Oct. 6, Jared Schroeder, associate professor of journalism at SMU Dallas, for a commentary about Facebook and ways to mitigate social media bad practices. Published in USA Today under the heading Yes, it’s time to act against Facebook – just don’t put the government in charge: https://bit.ly/3oFMioR
What did we really learn from the whistleblower about Facebook this week?
Not much. We were reminded Facebook has privileged profit over the well-being of democracy. Our suspicions that Facebook prioritized revenue and new users over the mental health of young women on Instagram were confirmed.
This week was a lot like an hour spent on Facebook. It seemed like we were learning new information, but at the same time, we came away with nothing of value. The best we can say is we were reminded Facebook is not good for us, or the flow of information in democracy.
There is no way to regulate misinformation by social media firms without putting the government in control of what is true and what is not.
By Jared Schroeder
What did we really learn from the whistleblower about Facebook this week?
Not much. We were reminded Facebook has privileged profit over the well-being of democracy. Our suspicions that Facebook prioritized revenue and new users over the mental health of young women on Instagram were confirmed.
This week was a lot like an hour spent on Facebook. It seemed like we were learning new information, but at the same time, we came away with nothing of value. The best we can say is we were reminded Facebook is not good for us, or the flow of information in democracy.
Didn’t we learn this in 2018, when it became clear Cambridge Analytica, through Facebook, accessed 87 million users’ data, which was used to profile and target them with political information, and disinformation, leading up to the U.S. and Brexit votes in 2016? What about all of the other times during the past several years Facebook has made concerning decisions about its algorithm, its handling of misinformation and disinformation, or users’ personal information?
This week was more a review session than a revelation. Just the same, it has reignited calls for regulation, with much of the kindling coming from whistleblower Frances Haugen. Many are concluding the government should step in and “do something” about the type of irresponsible, manipulative business practices of firms like Facebook.
Facebook is not the problem
The fact that we keep reliving “Facebook is a bad actor” week, like “Shark Week” or the week leading up to the Super Bowl, should not make the argument for government regulation stronger. There is no way to regulate misinformation and disinformation or unethical business practices by social media firms without putting the government in control of what is true and what is not. We do not want that.
Our democracy – as much as it is drowning in false, manipulative information – dies when the government becomes the arbiter of truth and falsity. The First Amendment is in place as a cornerstone to democracy to protect us from government interventions into our expression.
Instead, we should look at Facebook as a symptom, rather than the problem. Facebook certainly is not alone in profiting from platform architectures that prioritize profit over the flow of information – looking at you, YouTube.
And something absolutely should be done about this. The best solutions, however, rely on users and the corporations, not the government. We must take three important steps to protect ourselves from being manipulated by false and misleading information prioritized by companies that privilege profit over a healthy flow of information.
What you – yes, YOU – can do
First, we have to develop and teach media literacy – the ability of users to read information skeptically. We must approach information on social media with the expectation that it is often false or misleading. We have to ask questions about where the information is coming from and whether it can be verified by reliable news organizations. Does the information include sources? Do the facts check out? Essentially, Facebook and other firms have made our goal of being an informed citizenship much more difficult.
I grew up ‘under a rock’:My parents banned social media until I was 17. I’m glad they did.
Second, this week has reminded us firms like Facebook are not in the business of informing us. They are in the business of creating engagement with their product. With that in mind, we should get our news from news organizations, specifically those that expend resources gathering and reporting information. By resources, I mean reporters who are at or near the news. Credible news reports include firsthand information from sources and verifiable facts. Facebook is not a good tool for becoming an informed citizen.
Third, close your account. Facebook makes about $178 per North American user per year. If you want to get its attention that you expect it to act more ethically and in the best interest of democracy, stop feeding the company the personal information it uses to print money. One of the big takeaways this week has been Facebook’s concern for engagement and revenue. When people close accounts, Facebook is more likely to work to change its product.
A final solution is an independent, industrywide, oversight board. Facebook has created its own Oversight Board,which has started making decisions that admonish the corporation to create clearer policies and to follow them. A similar board, but on an industrywide level, would be an excellent way to avoid government regulation while still avoiding the types of flaws we were reminded of this week.
Jared Schroeder is an associate professor of journalism at Southern Methodist University Dallas.