The last few weeks have been a real nightmare for Facebook , which is still trying to reorder itself after the most recent shocks. Monday's global drop has been just a downside when compared to the negative press it has received consistently since The Wall Street Journal's Facebook Files series began. And to that must be added the recent hearing of Frances Haugen, the former employee turned whistleblower, in the United States Senate.
And it is clear that the critics are taking their toll. A new report from the aforementioned media now indicates that Facebook would slow down the development of new products . The intention of Mark Zuckerberg and company would be to focus on facing “reputation reviews.” According to WSJ, the purpose of these analyzes would be to examine what future criticism the social network may receive , and at the same time to verify that its platforms do not negatively affect children.
But the company's decision would not only affect new products but also changes made to existing ones . The most notorious case has been that of the “pause” to Instagram for children, but clearly there are less publicized plans that have also been altered.
Criticisms force Facebook to rethink addressing his reputation
Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash Another interesting fact, and also peculiar, is that some Facebook executives have analyzed suing Frances Haugen . They accuse her of having stolen the documents that she leaked to The Wall Street Journal, and that are also in the possession of US legislators. However, some have already argued that such an attitude could further damage the company's already poor public reputation.
If Facebook proceeds legally, it could be considered a contradiction to the position it took during the hearing with its former employee. Recall that yesterday the company issued a statement where minimized Haugen's knowledge and interference within the social network .
For now, the company seems to be adjusting certain details to prevent more internal information from reaching outsiders. The WSJ report also indicates that a Facebook team has been assigned to study all the research the company conducts; especially those that could damage your image if they are exposed .
It is clear that what Facebook is proposing indoors is damage control . This time the pressure from the media and the public seems even greater than that of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. And they know there is no escape from constant scrutiny, no matter how much they set out to improve.
In addition, the recent hearing in the US Senate has been the ideal setting for legislators to lash out at Mark Zuckerberg until he is forced out of the “den” . To the point that the CEO and founder of Facebook himself published the message he sent to all the company's employees. Here's a snippet from the end:
I know it is frustrating to see the good work we do misrepresented, especially for those of you who are making significant contributions to safety, integrity, research, and products. But I believe that in the long run, if we keep trying to do the right thing and provide experiences that improve people's lives, it will be better for our community and our business. I have asked the leaders of the company over the next few days to delve into the work we do in many areas so that you can see how much we are doing to get there.
Mark Zuckerberg As this story runs its course, it becomes clear that the last word has yet to be said.
