Facebook Plan to Prevent Future Leaks Was Leaked

In this photo illustration, a person looks at a smart phone with a Facebook App logo displayed on the background, in Arlington, Va., on Aug. 17, 2021. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

This story originally appeared on ValueWalk

Since Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) has been under fire after internal revelations by whistleblower Frances Haugen, the company is now taking measures to reduce leaks. However, in a paradoxical twist, Facebook’s measures have been leaked.

“Leaky Leaks”

As reported by The New York Times, the internet giant told its staff on Tuesday that it was making some of its internal online discussion groups private.

“Many Facebook employees join online discussion groups on Workplace, an internal message board that workers use to communicate and collaborate with one another,” the media outlet says.

The company is limiting access of non-related workers to groups that contain conversations about safety and other sensitive matters, comprising an area known as “integrity.” The move looks to reduce the number of people engaging in chats on topics that do not pertain to their area of expertise.

An engineering director said, “As everyone is likely aware, we’ve seen an increase in the number of Integrity-related leaks in recent months.”

“These leaks aren’t representative of the nuances and complexities involved in our work and are often taken out of context, leading to our work being mischaracterized externally.”

Facebook is famous for its open working environment but is turning more suspicious after having to deal with disclosures relating to toxic speech and misinformation on its platform. The NYT reports that the communications department warned on an internal forum used for companywide announcements: “OUR ONE REQUEST: PLEASE DON’T LEAK.”

“Avoiding Misunderstandings”

Facebook anti-leak moves stem from the blazing controversy aroused by Frances Haugen, an ex-employee-turned-whistleblower who filtered thousands of pages of company documents to authorities, lawmakers, and media.

She also vented sensitive information during an interview on “60 Minutes,” saying that the company is aware of how damaging the Facebook and Instagram platforms are, regarding misinformation and the mental health of female teens.

She also filed a whistle-blower complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and testified to a Senate subcommittee this month, as reported by The NYT.

Facebook spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement: “Leaks make it harder for our teams to work together, can put employees working on sensitive subjects at risk externally and lead to complex topics being misrepresented and misunderstood.”

Facebook is part of the Entrepreneur Index, which tracks 60 of the largest publicly traded companies managed by their founders or their founders’ families.