Disinformation researcher accuses Harvard of firing her on Meta's orders
Dr. Joan Donovan, a well-known disinformation expert, has accused Harvard University of ending her project and forcing her out to protect its ties with Facebook's parent company, Meta. In a legal filing, Donovan claims that the university violated her free speech rights and academic freedom to protect the interests of major donors connected to Meta/Facebook. These allegations raise concerns about the power of tech giants over supposedly independent research. Here's everything to know about the matter.
What does Donovan claim in her filing?
Donovan submitted a 248-page filing attributing her challenges to obtaining the Facebook Papers. To recall, she obtained these documents when Meta and the former Facebook employee who leaked them, Frances Haugen, were the focal points of news coverage in October 2021. In her filing, Donovan states that she emphasized the significance of these documents to Harvard donors through a keynote presentation back then.
Donovan gave a keynote address on Meta's movements
Post-obtaining the documents, Donovan, in a Zoom meeting for top Kennedy School donors on October 29, 2021, stated that Facebook was not merely permitting disinformation on its platform, but was well aware of the damage it was inflicting. The acquired documents showed how Facebook "privately" and meticulously tracked real-world harms exacerbated by its platforms. It also ignored warnings from its employees about the risks of their decisions and exposed vulnerable communities around the world to a "cocktail of dangerous content."
Momentum for departure started in October 2021
Donovan asserts that Douglas W. Elmendorf, Dean of Harvard Kennedy School started turning against her in late 2021, after she obtained and planned to publish the collection of explosive Facebook documents. In December 2021, not long after a Zoom call, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative—Mark Zuckerberg-Priscilla Chan's foundation—committed a half-billion dollars to establish an AI research center at Harvard. Following this, Donovan claims her team encountered unprecedented challenges, including difficulties in gaining approval for hires and the dean's office rejecting funded projects.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's $500 million donation allegedly played a role
Donovan believes that the pressure started when the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, promised $500 million to support a new AI center at Harvard. Donovan's lawyers argue that this donation shows significant financial influence. They stated, "There are a handful of tried-and-true means to coerce someone or some entity to do something they would not otherwise do, and influence through financial compensation is at or near the top of the list."
No involvement in Donovan's exit from Harvard: CZI
In response to the allegations from Donovan, a spokesperson from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative said, "CZI had no involvement in Dr. Donovan's departure from Harvard and was unaware of that development before public reporting on it."
Harvard's response to allegations
Harvard University has strongly denied Dr. Donovan's allegations. James Francis Smith, a university spokesperson, stated that claims of unfair treatment and donor interference are false and filled with inaccuracies and baseless insinuations. He explained that, according to long-standing policy, all research projects at Harvard Kennedy School must be led by faculty members, and Donovan was hired as a staff member. When no faculty member was found to lead the project, it was given over a year to wind down.
Donovan's associate denied the accusations
Latanya Sweeney, a Harvard professor who collaborated with Donovan on the Facebook documents project called FBarchive, also rejected Donovan's accusations. "The number and nature of inaccuracies and falsehoods in the document are so abundant and self-serving as to be horribly disappointing." Sweeney says Meta had no influence over FBarchive or their work. She added that they gave Meta the opportunity to review the archive for security and privacy issues and suggest redactions, which they independently chose to accept or reject.
Whistleblower Aid seeks investigation
Whistleblower Aid, a nonprofit legal organization that previously worked with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, submitted a disclosure on Donovan's behalf. It requested an investigation into Harvard's actions and "all appropriate corrective action" to protect academic freedom. Libby Liu, the CEO of Whistleblower Aid, described the situation as a "shocking betrayal of Harvard's academic integrity and the public interest." The Massachusetts Attorney General's office has received the disclosure and is currently reviewing it.
Donovan joined Boston University in August 2023
Since 2018, Donovan led a team of researchers focusing on misinformation and extremism at the school. In February 2023, The Harvard Crimson reported her impending departure and her team's closure, citing the need for research projects to be led by a full-time faculty member. In August 2023, she revealed her move to Boston University's College of Communication as an assistant professor, officially concluding her association with Harvard. She left due to a perceived lack of support.
