Facebook groups are “dangerous” and use algorithms that “take people who have mainstream interests and push them to extreme interests”, a whistleblower has told MPs.

Frances Haugen said the groups can become “echo chambers” reinforcing and radicalising people’s opinions.

For example, users with left wing opinions can be pushed to the radical left, while those looking for healthy recipes can be pushed to anorexia content.

Facebook whistleblower explains why Instagram is ‘more dangerous’ than other platforms – follow her testimony live

Ms Haugen, a former employee in the company’s civic integrity unit, has been giving evidence to MPs considering the draft online safety bill.

Among her evidence, she also told the committee that Facebook sees safety as a “cost centre” and that it “unquestionably” makes online hate worse.

She said “engagement-based metrics” – such as how many people like, share or comment on a post – were a problem on all sites.

Facebook whistleblower live: Frances Haugen explains why Instagram is ‘more dangerous’ than other social media

Facebook under fresh pressure as whistleblower prepares to give evidence to MPs

Facebook fined £50m for ‘refusing to comply’ with regulator

She said they favoured polarised content and were “biased towards bad actors”.

Ms Haugen previously appeared before the US Senate and her testimony in the UK comes as fresh stories appeared on Monday based on the thousands of documents she leaked.

She has already levelled a series allegations against the social network, saying its platforms “harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy”, and that it refused to act because executives put profits above safety.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has rejected her claims, saying her attacks on the company were “misrepresenting” the work it does and that it “cares deeply about issues like safety, well-being and mental health”.

Ms Haugen told the MPs’ committee that for any social media platform over a couple of million users, the public should have the right to understand how it might be affecting society.

“Any tech company that has a large societal impact we need to be thinking about how do we get data out of that company…” she said.

Related posts:

Siri appears to leak Apple special event planned for 20 April Human cells grown in monkey embryos triggers ‘Pandora’s box’ ethical concerns Hungry astronauts aboard the International Space Station to receive pizza, fruit and cheese Instagram introduces new tool to combat waves of online abuse Apple drops lawsuit against virtual iPhone company Samsung reveals new folding and flip phones in bid to take niche handsets mainstream NASA’s Mars helicopter spots Perseverance rover from above – can you? ‘Incel’ movement referenced by Plymouth gunman of growing concern to UK police Royal Navy unveils vision of the autonomous fleet of the future Rock samples found by rover reveal alien life may have existed on Mars, says NASA ‘Potential for damage incalculable’: Experts sound alarm over cyber vulnerability in widely used software Apple and Google ‘duopoly’ criticised for ‘vice-like grip’ over mobile devices