We are excited for Frances to share her insights on accountability and transparency in social media. This is a must-see appearance for the news professionals who will gather here for CapCon 2023. It is a chance to hear from a truly rare citizen in our society, a hero who puts public interest ahead of personal interest.”
Press Release | California News Publishers Association
Frances Haugen, the data engineer who blew the whistle on Facebook’s now infamous Civic Misinformation Unit, will appear at the annual conference of the California News Publishers Association (CNPA) on Feb. 2, 2023. Haugen’s revelations about Facebook’s choices prioritizing profits over public safety were first reported by The Wall Street Journal in what became known as “The Facebook Files.”
A Harvard MBA and algorithmic product management specialist, Haugen filed a series of complaints with the U.S. government alleging that Facebook misled the public and investors on how it handles issues such as climate change, misinformation, and hate speech, and the impact of its services on the mental health of children and young adults.
Her complaints created a firestorm of concern over the effect of social media misinformation on democracy. Since going public with her assertions, Haugen has testified in front of the U.S. Congress, U.K. and E.U. Parliaments, the French Senate and National Assembly, and has engaged with lawmakers internationally on how to best address the negative externalities of social media...
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