Facebook's Zuckerberg: "Claims that profits come before people are completely false"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has refuted the claim made by a Facebook whistleblower that "the company prioritizes profit over people," stating, "This is completely untrue."

According to Bloomberg on the 5th (local time), in a letter sent to employees that day, CEO Zuckerberg addressed various recent issues raised about the company, saying, "There are many reports that misrepresent our company's actions and motives," and added, "People are unaware of the false image being portrayed about the company."

Earlier that day, Frances Haugen, a former Facebook senior product manager who appeared at a U.S. Senate hearing, claimed, "Facebook threatens democracy, harms children, and fuels conflicts."

She is the whistleblower who recently revealed the 'Facebook Files,' which contain details about various unethical business practices at Facebook.

Haugen exposed that Facebook was aware its algorithms were spreading misinformation but did not take measures to change them in pursuit of profit.

She also alleged that despite Facebook's own research showing that its Instagram service harms minors' mental health by causing depression and suicidal impulses, the company pushed forward with developing 'Instagram Kids' targeted at minors.

In his letter, Zuckerberg stated, "The claim that Facebook does not consider children's safety at all is very troubling," and emphasized, "It is a very important issue to me that every product and service we create must be safe for children."

He added, "We have been working for years to help those who experience these negative effects."

Zuckerberg also argued, "Many of the issues raised (by Haugen) do not make sense," and defended, "The claim that we deliberately designed algorithms to recommend posts that anger people is illogical."

He called for stronger regulation of the internet industry to protect minors. In the letter, Zuckerberg stressed, "Private companies should not be left to make decisions on their own," and added, "This is why we have long advocated for improving the internet regulatory framework."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.