Why Facebook whistleblower is akin to Big Tobacco malfeasance exposed 20 years ago
Thank you Frances Haugen for ushering us into the Social Media World 2.0.
The Facebook executive whistle-blower revelations are as profound as when Big Tobacco was exposed back in 2004 by Jeffrey Wigand, an executive at a cigarette company, which led to multi-billion dollar lawsuit.
The outcome for Facebook may not be as drastic nor expensive, yet the parallel is legitimate and must be acknowledged.
The big question now is: what will the regulators do, in the U.S. and elsewhere.
The point here is that Facebook allegedly knows its products can be damaging to one’s health (here mental health) and can be addictive.
And so, it is fair to say our world (that is, developed nations with a relatively efficient public policy production system, i.e. democratic process) is at a cross-road in the frantic (pretty much runaway) digital revolution in this early 21st century.
As Frances Haugen, the whistle-blowing Facebook executive, said today Tuesday Oct 5, during her testimony to a U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee on consumer protection, there comes a point where humans’ ability to innovate and invent must be revisited and channeled.
Now almost 20 years after the creation of Facebook in February 2004, it is time for society to step back and take stock of this new digital technological tool, similarly to what happened before, be it with the automobile or the printing press or television.
Regulators must take seriously the powerful and insidious impact social media can have, not only on individuals at the micro level, but also at the macro level on the collective and democratic life.
Thank you Frances Haugen for ushering us into the Social Media World 2.0. Hopefully.
