Meta Criticism Researcher Requests Authorities' Investigation
Harvard Kennedy School Denies as "Speculation"
Shortly after the Mark Zuckerberg CEO Foundation of Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, donated hundreds of billions of won to Harvard University in the United States, allegations have emerged that Harvard stopped the research of a scholar critical of Meta and expelled them from the school.
After criticism based on 'Meta internal whistleblower documents,' the graduate school dean sent an email... Zuckerberg Foundation announced a 650 billion won donation to Harvard
According to the US daily The Washington Post (WP) and others on the 4th (local time), Joan Donovan, who left Harvard last August, requested the US Department of Education and the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office to investigate an incident in late 2021 where the university allegedly exerted 'improper influence' on her and her research team.
Donovan, who led research on misinformation and information errors occurring on social media platforms at Harvard Kennedy School of Government (Kennedy School) since 2018, is known as a recognized scholar in this field, having secured millions of dollars in research grants and testified before Congress.
This incident began two years ago in October 2021 with internal whistleblower documents from Facebook.
At that time, Frances Haugen, Facebook's chief project manager, came forward as a whistleblower and exposed internal documents revealing that 'Facebook continued to profit despite knowing it was fostering social division and harming users' mental health.'
Donovan, who had publicly criticized some tech companies for spreading divisive falsehoods for profit, regarded these documents as a serious issue as a researcher.
During a video conference with donors to the Kennedy School at that time, she expressed the view that 'Meta was aware of the harms caused by social media, as revealed in these documents.'
A former Facebook executive attending this meeting kept questioning Donovan, pointing out that 'he is greatly misunderstanding these documents.'
Ten days later, Douglas Elmendorf, dean of the Kennedy School, reportedly sent Donovan an email containing sharp questions about her research objectives and methods.
About a month later, in December 2021, the 'Chan Zuckerberg Initiative,' the foundation of CEO Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, announced a donation of $500 million (approximately 650 billion won) to Harvard's new artificial intelligence research institute.
"Increased graduate school oversight after criticism, eventually lost job" claims... Graduate school denies as "speculation"
Donovan claimed, "Since the Facebook document issue surfaced in October 2021, oversight by the graduate school increased, and I eventually lost my job."
According to her, at the end of last year, Dean Elmendorf told her to gradually discontinue major projects and stop fundraising for research grants. The position she held was eliminated this year.
Donovan left Harvard this summer and was subsequently appointed as a professor at Boston University.
Donovan asserted, "The Kennedy School was improperly influenced by Meta and Facebook," adding, "A culture that sacrifices academic freedom to operate for Meta's benefit has taken root in the graduate school."
However, the school countered, stating, "We have never dismissed Donovan, nor have we been influenced by Meta in our research."
A spokesperson for the Kennedy School explained, "Donovan was hired as a staff member, not a professor, so under Harvard regulations, a professor was needed to lead the project, but none was found," and added, "The school offered Donovan a position as a part-time lecturer, but she declined."
They also emphasized, "All of Donovan's claims regarding unfair treatment or donor interference are false," stressing, "These are full of inaccuracies and baseless accusations, especially the implication that the graduate school allowed Facebook to intervene in research."
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