Ms Haugen has filed eight complaints with US regulators, alleging the company is withholding information about its failings from investors and the public.
She added that Facebook disbanded a “Civic Integrity” team that had been set up to cover the US elections for disinformation, shortly before rioting consumed Capitol Hill on January 6. Facebook said members of the team continued work as part of a broader unit.
Nick Clegg, the former deputy Prime Minister and Facebook’s public affairs chief, said on Sunday it was “ludicrous” to blame the social network for violence earlier this year.
The tech giant has disputed reports surrounding Ms Haugen’s leaks. It said it was not true that Instagram was “toxic”. It said: “This research, like external research on these issues, found teens report having both positive and negative experiences with social media.”
In response to Ms Haugen’s interview, a Facebook spokesman said: “We continue to make significant improvements to tackle the spread of misinformation and harmful content. To suggest we encourage bad content and do nothing is just not true.”
Facebook shares were down 5.5pc to $323.8 on Monday.
