Frances
HHaugenaugen
Exposing the truth
B Y T R I S TA N H A R R I SB Y T R I S TA N H A R R I S
For years, advocates,
researchers, and civil- researchers, and civil- society society
groups have sounded the groups have sounded the
alarm on the deranging alarm on the deranging
effects of social media: effects of social media: effects of social media: effects of social media: effects of social media: effects of social media: sofsocialmedia
degraded attention, negative degraded attention, negative degraded attention, negative e
mental health, polarization mental health, polarization mental health, polarization a
for profit, and the collapse for profit, and the collapse for profit, and the collapse a
of our shared reality into of our shared reality into of our shared reality into n
fragments. Social media fragments. Social media fragments. Social media d
companies have continucompanies have continucompanies have continucompanies have continucompanies have continuanieshaveconti --
ously denied and obfuscated ously denied and obfuscated
reality. But Frances Haugen reality. But Frances Haugen reality. But Frances Haugen a
disclosed the truth—20,000 disclosed the truth—20,000 disclosed the truth—20,000 2
pages of truth. pages of truth.
Her act of courage in shar-Her act of courage in shar-
ing those documents with ing those documents with ing those documents with w
regulators and journalists regulators and journalists
opened the eyes of the world opened the eyes of the world opened the eyes of the world e
to the insidious ways Meta to the insidious ways Meta to the insidious ways Meta M
(and its platforms Facebook, (and its platforms Facebook, (and its platforms Facebook, e
Instagram, and WhatsApp) Instagram, and WhatsApp) Instagram, and WhatsApp) A
put its profits above the put its profits above the put its profits above the put its profits above the p e
physical and emotional well-physical and emotional well-
being of its 3 billion users being of its 3 billion users being of its 3 billion users e
worldwide. worldwide.
Frances’ brave decision to Frances’ brave decision to
come forward publicly—and come forward publicly—and come forward publicly—and —
her continued advocacy for her continued advocacy for her continued advocacy for c
more humane technology—more humane technology—more humane technology—o
are mobilizing people to take are mobilizing people to take
action. Her knowledge, pas-action. Her knowledge, pas-action. Her knowledge, pas-,
sion, and relentless optimism sion, and relentless optimism sion, and relentless optimism p
give me and people around give me and people around give me and people around o
the world hope that change the world hope that change the world hope that change a
is possible. is possible.
Harris is president and Harris is president and
co-founder of the Center co-founder of the Center
for Humane Technologyfor Humane Technology
48 Time June 6/June 13, 2022 PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON—MAGNUM PHOTOS FOR TIME