Frances Haugen and 'The Social Reckoning': What to Know About the Facebook Whistleblower

The Social Reckoning has brought back Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen into the limelight. According to CBS News, in 2021, she copied thousands of internal documents that allegedly showed that Facebook knew about the harmful effects of its platforms, including Instagram's impact on teenage girls and the spread of misinformation, while failing to address them adequately.

After leaving, Frances Haugen shared the documents with The Wall Street Journal. She later revealed her identity during an October 2021 interview with 60 Minutes before testifying before Congress. Her revelations sparked government investigations, lawsuits, and calls for stricter social media regulations. Now, with The Social Reckoning, the whistleblower is once again in the headlines.

How did Frances Haugen manage to become a Facebook whistleblower?

Born and raised in Iowa City, Frances Haugen attended Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. She graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering and later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2011. Before joining Facebook, Haugen worked with several big players, including Google, Yelp, and Pinterest.