Lawmakers Chide CEOs About Use of Algorithms to Recommend Content
March 25 2021 - 1:35PM
Dow Jones News
By Jeff Horwitz
Members of Congress lambasted Facebook and other social-media
platforms for algorithmic content-recommendation systems that they
allege inflame social tensions and harm children.
Republican Cathy McMorris Rodgers, (R., Wash.) alleged that
social media contributed to teen suicides and was a threat to her
own family. Members from both parties questioned the platforms'
incentives to act responsibly. Other members argued that the
platforms' algorithms had fueled the discord that led to the
Capitol riot.
Mr. Zuckerberg put the blame on the people who had misused the
platform, not Facebook's systems for showing users content.
"I think the responsibility lies with the people who broke the
law," Mr. Zuckerberg said.
He acknowledged that past Facebook research, first reported by
the Wall Street Journal last year
(https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knew-calls-for-violence-plagued-groups-now-plans-overhaul-11612131374),
had found that its algorithms were steering German users toward
extremist groups. But he said the company had taken adequate steps
to fix the problem.
Facebook has since eliminated recommendations for political
groups entirely. Mr. Zuckerberg dismissed the idea that Facebook
prioritized keeping users on the platform above healthy
discussion.
"The way we design our algorithms is to increase meaningful
social interactions," he said.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 25, 2021 14:20 ET (18:20 GMT)
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