Ottawa urged to crack down on Facebook after bombshell whisteblower testimony before U.S. Senate
CBC
Startling testimony delivered this week by a former Facebook employee should spur Ottawa to rein in the social media giant with tougher and more comprehensive regulations, say technology experts and people fighting against online hate.
Frances Haugen, a former Facebook data scientist, told U.S. senators on Tuesday that Facebook knowingly operates products that "harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy."
She implored the U.S. government to take action, saying that stronger oversight has become the only viable solution since the company has chosen profit over the safety of its users.
The re-elected Liberal government has said it plans to crack down on social media hate speech in future legislation — but Haugen's testimony has some observers saying the government needs to completely rethink how it could regulate companies like Facebook.
"The discussion has to be that much bigger in terms of regulation," said Ramona Pringle, a Ryerson University professor who studies social media.
"If we don't see new legislation, the concern is that things get very dark."
Haugen, who joined Facebook in 2019 and left in May, said the company has failed repeatedly to act on internal research that shows its products — specifically Instagram — can harm teenagers by worsening their body image issues.
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