EDPS - European Data Protection Supervisor
EDPS - European Data Protection Supervisor
10/10/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/10/2024 02:51
20 Talks - Frances Haugen: Advocate for accountability and transparency in social media
10 October 2024
Sebastião Barros Vale
The 12th episode of 20 Talks explores various topics from whistleblowing, safety of children in online word to the Digital Services Act principles and more with our distinguished guest, Frances Haugen. She shares her experience as a whistleblower, and emphasises the importance of having robust rules for protecting individuals in such a vulnerable situation, with privacy protections ranking high among them. The EU has frameworks in place to achieve these objectives, but we will need to see how well they withstand the tests of time and practice. More interesting insights in the interview. Watch with us!
Speakers
Frances Haugen
Advocate for accountability and transparency in social media
Frances Huagen is a specialist in algorithmic product management, having worked on ranking algorithms at Google, Pinterest, Yelp and Facebook. During her time at Facebook as lead Product Manager on the Civic Misinformation team, Frances became increasingly alarmed by choices made by the company that arguably put its users and vulnerable communities (including children and minorities) at risk. In 2021, Frances decided to "blow the whistle" on Facebook, through a Wall Street Journal piece that became known as "The Facebook Files". Since then, Frances has testified before the US Congress and the European Parliament on the fact that algorithmic microtargeting in social media may amplify hate speech and misinformation, thereby increasing polarisation and creating risks for democracy and users' mental health. Her testimony before the European Parliament gave an important push to the approval of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which among others deems to make online platforms accountable for detecting and addressing systemic risks of their services.