Post by account_disabled on Feb 20, 2024 5:20:28 GMT -5
Facebook wanted to make its service "addictive from the beginning" and took an example from the tobacco industry , as explained by its former director of monetization, Tim Kendall , in statements prior to his appearance before the United States Congress, whose Subcommittee on Consumer Protection Consumer and Commerce studies the increase in extremist groups on social networks. "We didn't just create something useful and fun. We took note of the practices of the tobacco industry and worked to offer an addictive product from the beginning ," Kendall said in testimony prior to his appearance . Read more: These are the social media techniques to create addicts In that testimony, the former company executive accuses Facebook of building algorithms that have facilitated the spread of misinformation, fueled exclusionary rhetoric and created the foundations of a "mental health crisis." "The social networks that I and others have created over the past 15 years have served to separate people with alarming speed and intensity.
In the end, we have eroded our collective thinking, and I fear we have pushed ourselves to the brink of civil war "adds this former employee of the social network run by Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook sought to "get as much attention as possible" to achieve "unprecedented profits" Kendall, currently CEO of time management app Moment, joined Facebook in 2006 as Middle East Phone Number List its first head of monetization and was in the role until 2010. His role, he says, was initially to balance Facebook's focus on revenue with the well-being of its users, but the social network prioritized profits above all. "Our goal was to get the most attention humanly possible and turn it into unprecedented profits," said Kendall, who explained that the algorithms are designed to encourage emotional responses. "They bring out the worst in us. They literally manipulate the brain so that we forget about reality and focus on tribalism ," she added.
Business Insider turned to Facebook for reactions, but those responsible for the social network did not respond to requests for information. He is not the first former Facebook employee critical of the social network Kendall's case is not unique. A month ago, a Facebook engineer resigned, accusing the company of "hate-mongering," and a data scientist wrote a report, revealed by BuzzFeed News , that accused the company of failing to dedicate resources to fighting misinformation. Read more: The keys to the unusual Facebook boycott in 4 minutes: who is driving it, who wins and how much Mark Zuckerberg's company loses The social network started by Mark Zuckerberg has also faced a boycott campaign by 1,000 companies led by civil rights activists this summer, and this same month, several influencers held a day of protest over the presence of leisure speeches on Facebook and Instagram.