Facebook Whistleblower Talks Mental Health and Teens in SLCC's Speaker Series

In 2021, Frances Haugen hit a breaking point in her job as a lead product manager on Facebook’s Civic Misinformation team. Haugen, an engineer and a data scientist, went public with what she had learned while working at Facebook (a.k.a. Meta, Inc.).

She blew the whistle loud, telling her story in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times Daily Podcast, on 60 minutes, and before Congress. She provided testimony and proof—with tens of thousands of internal documents—that showed Facebook knew its algorithms were contributing to the spread of ethnic violence and hatred as well as deepening harm to the self-esteem of its youngest users, especially girls.

On Thursday, November 7, Haugen will be in Salt Lake City to speak about what she knew then and what parents and users of social media should know now.

She is the keynote speaker at Salt Lake Community College’s Community Conversation event, which is part of the College’s Speaker Series. This event is free and open to the public with reservations.

Haugen, along with a panel of local experts, will discuss social media’s impact on teen mental health. A relevant topic in Utah, which is one of the first states to pass legislation limiting social media access for children and where the Jordan School District is involved in a lawsuit against social media companies to recoup costs for mental health intervention. Increasingly, cell phones are being banned in Utah schools.

Panel of local experts:

Dr. Diane Liu, Pediatrician and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine.
Amiee Winder Newton, Senior Advisor to Gov. Cox and Director of the Utah Office of Families.
DaSheek Akwenye, Director, SLCC Center for Counseling and Health

Event Details:

When: Thursday, November 7, at 7 p.m.

Where: The Grand Theatre, Salt Lake Community College’s South City Campus (1575 South State Street).

Tickets: Free, however seating must be reserved at the Grand Theatre’s website.

###

Press Release

Media Contact, Salt Lake Community College:

Peta Owens-Liston, peta.liston@slcc.edu, 801-957-5099

Comments

SLCC's Undergraduate Annual Research Conference Registration Deadline

Salt Lake Community College’s annual Undergraduate Projects, Performances, Presentations, and Research Conference (UP3RC) is set to take place on April 2, at the Taylorsville Redwood Campus, offering students a chance to showcase their academic achievements, fostering a culture of intellectual exchange. The UP3RC is an annual event designed to celebrate and highlight the academic accomplishments of undergraduate students. It provides a supportive environment for students to share their work, hone their presentations skills, receive constructive feedback, and engage in meaningful discussions with their peers and faculty. All SLCC departments and programs, including faculty and staff, are encouraged to support and visit the day of the event. Students with their poster from last year's UPRC event “The goal of this event is to make sure every school and student is given the opportunity to participate,” says Dr. Kamal Bewar, interim director of the STEM Learning Center, who is chairin...

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...

HB 261 and HB 257 Frequently Asked Questions

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students: The Utah Legislature recently passed two bills that significantly impact higher education: HB 261 Equal Opportunity Initiatives and HB 257 Sex-Based Designations for Privacy, Anti-Bullying, and Women’s Opportunities. Salt Lake Community College is deeply committed to our students, faculty, and staff. We strive to be a place where all are welcomed and respected. While there are many unknowns about the ultimate effect these bills will have on some student and staff support programs, be assured that SLCC will maintain an environment where all can find success and feel a sense of belonging. In the coming months, college leadership will work to gain clarity and determine the changes necessary for legislative compliance. We will also share this information as it becomes available. We realize that during this time, some in our college community may feel unsettled and stressed. We encourage you to make use of available SLCC resourc...

Official SLCC Blog

Search This Blog