frances Haugen, an employee of Facebook’s civic misinformation team for two years through May 2021, recently leaked thousands of internal company documents to the Wall Street Journal showing that Facebook knew that the platform spreads misinformation and failed to take any action to correct this issue. On Sunday October 3rd, she revealed her identity via an interview on 60 Minutes, and last week she testified before the Senate subcommittee on consumer protection. “I’m here today because I believe Facebook’s products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy,” Ms. Haugen told the subcommittee. The three hour testimony was received with bipartisan desire to regulate and reform Facebook’s platforms (including Instagram) to be safer for users. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg defended his company in a statement, rebutting many of Ms. Haugen’s claims and saying that “most of us [employees] just don’t recognize the false picture of the company that is being painted.” This is an ongoing situation, as Ms. Haugen is expected to meet with Facebook’s Oversight Board and other Congressional committees in the upcoming weeks.