Facebook was recently accused of betraying democracy in its pursuit for profit in the United States. Mark Zuckerberg’s regular brushes with Congress are indicative of a company that has failed to prioritize safety over profits. Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee and whistleblower, is adamant that the company, while aware of its role in; misinformation, hate, and politics, has continued to ignore its contributions. According to Hauge, the company only set up controls aimed at addressing risks on the days leading up to the 2020 elections but reverted to its original algorithms after there were no impacts to the elections (CBSN, 2021). Facebook and other companies have a civil duty to the public to protect their privacy and safety concerns; that may lead to more challenges in society. Hauge’s concerns reflect major issues that the government and policymakers should consider to pivot companies in social media properly for the future. An analysis of the interview highlights the role of Facebook in shaping the political scene and misinformation in the process.
The disbandment of the Civic Integrity department after the 2020 American elections highlights the role of Facebook in betraying the countries democracy. In the wake of changing the algorithms and scrapping of the Civic Integrity Department, the January insurrection was witnessed (CBSN, 2021). Facebook was one of the main platforms used in mobilizing people to charge into the capitol. On its part, Facebook states that it has to develop a balance between a right to expression and safety, a complex aspect that is yet to be established across the world. Social media platforms are yet to find solutions to the problem which is only a justification that the company uses to continue with its priorities on profit over safety. Cognitive dissonance is one of the main methods used by people to rationalize and justify a harmful or immoral behavior that does not align with the value system or beliefs in the society (Tavris & Aronson, 2020). Facebook has managed to be a master in using self-justification and redirecting the blame yet they have data that supports the contrary. The impact on American democracy was evident during the 2016 election when Facebook data was used to target voters and skew their opinions. As Hauge states, the company forces people to take a stance that is in some cases considered immoral or unpopular in the society yet they fail to address the compounding issues present.
Photo Courtesy of the New York Times
The threat posed by Instagram especially to younger generations highlights the detrimental impacts of the platform across society. Hauge points to reports that 13.5% of young girls using Instagram face issues of suicide ideation, and 15% are facing eating disorders (CBSN, 2021). The statistic is shocking but highlights the urgency of the government as well as the company to act. Facebook gains massively from topics that elicit a reaction and in a society where anger is the most marketable, the company cannot commit to change. According to Tarvis and Aronson (2020) on cognitive dissonance: the higher the stakes, the greater the difficulty for one to admit that they are wrong.
Facebook and other social media platforms that fail to prioritize safety over profits continue to plague society. Policymakers should take an active role aimed at addressing the different challenges that the country faces and its compounded issues. Government has a role to play to put the companies to task and ensure that the right standards are implemented to ensure public safety.
CBSN. (2021, October 4). Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen: The 60 Minutes Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lx5VmAdZSI
Tavris, C., & Aronson, E. (2020). Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts (3rd ed.). HarperCollins.https://a.co/ahZkTXX
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