Former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen testified before Congress in early October. She returns on Wednesday.
Getty ImagesFrances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager turned whistleblower, testified before US lawmakers for a second time on Wednesday, urging them to create new rules for online platforms.
"There is a lot at stake here," she said. "I came forward at great personal risk because I believe we still have time to act, but we must act now."
The hearing, titled "Holding Big Tech Accountable: Targeted reforms to tech's legal immunity," centered on potential legislative changes to Section 230, a 1996 federal law that shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content. The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is holding the hearing.
Haugen told lawmakers to move forward with "their eyes open" to the consequences of any legislatives changes to Section 230 and talk to human rights advocates who can provide context about how Section 230 reform would impact the safety of vulnerable people.
Rep. Mike Doyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat, kicked off the hearing with anecdotes about how online platforms have been used by drug dealers to sell fentanyl-laced heroin and create fake profiles. Congress from both parties, he said, will act.
"There's a bipartisan desire to reform the court's interpretation of section 230, and the American public wants to see us get things done," he said.
It was clear during the hearing, though, that Republicans and Democrats want to reform Section 230 for different reasons. Democrats say tech companies aren't doing enough to combat misinformation and other offensive content. Republicans accuse tech platforms of censoring conservative speech, allegations that the companies continue to deny.
"Rather than censor and silence speech. The answer should be more speech. That's the American way. Big tech should not be the arbiters of truth, said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Washington Republican.
Some of the legislative proposals would make internet companies responsible when they use an algorithm to amplify or recommend content that interferes with civil rights or posts that involve international terrorism. Other ideas include removing Section 230 protections for paid advertising.
Haugen first appeared before Congress in October but that hearing focused more on child safety. Haugen leaked a trove of internal research to Congress and the US Securities and Exchange Commission before leaving Facebook in May. The Wall Street Journal published a series of stories, including an article about how the social network's own research showed Facebook-owned Instagram is "toxic" to teen girls. Facebook, which rebranded itself to Meta, says its research is being mischaracterized.
Haugen testified alongside a panel of other experts, including Color of Change President Rashad Robinson, Common Sense CEO James Steyer, and Kara Frederick, a research fellow in technology policy at The Heritage Foundation.
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December 01, 2021 at 11:24PM
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Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies before Congress again - CNET
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