Data Scientist and Engineer, Facebook Whistleblower
Frances Haugen: Biography at a Glance
- Frances Haugen is a data scientist and engineer who specializes in algorithmic product management, having worked on ranking algorithms at Google, Pinterest, Yelp, and Facebook.
- She was the lead Product Manager on the Civic Misinformation team at Facebook, which dealt with issues related to democracy and misinformation, and later also worked on counter-espionage.
- During her time at Facebook, Frances became increasingly alarmed by the company prioritizing profits over public safety, and at great personal risk, Frances made the courageous decision to blow the whistle on Facebook.
- As an advocate for public oversight of social media, Frances fundamentally believes that the problems we are facing today with social media are solvable.
- Frances is also a sought-after speaker for her insights into implementing safeguards and ensuring transparency within artificial intelligence technologies.
Videos
Biography
Born in Iowa City, Iowa, Frances Haugen is the daughter of two professors and grew up attending the Iowa caucuses with her parents, instilling a strong sense of pride in democracy and responsibility for civic participation.
Frances holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Olin College and an MBA from Harvard. She is a specialist in algorithmic product management, having worked on ranking algorithms at Google, Pinterest, Yelp, and Facebook. She was recruited to Facebook to be the lead Product Manager on the Civic Misinformation team, which dealt with issues related to democracy and misinformation, and later also worked on counter-espionage.
During her time at Facebook, Frances became increasingly alarmed by the choices the company makes prioritizing their own profits over public safety and putting people's lives at risk. As a last resort and at great personal risk, Frances made the courageous decision to blow the whistle on Facebook.
Frances fundamentally believes that the problems we are facing today with social media are solvable. We can have social media that brings out the best in humanity.
Topics
The Power of One: Finding the Strength to Demand Change
Frances Haugen went public as a whistleblower, copying tens of thousands of documents, testifying to Congress, and speaking to the media. After taking on Big Tech, she was hailed at President Biden’s first State of the Union Address and made sure everyone understood the dangerous practices that were being used in her industry. But how was it that Frances was the only employee at her company who dared to step forward?
Frances answers that question by sharing the inspiring tale of her life and the choices she made. From an isolated childhood in Iowa to an unaccredited college, she managed to land a role as one of just a few women leading in the tech industry at Google in its heyday. She tells the story of a woman who went against the grain, again and again, and changed the world - and empowers audiences to do the same.
