Politico | Whistle-blower to US Senate: don’t trust Facebook
- Former employee Frances Haugen says the world’s largest social network has ‘put their astronomical profits before people’
- She accuses founder Mark Zuckerberg and his company of knowingly pushing products that harm children and young adults
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Alexandra S. Levine and Claire Rafford on politico.com on October 5, 2021.
Whistle-blower Frances Haugen came to the Senate on Tuesday with a message about Facebook and its leaders: don't trust them.
The former project manager whose revelations have shaken the world's largest social network accused Mark Zuckerberg and his company of knowingly pushing products that harm children and young adults in a pursuit of endlessly growing profits.
She and a series of lawmakers of both parties likened Facebook's behaviour to that of the tobacco industry – which persisted for decades in denying that cigarettes were addictive and deadly.
Haugen's other message: Washington must act.
“I am here today because I believe Facebook's products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy,” Haugen said, two days after going public in a 60 Minutes interview.
