Maryland congressman deactivates Facebook account

By BRIAN WITTE
Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A Maryland congressman has deactivated his official congressional and campaign Facebook and Instagram accounts until their parent company and Congress make substantial reforms to protect children, health and democratic values. Democratic Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger said Wednesday that his decision follows disturbing whistleblower reports about the company’s own research revealing harm to democracy, the mental health of teens and the amplification of hate speech. In a news release, Ruppersberger cited a report in The Washington Post that Facebook’s algorithm at one time treated “angry” reactions as five times more valuable than “likes,” disproportionately promoting content that was likely to include “misinformation, toxicity and low-quality news.”