The Facebook Papers

Introduction

In his book Reset, Deibert calls for us to take stock of the disturbing times we find ourselves in and have critical discussions about our use of digital technology (2020). No other event in the age of social media has significantly exposed the "painful truths" (Deibert, 2020) of the platforms as the release of the 2021 Facebook Papers. We will explore who was behind the release of Facebook's internal documents, what the media, public and government response was and what, if anything, has changed. 

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Analysis
The Facebook Papers scandal reveals that Facebook prioritizes their profits even when presented with data that its current model causes significant societal harm. Rather than strategizing solutions for the issue, Facebook chose to rebrand their company and focus on emerging virtual reality technologies. Whistleblower Frances Haugens expressed concerns about the addictive nature of immersive environments, how the Metaverse will allow for methods to mine our data, and that Facebook will not prioritize public safety (Klar, 2021). 

Deibert (2020) highlights that our current relationship with digital tech makes us susceptible to massive data surveillance for megacorporations and government agencies. How much more control are we willing to give to our devices? McLuhan's concept of us shaping the medium and the medium shaping us is a vital concern of the Facebook Papers. Despite the profound sociological implications, we are still stuck on our toxic addiction machines (Diebert 2020).

Our society is currently experiencing what McChesney (2013, p. 67) describes as a critical junction. McChesney imagined we were moving towards the next critical junction, but in 2022 it is evident that we have arrived. Historically a critical junction occurs when two-three of the following criteria are met: revolutionary new communication technology, media systems increasingly become viewed as illegitimate or discredited, and significant political crisis marked by breakdowns in political frameworks and increased calls for social reform (McChesney, 2013).

Frances Haugen acted as a "civilian journalist" (Taras, 2015) when taking photographs of the Facebook Papers. Circulating the redacted papers to trusted news media sources allowed her to "apply all the power she can muster" to connect with the public to better understand our current digital ecosystem (Couldry, 2020). As a result, Facebook experienced a decline in membership and is still seeing little growth in membership amongst young demographics. However, many users remained online and are eager to explore the potential of the Metaverse. Conversations around the Facebook Papers eventually died down, and the ecosystem returned to the 'spiral of silence' (Couldry, 2020, p. 108). The future of Facebook is unknown, but its grip on the monopoly of the social media sphere is loosening. 

The Facebook Papers is an interesting case study on the complexities of our relationship with social media platforms. We have become dependent on platforms like Facebook to "present to us the world everyday of everyday social interaction" (Couldry, 2020, p. 113-114). There are important questions and decisions yet to be made about how we approach the governance of social media platforms. 

Media reception of the leak

In October 2021, Facebook Papers received publicity from all significant media institutions across the globe in newspapers, online media, television, radio, and digital media. Focusing on media reaction to the leaked information, we draw conclusions based on assessing content from media consortium members: The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Washington Post, Bloomberg, The New York Times, and Associated Press.  

A consortium of 17 news organizations in the US received redacted versions of the documents received by Congress, earlier disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission (Subramaniam, 2021). The story received worldwide coverage. The coverage aligned with the media ethics and professionalism exhibited, for instance, the adherence to embargo until Monday to break the story (Farhi, 2021). Each consortium member pursued independent reporting on the document contents and their significance. 

The story received worldwide coverage. Haugen's image and the story were shared on media platforms across the United States; her testimony before Congress received comprehensive media coverage. The publishing company Little, Brown and Company acquired a planned memoir and subsequently offered her a book deal (Wilkinson, 2021).

Conclusion

The Facebook Papers highlights painful truths Deibert (2020) explores in his book Reset: Reclaiming the Internet. Facebook is profiting off our data in ways that endanger the structure of our democracy as we know it. Users are complicit in using social media and allow abuse of our information to fall into the "spiral of silence" (Couldry, 2020). Perhaps the most alarming truth related to the Facebook Papers is that our current use of technology allows for authoritarian rule and puts our democracy at risk.  

References

Couldry, N. (2020). Media: Why it Matters. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

Deibert, R. J. (2020). Reset: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society. Toronto: House of Anansi Press.

Farhi, P. (2021, October 26). Facebook leak consortium. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/facebook-leak-consortium/2021/10

Klar, R. (2021, November 9). Facebook whistleblower warns of Metaverse Safety Concerns. The Hill. Retrieved May 23, 2022, from https://thehill.com/policy/technology/580687-facebook-whistleblower-worried-about-metaverse-safety-concerns/ 

McChesney, R. (2013). Digital Disconnect: How Capitalism Is Turning the Internet Against Democracy. How Can the Political Economy of Communication Help Us Understand the Internet?. The New Press.

Subramaniam, T. (2022, October 26). The big takeaways from the Facebook Papers. CNN Business. https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/26/tech/facebook-papers-takeaways/index.html

Taras, D. (2015). Digital Mosaic: Media, Power, and Identity in Canada. The New Architecture of Media Power. University of Toronto Press. 

Wilkinson, J. ( 2021, December 17). Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen signs book deal. New York Daily News. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen signs book deal – New York Daily News.