“Blood on the hands”: a new whistleblower on Facebook emerges

By Donie O’Sullivan, CNN Business
Sophie Zhang, who said she had “blood on her hands” after working for Facebook, is ready to testify in Congress about her former employer, she told CNN on Sunday. She said she also had transmitted documentation about the business to a United States law enforcement agency.
Zhang, who worked as a data scientist at the tech giant for nearly three years, wrote a long note when she was fired by Facebook last year, explaining how she believed the company didn’t. was not doing enough to fight hatred and disinformation, especially in small and developing countries. countries. Zhang said the company told her she was fired due to performance issues.
The memo was first reported last year by BuzzFeed News and then formed the basis of a series of reports from The Guardian newspaper.
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Speaking to CNN on Sunday at her Bay Area home, Zhang said she was encouraged that there appeared to be bipartisan support for action on protecting children online in the wake of the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified before a Senate subcommittee last week.
Zhang said she brought information on Facebook to authorities. “I have provided detailed documentation regarding potential violations to a US law enforcement agency. I understand that the investigation is still ongoing ”, she tweeted Sunday.
She declined to share when asked by CNN what information she provided or to which agency. An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on Monday, adding that “the FBI does not generally confirm, deny or comment on information or advice we may receive from the public.”
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The crux of Zhang’s claims about Facebook is that it is not doing enough to tackle abuse of its platform in countries other than the United States. About 90% of Facebook’s monthly active users are located outside of the United States and Canada, according to its latest quarterly report.
A Facebook spokesperson dismissed the accusation on Monday, saying the company has invested billions in safety and security in recent years.
“We have also removed over 150 networks seeking to manipulate public debate since 2017, and they are from over 50 countries, with the majority coming from or focusing outside of the United States. Our record shows that we crack down on abuses abroad with the same intensity as we apply in the United States, ”added the spokesperson.
– CNN’s Christina Carrega contributed reporting
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