Gizmodo Publishes Redacted Facebook Papers for Public Review
Gizmodo releases the first batch of the heavily requested Facebook Papers online, allowing independent experts and the public to examine internal Meta documents. The publication features redacted memos and research focusing on election integrity, the January 6 Capitol attack, and platform safety.
Gizmodo publishes the first batch of the Facebook Papers online, making the internal Meta documents available to the general public for the first time. The outlet collaborates with independent experts to redact sensitive personal information about users and lower-level employees before releasing the files. This move fulfills the demands of academics and smaller media organizations who call for broader access to the materials.
The initial release focuses heavily on the 2020 election and organizes the documents into specific categories. Visitors to the Gizmodo site find internal screenshots, memos, and research regarding the January 6 Capitol attack, election-related task forces, and platform updates. Additional documents also reveal how Meta handles other critical issues like sex trafficking, disinformation, and voter manipulation.
Former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen originally provides these documents to 17 news outlets, the SEC, and Congress last year. While those initial reports highlight how Facebook allegedly prioritizes profit over safety and fails to protect children, the full context remains limited to a select few until now. Gizmodo plans to upload a new set of these redacted papers to its dedicated webpage every week.