WASHINGTON — Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen appeared in front of Congress once again as lawmakers continue their march on big tech CEOs and grapple with whether and how social media platforms should be responsible for their user content.
The lawmakers, led by Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, say they want big tech held accountable for the spread of misinformation and disinformation contributing to the upheaval surrounding the 2020 election and obstacles in battling the global COVID-19 pandemic. The hearing is just one more step in the drawn out debate that House Democrats envision ending with tighter a tighter communications law.
Two panels of speakers delivered statements and answered questions for more than seven hours Wednesday from U.S. House members who are eyeing reform on the regulation of popular platforms like Facebook and Twitter but are divided on what the problem is — misinformation with real-world consequences or tech CEOs wielding the power to censor speech.
Ms. Haugen, a key witness for the House subcommittee on communication and technology, appeared among First Amendment experts and advocates for the online safety of children and marginalized communities.
Earlier this year, Ms. Haugen, a former Facebook employee who disclosed to lawmakers and news media confidential company documents on the harm of its practices, energized the big-tech debate on Capitol Hill when she told Congress that the social network knows its practices harm children and incite...
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