In her role on Facebook, now Meta Platforms Inc., Harbath was the face of the company on many political issues and was in contact with governments and political parties around the world. When she resigned in March, social media could trigger future political violence, such as the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots, without urgent intervention from government and technology platforms. “I still believe that social media has done better than harm politics, but it’s close,” she says. For example, for the January 6, 2021 event, Facebook and other social media platforms were widely used by people who challenged election results and organized violent rallies. Harbath praises Meta’s commitment to voter registration and transparency in political advertising as a breakthrough, and as a consultant, external groups find other ways to make social media a healthier part of politics.

Source: Wall Street Journal January 08, 2022 20:23 UTC