Facebook whistleblower warns UK and EU to do more to address the internet crisis

Facebook correspondent Frances Haugen has warned that the EU and the UK will “miss out on great opportunities” if they do not increase the number of new digital laws to force technology companies to keep harmful content on their site.

The EU and the UK are in the process of enacting legislation that would make professional companies liable for any illegal activities on their site, such as hate speech or posters that promote violence or terrorism.

But Haugen, speaking to the Financial Times later his testimony at the European Parliament on Monday, he said, banning the ban would be a mistake.

He also said that Facebook algorithms can quickly download people from rabbit holes. “For children, they are able to pursue non-political preferences such as eating a healthy diet and being attracted to anorexia,” Haugen said. “This is not allowed, but it is harmful and children die because of these things.”

Facebook declined to comment.

Haugen’s comments come at a crucial time in the negotiations between members and lawmakers in Brussels over the new Digital Services Act. France, in particular, has vigorous pushing for harmful objects and for false information to be policed ​​by Big Tech as part of a new legal process.

In the UK, lawmakers drafting cybersecurity laws have struggled to identify any harmful effects, such as bullying or false information, that could be embedded in the new law. They are faced with pressures from professional companies and freelance advocates who believe it will lead to greater scrutiny.

Haugen also suggested that lawmakers should discuss the dangers of trade, noting that politically motivated advertising was five to 10 times cheaper for Facebook customers, compared to charity or charity ads, which he repeatedly described as “reducing hate”.

“We have a lot of advertising problems, where I think having a bill close is important,” he said. “People are being targeted by food ads that are very sophisticated, which is why Facebook has banned child ads, because they know they are dangerous.”

Facebook said it bans food ads for all users. The company too was announced Tuesday that it will no longer allow companies and organizations to pursue advertisements based on political beliefs, sexual orientation, religion or health.

Facebook said it was responding to “concerns from experts that pursuing such a strategy could be exploited in ways that cause harm to people in non-representative groups” while acknowledging that this could have serious consequences for advertisers.

Haugen said laws being enacted in Europe and the UK have been repeated in other countries, and they have the potential to force companies like Facebook to change their practices, as they respond to the UK Children’s Code which came into effect in September.

“Let’s imagine a world where Facebook has to disclose what it was and the languages ​​it had and how the system works. Even if they did this on European issues, researchers around the world could have a window on how Facebook works… , ”He said.

Haugen has testified for hours to lawmakers and regulators in the US, in the UK and Brussels, and are required to testify before French authorities before going home to Puerto Rico. He says he never regrets announcing his personal information or Facebook posts.

“Whistleblower musicians are just as important to the people – the technology is growing fast and the only people who understand this technology are the people in the industry,” Haugen said.