SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – A former Fb employee reportedly instructed the US authorities on Friday (Oct 22) that the platform has put income earlier than stopping problematic content material, weeks after one other whistle-blower helped stoke the agency’s newest disaster with comparable claims.
The unnamed new whistle-blower filed a criticism with US monetary regulator Securities and Alternate Fee (SEC) that might add to the corporate’s woes, stated a Washington Publish report.
Fb has confronted a storm of criticism over the previous month after former worker Frances Haugen leaked inner research exhibiting the corporate knew of potential hurt stoked by its websites, prompting US lawmakers to resume a push for regulation.
Within the SEC criticism, the brand new whistle-blower recounts alleged statements from 2017, when the corporate was deciding deal with the controversy associated to Russia’s interference within the 2016 United States presidential election.
“Will probably be a flash within the pan. Some legislators will get pissy. After which in just a few weeks, they may transfer on to one thing else. In the meantime, we’re printing cash within the basement, and we’re positive,” Ms Tucker Bounds, a member of Fb’s communications group, was quoted within the criticism as saying, The Washington Publish reported.
The second whistle-blower signed the criticism on Oct 13, per week after Ms Haugen’s scathing testimony earlier than a Senate panel, based on the report.
Ms Haugen had instructed lawmakers that Fb put income over security, which led her to leak reams of inner firm research that underpinned a damning Wall Road Journal sequence.
The Washington Publish reported the brand new whistle-blower’s SEC submitting claims that the social media big’s managers routinely undermined efforts to fight misinformation and different problematic content material for worry of angering then US President Donald Trump or for turning off the customers who’re key to income.
Fb spokesman Erin McPike stated the article was “beneath the Washington Publish, which over the last 5 years would solely report tales after deep reporting with corroborating sources”.
Fb has confronted earlier firestorms of controversy, however that has not translated into substantial new US laws to manage social media.