By Karim Hammam
Court documents have revealed that Meta employees discussed a “whisper strategy” aimed at undermining Jonathan Haidt, the social psychologist and author of “The Anxious Generation,” whose work has fueled global debates over social media regulation.
Internal meeting minutes detail plans
Minutes from a March 2023 meeting, included in a recent legal filing, show staff considered how to “get the academic community to disavow Haidt” and turn other academics against him. The notes refer to a “below-the-line campaign” and suggest recruiting a writer to produce a “takedown piece” discrediting his research.
Named participants and responses
The minutes mention “Curtiss,” identified as Meta’s then vice-president of research Curtiss Cobb, who reportedly sought ways to “enrage” academics so the media would find Haidt not credible. The documents also reference “Gellman,” a figure not identified in the filing, though Columbia University professor Andrew Gelman later stated he was never hired by Meta to attack Haidt.
Haidt’s influence and reaction
Haidt’s book argues that smartphone use has caused a youth mental health crisis, and he has advocated for strict measures such as bans on social media for under-16s. In a statement to The Verge, Haidt said he was “not surprised” by the discussions, adding: “When companies can’t dispute the evidence, they go after the messenger.” Meta has been contacted for comment.
