EXPLAINER: Could Facebook sue whistleblower Frances Haugen?

By TALI ARBEL
AP Technology Writer

Facebook has recently taken a harsher tone toward whistleblower Frances Haugen, suggesting that the social network could be considering legal retaliation after Haugen went public with internal research that she copied before leaving her job earlier this year. U.S. law protects whistleblowers who disclose information about potential misconduct to the government, but that protection doesn’t necessarily cover taking corporate secrets to the media, as Haugen did. Facebook might still be reluctant to pursue legal action against Haugen, as it could risk casting itself as a legal Godzilla willing to stomp on a woman who says she’s just doing the right thing.