Misinformation Expert Accuses Harvard of Caving to Facebook
AI-created, human-edited.
This Week in Google recently featured an intriguing discussion around misinformation expert Joan Donovan, who made waves recently by accusing her former employer, Harvard Kennedy School, of firing her to appease Facebook donors after she obtained damaging internal documents from the social media giant.
Donovan had led significant research initiatives into misinformation and media manipulation at Harvard's Shorenstein Center. But in October 2021, she gained access to a confidential cache of Facebook documents revealing the company's extensive knowledge of the mental health damages inflicted by their platforms, particularly on teen girls.
According to host Leo Laporte's recap of the story, Donovan presented these "Facebook Papers" to an audience of top Harvard donors just weeks later, including Facebook's head of communications, Eliot Schrage. Mere days after this tense meeting, Harvard Dean Doug Elmendorf contacted Donovan, questioning her research activities in what she felt was retaliation for exposing Facebook's misdeeds to their financial benefactors.
Donovan had also criticized a new Harvard institute focused on AI ethics funded by a $500 million donation from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's philanthropic organization. She believes highlighting Facebook's harm to key donors led directly to imposed restrictions and her eventual dismissal before her contract ended.
Fellow hosts Jeff Jarvis and Paris Martineau sided with Donovan's account, noting research confirms increased oversight occurred shortly after the donor meeting. However, they agreed the core allegation of Harvard firing Donovan to appease Facebook has yet to be definitively proven.
The hosts praised Donovan's talent and bemoaned the lack of protection for researchers investigating powerful tech firms, especially as their work intersects with academia. Martineau also reminded viewers of Donovan's past reporting exploits, like her pivotal role in acquiring and publicizing the Facebook Papers. /.h/.
It seems this complex case exploring big tech influence on academic activities has only just begun, but it certainly makes us question who controls vital research into social media harms. With Donovan launching a $500 million lawsuit against the university, we likely haven't heard the last about Harvard's motives in the questionable dismissal of this respected misinformation expert.
Watch the full episode here: This Week in Google 745
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