Controversial memo from senior executive adds to Facebook's woes


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A newly-leaked memo, pinned in 2016 by one of Facebook’s senior executives, argues that dubious practices which boost growth are justified, even if they result in users taking their own lives or in the hatching of terrorist attacks.


The memo, published by Buzzfeed on Thursday, has Facebook Vice President Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, has added to the social media group’s troubles over privacy, data leaks and its role in the presidential election.


Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg disavowed the memo.

Bosworth argued that questionable practices that lead to further growth are justified, even if they result in suicides or terrorists plotting an attack on the platform.


The memo was disavowed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg following Buzzfeed’s story, who told the publication that the company “never believed the ends justify the means”.


Bosworth also has distanced himself from the memo in a tweet, arguing that it was meant to provoke a discussion rather than to articulate his true beliefs.


“I don’t agree with the post today, and I didn’t agree with it even when I wrote it,” Bosworth said.


Cambridge Analytica is accused of harvesting the data of Facebook users without their knowledge.

The memo argues that Facebook’s singular focus is growth, which can have positive as well as negative consequences.


“Maybe someone finds love. Maybe it even saves the life of someone on the brink of suicide,” Bosworth wrote.


“Maybe it costs a life by exposing someone to bullies. Maybe someone dies in a terrorist attack coordinated on our tools.”


“All the work we do in growth is justified.”


The leak of the memo comes at a time of crisis for Facebook, following revelations that data startup Cambridge Analytica, linked to the election of US President Donald Trump, was able to siphon personal data from 50 million US Americans off the platform in 2014.


Facebook learned about the data leak soon after, and sought assurances from Cambridge Analytica and its partners that the data in question would be destroyed, but didn’t notify the public until media outlets were about to report on the incident earlier this month.


Article source: http://smh.com.au/world/texts-on-a-plane-about-child-sexual-assault-lead-to-two-arrests-20170805-gxq69f.html

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