Facebook 'Knew What It Was Doing' And Acted Irresponsibly, Says Google's Ex-CEO

Did Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook know what it was doing in terms of hate speech, misinformation, and mental harm to its users? According to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Facebook (now under new branding Meta) "knew what it was doing."

Referring to Facebook Papers that have revealed some concerning things about Facebook's role in amplifying fake news and hate speech, Schmidt said that Facebook "went a little too far on the revenue side and not enough on the judgment side."

MIT

Facebook knew what it was doing

In conversation with Bloomberg, Schmidt said that most people were convinced that Facebook didn't understand it or measure it, but that's not what revelations from Facebook Papers (which were shared with US congress by whistleblower Frances Haugen) reveal.

¡°What we learned in those disclosures is that these companies, and Facebook in particular knew what it was doing,¡± Schmidt told Bloomberg.

Also read: Hold Up, Zuckerberg: This Startup Applied For 'Meta' Trademark Before Facebook

Even then, the former Google CEO doesn't think regulation of Big Tech is the way forward. ¡°The regulation is always either too soon or too late.¡± Instead, Schmidt suggested a "sort of proper industrial restraint."

BBC

Facebook has been in the storm of the eye recently after allegations against the company intensified with Haugen at the helm. Very recently, Facebook announced that it was ending its face recognition abilities on the platform. Now, the company is deleting a billion facial prints.

Also read: After Facebook, Satya Nadella Shares Microsoft's Vision Of A Digital Metaverse

Reuters

Mark Zuckerberg has responded to the allegations, claiming that they're "just not true."

What do you think about this claim by former Google CEO about Facebook's misdemeanours? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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