Andrew Left, founder of Citron Research, discusses Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter.
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is “cautiously optimistic” that Elon Musk’s $44 billion deal to privatize Twitter for $54.20 per share could result in positive changes for democracy and security on the social media platform .
| ticker | security | Last | To change | To change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TWTR | Twitter Inc. | 49.01 | -0.14 | -0.28% |
Haugen made headlines last year after accusing her former employer of making profits about user safety in press interviews and testimonies before Congress, and sharing thousands of internal Facebook documents on topics ranging from Instagram’s impact on teenagers to to hate speech and misinformation on its platforms.
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is “cautiously optimistic” that Elon Musk’s $44 billion deal to privatize Twitter for $54.20 per share could potentially lead to positive changes for democracy and security on the platform. (Photo by Matt McClai (Matt McClain-Pool/Getty Images/Getty Images)
“I’ve maintained since I first testified that I think a lot of the problems we face on social media are the result of a business model,” Haugen told FOX Business.
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She argues that Facebook is struggling to address its issues because CEO Mark Zuckerberg “has surrounded himself with people who will tell him what he wants to hear.”
In comparison, she believes Musk is an independent thinker who can take tough feedback and has a data-driven perspective that could lead to significant product safety and design changes.
Haugen argues that Facebook is struggling to address its issues because CEO Mark Zuckerberg “has surrounded himself with people who will tell him what he wants to hear.” (Getty Images)
“I have a feeling that market demands will justify Facebook that it can’t really do anything differently than it already does,” says Haugen. “I think there is a great opportunity here for Elon to really demonstrate that there is another way forward.”
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Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” has expressed interest in declassifying Twitter’s algorithm to increase transparency on the platform. Haugen says opening up the platform’s algorithm to researchers and academics will ultimately encourage more trust in Twitter.
“One of the most important aspects of a system as critical as Twitter to our democratic processes is whether people trust the system to be fair. And at the moment I would say that the trust in Twitter is a bit in flux. “The most important thing number one [Elon] can do is create real transparency. Through transparency, he will demonstrate that he is acting in a way that works for the common good, and so he will build confidence in his ability to lead the system.”
Musk has also vowed to crack down on Twitter’s spam bots.
“This type of action is potentially dangerous if you have a publicly traded company because the number of users you have goes down,” Haugen notes. “It bodes well that Elon wants to make those kinds of structural changes that Twitter might not have been as brave about when their hands were tied, by making sure the number of users they had each single quarter rose .”
Musk’s deal for Twitter is expected to close in 2022, subject to shareholder approval, receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
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Haugen’s comments come as Facebook has shifted its focus to building the Metaverse, a computer-generated environment for users to work and interact with each other in virtual reality. She says the Metaverse is an attempt to avoid taking responsibility for the problems on Facebook and Instagram.
| ticker | security | Last | To change | To change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FB | META PLATFORMS INC. | 200.47 | -5.26 | -2.56% |
“When [Mark Zuckerberg] announced the Metaverse they spent five minutes making empty platitudes about safety by design,” says Haugen. “We should be like, ‘Hey, publicize your safety-by-design plan.’ Don’t tell us, show us, because I think they’ll solve whatever challenges they face on Facebook with just one platform.” reproduce that is more immersive and decentralized.”