Another batch of documents describing the the inner workings of Facebook were released this week. The tech giant was implicated in being culpable of reckless disregard for the safety of it’s users. In one SEC disclosure, Haugen alleges “Facebook misled investors and the public about its role perpetuating misinformation and violent extremism relating to the 2020 election and January 6th insurrection. And leaked comments from some Facebook employees on January 6 suggest the company might have had some culpability in what happened by not moving more quickly to halt the growth of Stop the Steal groups.”
Ceo Mark Zuckerberg has made statements to oppose the accusations that Facebook was aware of the dissemination of misinformation on their platforms and didn’t take action in time to stop the disastrous results of hate-speech and lies leading up to the 2020 election and the “Stop The Steal” insurrection. Facebook’s unethical practice of minimal policing efforts to stop the spread of dangerous disinformation has been exposed in the whistleblower’s testimony and documents as well as the “Facebook Papers” that we’re released this week. CNN Business reported the following areas of negligent mitigation efforts on the part of Facebook:
- Failed at effectively cracking down on human trafficking
- Inciting international violence in crisis-ridden countries Myanmar and Ethiopia
- Negative impact on teen girls mental health related to issues of body image, self-esteem and suicidality
- Proliferation of decisive hate-speech promoting racism, conspiracy theories, and the lies about the 2020 election being stolen from Trump
Mark Zuckerberg may face criminal culpability for lying under oath to Congress, and knowingly allowing Facebook practices to continue has resulted in harm to teens, a rise in violence between political parties and races, and the deadly Jan 6th insurrection. Additionally, In 2019 The Washington Post reported, “Federal regulators are investigating Facebook for mishandling its users’ personal information and have set their sights on the company’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, exploring his past statements on privacy and weighing whether to seek new, heightened oversight of his leadership.” It has been widely noted by the media that Zuckerberg’s answer to the scrutiny of his unethical, violence-inducing failures to monitor the practices if the platform is to ” promise better” and to do the minimal to promote his profits.
Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth has grown to $40 billion this year. America allows for people to succeed at whatever level possible, so good for Mark. However America is a civilized democracy founded on laws and morals that too often some of the super-rich feel entitled to ignore as their addiction to money consumes them. Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree that platforms such as Facebook need to be regulated.
In October, The New York Times reported after the testimony by whistleblower Frances Haugen, there has been an interest by Republicans and Democrats congressmen for “a new agency of digital experts that has the agility to deal with the ever-evolving digital market.” The idea is optimistic: The agency would bring tech industry leaders into dialogue with federal representatives (“ideally digital natives”) to determine an agreed-upon set of behavioral standards, later codified and enforced by the agency through monitoring, monetary penalties and disgorgement. Unlike existing agencies. A new agency created from scratch would allow the implementation of modern management practices and policies capable of keeping pace with a fast-moving industry.”
It is curious why many Republican members of Congress are so concerned about regulating digital media platforms and so unconcerned about the attacks on democracy. They are silent about the ” big lie” scam against securing voting rights, promoters of laws against minorities and women’s rights, and see the insurrection as a patriotic act. Americans who legitimately booted Trump out of office are organizing to save democracy against the corrupted, anti-American, fallen Republican party.
