Americans lose faith in Facebook

Americans are rapidly losing confidence in Facebook following numerous problems about how the company handles personal information and the fact that it potentially allows the spread of so-called false news.

While the founder of the company, Mark Zuckerberg, comes to Washington on Tuesday to testify before lawmakers, a Alliance for Digital Citizens survey, which deals with online security, reveals that almost one in every four Americans say “Facebook is not a responsible company, because in most cases it puts profit above all, before trying to do what it needs to be”.

Fewer than a third of the respondents think that Facebook, with 2 billion users worldwide, is a “responsible company, because it tries to do the right thing in most cases, even if it hurts the profit. ”

Also, one out of every seven Americans says “Facebook has had a negative impact on the” political debate.

Sixty-one percent believe “Facebook has damaged American politics and has made it more negative, enabling manipulations and lies that polarize people. ”

“Facebook is at a crossroads due to its inability, nearly a year and a half after the elections, to control the divisive effects on society”, says Tom Galvin, Executive Director of the Alliance for Digital Citizens.

“From the distribution of false and manipulating information to the transformation of a tool similar to the Dark Network of Illegal Trade, says Galvin, Facebook seems to be losing confidence in the American public. If things don't change, imposing rules on this social media company won't be distant”.

The 925-American survey reveals that 53 percent of respondents, against 26 percent, say it is Facebook's duty to remove or warn users of news items that may be false. Some 60 percent say that the company is not doing enough to prevent the spread of false information, writes Voa.

Facebook problems have been compounded in recent years with claims that the company has allowed political campaigns to enter user data. Former company executives have also said Facebook has exacerbated political debate in the country and that its excessive use could be harmful to young people.

The company has allowed several murders and suicides to be broadcast live on its platform. Lawmakers are expected to consider measures to impose a possible government overhaul on social media. Facebook leader Zuckerberg has said he is open to such possible measures.