TECH

Internal whistleblowing against large technology companies has had a little-discussed side effect: the profound and lasting impact on the professional lives of those who decide to speak out

Recent accounts from former employees of Meta and other big tech companies show that exposing practices considered harmful to the public can mean isolation, difficulty finding employment, and, in some cases, leaving the technology sector altogether. The information comes from The Washington Post.

One of the most emblematic examples is that of Yaël Eisenstat, former head of election integrity at Facebook. In 2019, she published an article accusing the company — now Meta — of profiting from misleading political advertising through advanced ad targeting tools. The company, in turn, stated that its policies sought to avoid censorship of political speech. After the whistleblowing, Eisenstat reports that her career went into decline: colleagues started talking about her, job interviews stalled, and promising invitations were canceled without explanation.

She claims she even felt "blacklisted" by Silicon Valley, although she doesn't believe Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg directly interfered. For four years, she lived off consulting work until she landed a position with a similar level of responsibility to what she had before.

Allegations against Meta broaden the debate about big tech...Eisenstat is part of a growing group of professionals who accuse big tech companies of compromising user security and causing social harm. This movement has contributed to a series of negative reports, hearings in the United States Congress with industry executives, and proposed laws seeking to restrict or regulate the use of social networks, especially by young people.

This year alone, at least nine current or former Meta employees have come forward with various accusations. Among them is Sarah Wynn-Williams, author of a best-selling book in which she claims that company leaders sought to get closer to the Chinese government, tolerated sexual harassment, and ignored the risks of the platforms to users. Meta countered, saying that the conversations about China were no secret, that allegations of harassment were deemed unfounded after an internal investigation, and that the former employee was fired for poor performance.

Despite this, Wynn-Williams faces a heavy legal battle. Meta won an arbitration that prevents it from promoting the book or making comments considered critical of the company, under penalty of fines. According to its lawyer, the company is seeking damages that could reach tens of millions of dollars. British parliamentarians stated that it is at risk of bankruptcy, while Meta says that activities such as cooperation with regulators and sworn testimony remain protected by law.

Personal and professional costs of challenging tech giants...Experts and whistleblower support organizations say that the reported consequences are not exceptional. According to advocates, those who decide to expose internal problems often face:

-isolation within the technology sector;

-difficulty in obtaining new positions compatible with their experience;

-significant loss of income;

-need to change fields or careers;

-long and exhausting legal processes.

Arturo Béjar, former engineering director and consultant at Meta, reported that he alerted Zuckerberg about data showing frequent harassment of teenagers on Instagram, including his own daughter and her friends. Receiving no response, he decided to contact the press and Congress. After making his concerns public, he said he couldn't get new consulting clients and began living off savings accumulated before the complaint. Even so, he says he doesn't regret it.

Similar cases are repeated outside of Meta. Anika Collier Navaroli, a former Twitter employee, reported being ostracized by colleagues after testifying before Congress about company decisions prior to the Capitol Hill attacks in 2021. Today, she works as a university professor, with lower pay, but says she finds meaning in her new role.

Software engineer Kathryn Spiers, who worked for Google, was fired for modifying a company tool to send a pop-up message in the Chrome browser to other employees with information about labor rights when they accessed certain websites.

She filed a complaint against the company with the National Labor Relations Commission at the time of her dismissal in the United States. Spiers is the fifth Google employee fired in a month in 2019 to complain of retaliation by the company.

The tool in question operated in a version of the Chrome browser, exclusive to employees, and was originally designed to provide information about safety. Spiers modified the feature to include reminders to colleagues that they have the right to organize in collective actions.

Spiers' alert triggered a pop-up window within Chrome if employees visited the page about internal policy or the website of a company involved in attempts to weaken unions — and which was recently consulted by Google.

She worked in the security area of ​​Chrome and was suspended hours after making the modification. Google claims Spiers was fired for violating company policies.

The engineer maintains she had the authority to use the system to alert company employees about new policies. In September 2019, Google had published a list of employee rights, settling a lawsuit filed by the National Labor Relations Commission. "I didn't expect to be fired for this," Spiers told Reuters at the time of her dismissal.

There are exceptions. Frances Haugen, who leaked internal Facebook documents in 2021, stated that she had a financial reserve that reduced the risks. Since then, she has gained public prominence, written a book, and founded a technology policy organization.

Faced with this scenario, governments are beginning to react. Recent laws in California and bills pending in the U.S. Congress are expanding whistleblower protections, particularly in the artificial intelligence sector. Independent organizations have also emerged to offer legal and emotional support.

Nevertheless, the consensus among many of these professionals is that denouncing the practices of big tech companies, including Meta, remains a decision with profound consequences. For several of them, however, the personal cost does not outweigh the conviction that making the problems public was necessary.

mundophone