The AP Interview: Facebook whistleblower fears the metaverse

By RAF CASERT and KELVIN CHAN
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is warning that the virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant’s growth strategy will be addictive and rob people of personal information while giving the company another monopoly online. In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Haugen said her former employer rushed to trumpet “the metaverse” recently because of the intense pressure it is facing after she revealed deep-seated problems at the company. The former product-manager-turned-whistleblower’s allegations have drawn global attention for providing insight into what Facebook may have known about the damage its social media platforms can cause. Facebook’s parent company denied it was trying to divert attention away from its troubles by pushing the metaverse.