Frances Haugen

In 2021, Frances Haugen copied tens of thousands of internal Facebook documents and provided them to the SEC, Congress, and journalists. Known as the 'Facebook Papers,' these documents revealed Facebook knew Instagram was harmful to teen mental health (13.5% of teen girls said it worsened suicidal thoughts), that the platform's algorithms amplified divisive content, and that safety measures were weakened after the 2020 election. She appeared on 60 Minutes on October 3, 2021, and testified before Congress on October 5, 2021. Facebook's market cap dropped approximately $6 billion following the revelations.

Haugen's public whistleblowing was managed by Bill Burton, Obama's former deputy press secretary and founder of Democratic super PAC Priorities USA Action. Burton and his firm Bryson Gillette created an unprecedented international media consortium. Pierre Omidyar's Luminate provided $150,000 to Whistleblower Aid for legal representation and funded her European tour. Omidyar also backs the Center for Humane Technology, where Burton serves on the board. This raised questions about conflicts of interest and whether her testimony represented independent whistleblowing or a coordinated political campaign.

Frances Haugen filed at least eight complaints with the Securities and Exchange Commission alleging that Facebook's public statements about platform safety contradicted its internal research. The complaints focused on Facebook's knowledge of harms caused by its platform, including teen mental health impacts and algorithmic amplification of harmful content, which it allegedly concealed from investors.

Between 2015 and 2021, Frances Haugen made over 40 donations to Democratic candidates and organizations including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, her 'Courage to Change' PAC, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and the progressive group 'It Starts Today'. Her most recent donation was in August 2021, shortly before her whistleblowing became public. This raised questions about potential political bias in her testimony before Congress on tech regulation.

In March 2021, Haugen moved to Puerto Rico to join 'crypto friends' on the island. Under Act 22, Puerto Rico residents who live there at least half the year are exempt from taxes on capital gains. Haugen stated 'I did buy crypto at the right time' when asked how she supported herself. Critics noted the irony of calling for tech companies to fulfill social duties while living in a tax haven in a U.S. territory with high poverty rates.