Facebook is in full-on damage control mode.
In an interview on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Facebook’s VP of global affairs Nick Clegg said Instagram will introduce two features that prompt teen users to log off or look at other content when evidence suggests their experience may be causing harm.
The announcement comes after Frances Haugen, former Facebook employee and whistleblower, appeared on CBS’ 60 minutes last Sunday, accusing the company of knowing that its practices were causing harm, but choosing to prioritize profit.
Mark Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives have repeatedly claimed that the information in the Wall Street Journal’s Facebook Files investigative series, which reveals troubling insight into Facebook’s management of Instagram and other issues, as well as Haugen’s claims, are out of context.
Facebook also said Tuesday it is testing a feature that will notify users when the platform is experiencing an outage or technical issue, in response to a massive outage last Monday that knocked out Instagram, Whatsapp and Facebook for several hours and threw advertisers for a loop.
Despite the greater transparency, the question remains: is it too late to turn the tide? Campaign US wants to hear your thoughts.
Facebook had a rough week last week amid app outages and a congressional probe into its mitigation of harmful content. Since the reports, the tech company has backtracked on Instagram for Kids added provisions to protect mental health. But is it too late?
— Campaign US (@CampaignLiveUS) October 12, 2021