Mr. Mark Malone:

We can combat it by challenging the recommender systems and turning them off by default. Stuff travels because of the type of engagement. The algorithms dealing with engagement are primed for rage and other high-intensity emotions. They are not primed for context, complexity and accuracy. We have seen how stuff moves quickly through Meta, but it also happens on all the other platforms. Virality and growth at all costs are part and parcel of this. It is not exclusive to Facebook. We often see it on YouTube and X or Twitter. Actually, X is a whole other conversation. The problem is known by the companies. The concerning part is that this is a model. It is not an accident.

Another problem is the fact that there is no transparency regarding the algorithm. Companies will talk about commercial sensitivities, but this is a tool that is spreading harm in our communities and causing global damage. The companies have had a free run for approximately 20 years. They have built monopolies and accrued capital and have considerable lobbying infrastructure. They have led national and EU regulators on a merry dance for the past 15 years. We are playing catch-up. It is a little like the tobacco industry. We are seeing the fallout now. We do not get to look at what is behind the curtain and we do not know how the algorithms work. The companies also get to appear at committees behind closed doors. We do not get to see how the product works and what its ingredients are, and when the companies attend committees, we do not get to see the examination of what is happening. We can guarantee this committee that, if there is a recommendation to ensure that the recommender systems are turned off by default, there will be pushback against that.

Without even knowing whether we would get what we wanted or what we thought was needed, we would like a much greater push towards transparency. People should at least be arguing for transparency in the first instance. There does not seem to be transparency now.