Facebook whistleblower Haugen launches non-profit to take on big tech

• Frances Haugen, the former Facebook engineer who leaked internal documents, has started a nonprofit.
• Beyond the Screen will help find ways that big tech is not meeting its “legal and ethical obligations to society”.
• The group will work with groups like Common Sense Media and Project Liberty.

Frances Haugen, a former Facebook engineer who leaked documents that showed the company put profits over safety, started a group on Thursday to fight the harm that social media can cause.

A statement about the launch of Beyond the Screen said that its first project will be to find ways that big tech is not meeting its “legal and ethical obligations to society” and to help come up with solutions.

Haugen said in the statement, “We can have social media that brings out the best in us, and that’s what Beyond the Screen is working toward.”

“Beyond the Screen will focus on tangible solutions to help users gain control of our social media experience.”

Last year, Haugen leaked reams of internal studies that showed executives knew their site could hurt people. This made the US try again to get the site regulated.

Haugen said that the tech giant, which is now called Meta and has changed its name, put profits ahead of safety. Meta has responded to the accusation.

The statement says that Haugen’s nonprofit will work with groups like Common Sense Media and Project Liberty that are “committed to supporting healthier social media.”

In a statement, Project Liberty founder Frank McCourt said that Beyond the Screen’s first project is “a bold, inclusive, and much-needed effort to drive a seismic shift in how social media operates.”

“We look forward to working with Frances and her team to launch this new initiative and advance our shared goal of enabling healthier digital communities and stopping harmful business models.”

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