Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen visited the USC Annenberg Forum yesterday to discuss her path from Facebook employee to whistleblower, the spread of misinformation, and the future of technology.
Frances Haugen made international headlines when she revealed that Facebook was prioritizing profit over people, profit over information, and even profit over democracy.
FRANCES HAUGEN: When I was in France, one of the people in the French assembly described the situation as one of digital colonialism. So for reference, colonialism is where you have a power that has actual power. It was an agent has power and they are extracting economically from another population and leaving all the consequences, but not giving any control to the party that is paying the costs. And that is exactly what’s happening today with Facebook.
Haugen is hopeful that effective legislation that prioritizes transparency will pass.
HAUGEN: I’m really, really hoping, fingers crossed that the Digital Services Act passes because that will be our first mandate of transparency anywhere in the world.
HAUGEN: Last summer, the United Kingdom passed rules giving greater protections to under 16-year-olds. And what was amazing was the same week that went to effect Instagram changed how it operated, right? Instagram came in and said, We’re not going allow targeting of ads at people under the age of 16.
Regions like Africa, Southeast Asia South America are more affected by Facebook’s irresponsible online activity...
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday (April 6, 2026) accused Congress of unleashing a “foreign-influenced misinformation campaign” against him and his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma ahead ...