Meta plotted 'whisper strategy' to discredit mental health critic Haidt

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 28 Oct, 11:44 · Archive

Meta employees discussed a 'whisper strategy' to discredit social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, according to unsealed court documents.

Meta employees discussed plans to discredit social psychologist Jonathan Haidt in March 2023, according to newly unsealed federal court documents. Meeting notes referenced a 'whisper strategy' to 'turn academics against Haidt' and discussed ways to 'debunk' him.

Haidt has become a leading public voice attributing rising adolescent depression and anxiety to social media. He testified before Congress in 2022 and later published his bestselling book 'The Anxious Generation'. After Meta lost a historic social media addiction case in Los Angeles earlier this year, Haidt wrote that 'history will judge them as harshly as the tobacco industry'.

Meta was facing multiple lawsuits over product safety claims for teens at the time of the meetings. The company was reportedly sensitive to Haidt's potential to sway public and political opinion. The documents show Meta employees discussed contacting media figures to publish negative coverage of Haidt and considered focusing 'on the media' to convince reporters he was 'not credible'. It is unclear whether Meta acted on the ideas discussed in the meeting notes.

How it is being reported

• Meta considered a ‘whisper strategy’ to turn academics against Jonathan HaidtAs Meta was feeling public pressure over teen mental health, and facing an impending onslaught of kids safety trials, the company considered a campaign to discredit a key critic: social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. Newly filed court documents show that in March 2023, Meta discussed a "Whisper strategy" to "turn academics against Haidt," a thought leader […]The Verge · 28 Oct, 11:30
• Meta schemed ‘whisper strategy’ to discredit influential social media critic Jonathan Haidt: bombshell docsMeta employees schemed about how to “get the academic community to disavow” social media critic Jonathan Haidt -- a ploy to tamp down claims that its apps were fueling a teen mental health crisis, according to newly unsealed court documents.New York Post · 27 Oct, 17:53

In this story: Meta · Jonathan Haidt · Curtiss Cobb · California · Los Angeles · Congress

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