Two Whistleblowers and Me
We've sounded the alarms, but is Congress listening?
1,575 days—over four years. That’s how long it’s been since I testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee for their hearing on Google and its censorship policy. Republicans claimed Google was censoring voices on the right. The pompous snake oil salesman, Dennis Prager, was there to bolster the claim but real experts speaking to the committee took great lengths to debunk that nonsense.
I was invited to speak about the real issue with social media--the abuse I experienced from Google’s refusal to take down videos of my daughter Alison’s murder. Those who’ve followed my battle know what I and countless others have gone through. Google and Meta still profit from it because those videos still circulate on their platforms.
I’m not the only voice objecting to this egregious behavior, just one of the earliest. Twitter whistleblower Anika Collier Navaroli testified before the House Jan. 6 committee about Twitter’s role in fueling the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, while Frances Haugen, former Facebook executive, testified before Congress in October 2021 about Facebook’s ability to manipulate users and keep them addicted.
Haugen's testimony validated the concerns I had been voicing for the past seven years, illustrating that these companies monetize violence and display no intention of changing their ways unless compelled to do so. I reinforced this viewpoint on CNN after filing an FTC complaint against Meta, shortly after Haugen's appearance on Capitol Hill.
Yet here we are, over 4 years removed from my testimony, two years removed from Navaroli and Haugen’s, and nothing has been done. Senator Warner’s SAFE TECH bill which would provide the fix languishes in the Senate while we can forget anything getting done in a dysfunctional House.
Navaroli and Haugen just wrote op-eds for The Hill that highlight the lack of progress.
In her piece, Navaroli wrote:
With the Israel-Hamas war now unfolding, we are now seeing that industry fail its first test since Musk began implementing his philosophy of free-speech absolutism. What has now become clear is that Musk’s vision of speech on X is one of the greatest dangers to democracy, especially leading into the 2024 elections.
On Tuesday, a bipartisan coalition of 41 state attorneys general established it is time to hold Big Tech accountable for the tragedy social media has created concerning our children. If the evidence supporting kids’ online safety is so strong that it can bring together states that rarely agree on anything, why are all legislative efforts stymied?
The answer is unsurprising — Big Tech has repeatedly and loudly stated in public that it’s time to regulate social media, while privately funding trade lobbying groups that sue the states that try.
We must ask whether calls for child protection are genuine or merely another calculated move in a game where profits and public image reign supreme,” Haugen wrote. Our children’s safety deserves more than hollow promises and half-hearted gestures.
Haugen's testimony validated the concerns I had been voicing for the past seven years, illustrating that these companies monetize violence and display no intention of changing their ways unless compelled to do so. I reinforced this viewpoint on CNN after filing an FTC complaint against Meta, shortly after Haugen's appearance on Capitol Hill.
Like me, these whistleblowers understand that executives from Google, Meta, and X lie as easily as they breathe. During the Senate hearing, I witnessed Google's Public Policy and Government Affairs VP, Karan Bhatia, perjuring himself on multiple occasions, and he faced no consequences.
Until Congress takes action, these individuals know they can continue to deceive with impunity. As for me, I am unwavering in my commitment to this fight until we hold these platforms accountable. I hope you’ll join me in raising your voice, too.