Whistleblower's message for the Senate; Facebook's explanation for blackout; Carlos Watson's spin; Amazon's deals; Britney Spears' thanks

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Brian Stelter here at 11:04pm ET on Monday, Oct. 4 with the latest on Frances Haugen, Mike Pence, The Atlantic, William Shatner, IATSE, and more. Plus: A special pet of the day submission from Al Roker...

What hath Facebook wrought?

What exactly are algorithms doing to our politics and our relationships and our brains? I think I read the answers in a David French column on Sunday hours before the Facebook whistleblower spoke publicly.

A terrible combination "of malice and misinformation is driving American polarization to a fever pitch," the conservative author wrote. "While there are real differences between the political parties, a fundamental reality of American politics is that voters hate or fear the opposing side in part because they have mistaken beliefs about their opponents. They THINK the divide is greater than it is." Why? Primarily because of the hyper-partisan content they consume. This so-called "perception gap" gets worse "with increased education and media consumption," French pointed out, citing polls.

The current scrutiny of FB and its failings should be covered in this context – a broader information crisis. There are dozens of factors: The hollowing out of local news, the endless looping outrages of Fox News, the alt-reality murmurings of Newsmax, the fracturing of media into thousands of sharp little pieces, the clickbaiting of consumers who don't know who or what to trust and turn disdainful of it all.

"The cycle works a bit like this," French wrote. "Malice and disdain makes a person vulnerable to misinformation. Misinformation then builds more malice and disdain and enhances the commercial demand for, you guessed it, more misinformation. Rinse and repeat until entire media empires exist to supply that demand." He pointed out that lying by omission -- like "a news diet that consistently feeds a person with news only of the excesses of the other side," the kind of diet that algorithms are all too able and willing to supply -- is a big contributor to this.

"Mistakes can be corrected," he wrote, false stories can be addressed, but a "steady media diet of true negative stories about our opponents can build a sense of profound grievance. Stripped of any kind of balance, one can easily build a monstrous caricature of your political opposition."

"Monstrous"

My 2 year old keeps talking about monsters and I keep telling him they're not real. But those "monstrous caricatures," as described by French, are real, and they're being created millions of times over by users' feeds. Whistleblower Frances Haugen plans to call this out in her testimony to the Senate on Tuesday. Facebook's system, she says, "amplifies division, extremism, and polarization" in order to optimize profits.

"Right now," Haugen says, "Facebook chooses what information billions of people see, shaping their perception of reality. Even those who don't use Facebook are impacted by the radicalization of people who do. A company with control over our deepest thoughts, feelings and behaviors needs real oversight."

Haugen will call for specific oversight -- more on that below. But others, like French, see the situation differently. "It's important to understand that there is no policy fix for malice and misinformation. There is no five-point plan for national harmony," French wrote... "Instead, we are dealing with a spiritual and moral sickness. Malice and disdain are conditions of the soul. Misinformation and deception are sinful symptoms of fearful and/or hateful hearts."

Salon writer Amanda Marcotte, coming at this issue from a very different place on the political spectrum from French, argued on Monday that "disinfo is everywhere because of old-fashioned market demand." She said "people seek out and repeat fake news and other disinformation because it helps them recommit to their pre-existing beliefs. They may even be fully aware that what they're reading and sharing isn't true. Ultimately, they don't care." A regulatory framework won't solve that...

This is ultimately about democracy

And at least the cigarette companies weren't undermining democracy. I found myself making that point on CNN on Monday during a discussion about the addictive nature of social media, a la Big Tobacco. The cigarette companies knew the truth about their products, but at least they weren't polluting the political systems that we all depend on. That's what is at stake here – democratic values...

What Haugen will say

The Senate subcommittee hearing, "Protecting Kids Online," is slated to start at 10am ET Tuesday. According to her written testimony, which was submitted in advance and obtained by CNN, Haugen will say that she has come forward despite knowing that "Facebook has infinite resources, which it could use to destroy me."

She will also bring up the Big Tobacco comparisons: "When we realized tobacco companies were hiding the harms it caused, the government took action. When we figured out cars were safer with seat belts, the government took action. And today, the government is taking action against companies that hid evidence on opioids. I implore you to do the same here."

And she will say that lawmakers have the power to make these platforms safer: "Congress can change the rules Facebook plays by and stop the harm it is causing."

Donie's take

Donie O'Sullivan writes: "One striking line from the whistleblower's opening statement is about false choices. Facebook, she says, wants you 'to believe in false choices. They want you to believe you must choose between connecting with those you love online and your personal privacy,' or between sharing photos and slogging through misinformation, Haugen says. 'They want you to believe that this is just part of the deal.' But 'these problems are solvable,' she says. 'A safer, more enjoyable social media is possible.' I think it's telling because it highlights how Facebook likes to try and frame the conversation to their advantage. Haugen is trying to reframe it..."

>> O'Sullivan and company are out with a new CNN.com story about a concrete harm coming from FB's apps: "Instagram promoted pages glorifying eating disorders to teen accounts..."

FOR THE RECORD, PART ONE

-- Big picture: "Facebook's research tells a clear story, and it's not a happy one," Kevin Roose writes. "Its younger users are flocking to Snapchat and TikTok, and its older users are posting anti-vaccine memes and arguing about politics..." (NYT)

-- On Monday CBS News published the whistleblower complaints that Haugen's attorneys filed with the SEC... (CBS)

-- One of those attorneys, John Tye, said "a few very simple changes" to FB would have "a huge impact on the spread of misinformation, conspiracy theories, violent and inciting content, hate speech..." (CNN)

-- Eliana Johnson reports that Haugen is "getting strategic communications guidance" from Dem consultant Bill Burton "and his consulting firm, Bryson Gillette..." (Free Beacon)

-- In Monday's other FB news, the company filed a new motion to dismiss the FTC's antitrust case... (WSJ)

-- NYU professor and forthcoming CNN+ host Scott Galloway: "Until a tech executive does a perp walk, it's more of the same, in my view..." (CNN)

The great Facebook blackout of 2021

It lasted for the better part of six hours and birthed numerous conspiracy theories. The official word, as of 10:30pm ET, is that a "faulty configuration change" was to blame.

As Facebook's services came back online, execs like CTO Mike Schroepfer were apologetic: "To every small and large business, family, and individual who depends on us, I'm sorry," he wrote. Some cynical readers suggested that the apologies doubled as a reminder about the integral nature of FB, Instagram and WhatsApp in the lives of hundreds of millions of people. But that's way too cynical... right?

TUESDAY PLANNER

The Association of National Advertisers begins its annual Masters of Marketing conference. The group is slated to hear from an FB exec on Thursday...

President Biden speaks about infrastructure at a 3:30pm ET event in Michigan...

Dave Chappelle's latest comedy special lands on Netflix...

A glaring omission on Fox

Oliver Darcy writes: "While other news outlets have spent significant time highlighting the comments that Haugen made pertaining to the Capitol Hill insurrection, Fox did not. Instead, the right-wing network's segments focused largely on Haugen's comments about Instagram being detrimental to the mental wellbeing of teenage girls. It's a noteworthy omission given how much some of the outlet's biggest stars have aimed to downplay what happened on January 6. Bottom line: If you rely on Fox for info, you rarely hear about the fallout from the attack in DC that day. Which gets back to the information crisis point that Stelter made up top..."

-- On Sean Hannity's show Monday night, "former VP Mike Pence said the focus on Jan. 6 is a distraction intended to 'demean' millions of Trump supporters," Mediaite's Josh Feldman reports. Yes, Pence really said that, assailing "the media" in particular... (Mediaite)

-- For a more factual read about Jan. 6, check out Katherine Miller's latest for BuzzFeed. She read four of the recent end-of-Trump-era books and cross-referenced the reporting about the run-up to the riot, pointing out that there's still so much left to learn... (BuzzFeed)

Veto power over OAN's stories?

Oliver Darcy writes: "Exactly how much control did the Trump campaign have over OAN during and after the 2020 election? Well, according to a recent deposition from Rudy Giuliani, the campaign essentially had veto power over Christiana Bobb's stories. The Daily Beast's Justin Baragona reported on the deposition Monday. It was taken as part of a lawsuit filed by a Dominion executive. Giuliani said that the understanding was Bobb, who volunteered for the Trump legal effort, would 'have to agree to something that I know our news networks won't agree to' which would mean 'there may be things that you just can't do' as she worked with the campaign. Baragona, who noted OAN's president didn't respond to a request for comment, has more detail on the arrangement here..."

FOR THE RECORD, PART TWO

-- Biden taking Qs from reporters at the WH on Monday, pointed out that the language of DC budget battles is mind-numbing, maybe even incomprehensible: "'Reconciliation' is like code to the American people," he said...

-- Politico's lead headline right now: "Democrats start bargaining in bid to save party-line megabill..." (Politico)

-- "Seven foreign journalists working for the U.S. Agency for Global Media who were fired by the Trump administration have sued the agency for breach of contract and wrongful termination," Daniel Lippman reports. He has tons of detail here... (Politico)

-- CNN's Ramishah Maruf has five takeaways from the Pandora Papers thus far... (CNN)

-- WaPo, one of ICIJ's many partners, is running a live blog of governmental and global reactions... (WaPo)

Ozy lives... maybe?

Kerry Flynn writes: "Apparently Carlos Watson had a busy weekend. On Friday, Watson told his employees that Ozy was ceasing operations. On Monday morning, we were told that was no longer true. Watson's back-to-back interviews on 'Today' and 'Squawk Box' raised a lot of Qs about what is really happening. He emailed his 'Ozy family' on Monday evening and asked readers to 'hold us accountable and help us grow.' But it's unclear who the 'us' is, since employees were hung out to dry last week. Watson, who did not respond to my emails and texts for comment last week, emailed me Monday afternoon to schedule a chat. I replied asking what time works and have yet to hear back..."

What is Watson doing?

He's doing TV, he's giving interviews, he's spinning anyone who will listen – in other words, he is leaning into his perceived strengths. As one exec close to Watson told me, "Carlos is doing what Carlos has always done — he's rolling out new ideas in the media without addressing any of the old questions." But how can a comeback possibly work? Staffers are using words like "delusional." Advertisers are not interested. People simply aren't buying what he's selling...

>> Related: "The curtain's been pulled back, and now you can't unsee what's behind it," Joshua Benton writes... (Nieman Lab)

Tuesday's new books

It's a busy day of new releases. New nonfiction titles include Dr. Sanjay Gupta's "World War C," Fiona Hill's "There Is Nothing for You Here," Stephanie Grisham's "I'll Take Your Questions Now," and Dave Grohl's "The Storyteller." New novels include "Crossroads" by Jonathan Franzen and "The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles...

"GMA" grills Grisham

Oliver Darcy writes: "Stephanie Grisham, aiming to sell her tell-all, made the first stop on her book tour Monday on 'GMA.' The former WH press sec, who infamously never held a briefing, was grilled over whether she contributed to a 'culture of casual dishonesty.' Grisham, to her credit, responded in the affirmative. She said now she wants to 'educate the public about the behaviors within the White House, because it does look like [Trump is] going to run in 2024.' And that prospect terrifies her, she said. CNN's Kate Bennett has more here. Grisham will appear Tuesday on CNN's 'New Day' and 'The Lead...'"

Farah confronted on "The View"

Darcy adds: "A few hours after Grisham was on 'GMA,' former WH comms director Alyssa Farah was in the ABC hot seat. Appearing as a guest host on 'The View,' Sunny Hostin pressed Farah on her decision to even work for Trump: 'How do you do that?' Hostin bluntly asked. Farah said that it was a fair question and pointed to the turmoil the country faced. 'And I thought, if there is anything I can do to marginally help, I couldn't say no,' she said. Farah said that she was honest with the President and added that made her the 'skunk of the garden party' at times. Though she praised his economic policies, Farah trashed Trump's other actions, such as the Muslim Ban. She too said the GOP needs to move on from Trump and head in another direction..."

FOR THE RECORD, PART THREE

-- New reporting from the NYT: "John Eastman's path from little-known academic to one of the most influential voices in Donald J. Trump's ear in the final days of his presidency began in mid-2019 on Mr. Trump's favorite platform: television." Trump saw him on Mark Levin's Fox show... (NYT)

-- In response, Matt Gertz wrote that Eastman's coup memo "was the result of the Fox-Trump feedback loop..." (MMFA)

-- Jim Swift reports on an email indicating that Fox News is seeking to "bolster their employee COVID testing operations at their DC news bureau..." (Bulwark)

-- Elena Nachmanoff, NBC News SVP of talent development, is leaving the company after 31 years... (TVNewser)

-- Candi Carter is out at Tamron Hall's talk show, confirming weeks of speculation. Quiana Burns is taking over as interim exec producer, while still running the weekend editions of "GMA..." (Variety)

SNEAK PEEK

The Atlantic debuts two new weekly podcasts

Kerry Flynn writes: "As of this week, The Atlantic will go from publishing one weekly podcasts to three. Arthur C. Brooks is hosting 'How to Build a Happy Life,' which launches Tuesday. It's an extension of his weekly column of a similar name. Starting Wednesday, 'The Review' will feature a rotating group of film, TV, music, and book critics analyzing pop culture every week. These shows are in addition to 'The Experiment,' a collaboration with WNYC that debuted in February..."

FOR THE RECORD, PART FOUR

-- "Black Friday isn't for another 53 days. For Amazon, however, it starts today," Jordan Valinsky reports. "Amazon has begun rolling out 'Black Friday-worthy deals' to jumpstart the holiday shopping season that's expected to be chaotic because of shipping and supply chain issues..." (CNN)

-- Elizabeth Harris reports on "supply-chain snarls" that are "forcing publishers to postpone new titles and leaving booksellers in a lurch for some old ones..." (NYT)

-- Marc Tracy writes about online publications succeeding in charging readers $$ for subscriptions: "Defector, The Daily Memphian, The Dispatch and other outlets of recent vintage are driving a shift in the digital media business..." (NYT)

-- Mehdi Hasan continued the TV news headband trend on Monday night 😉 (Twitter)

IATSE strike is authorized

Sandra Gonzalez reports: "Members of the union representing roughly 60,000 film and television workers have voted to authorize a strike that could shutter Hollywood productions indefinitely."

"The members have spoken loud and clear," IATSE union prez Matthew Loeb said. That's true: The results show 98% support with nearly 90% voter turnout. So: What now? IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will meet back at the collective bargaining table on Tuesday...

Huge #'s for "Sunday Night Football"

"Tom Brady has rarely been second place at anything, but the seven-time Super Bowl champ and NFL passing yardage record holder may be cool with this one," Deadline's Dominic Patten and Alexandra Del Rosario wrote Monday. The QB's much-hyped return to Gillette Stadium was "the second-most watched SNF ever," with "a Total Audience Delivery of 28.5 million, on NBC, Peacock and various other digital platforms." The only higher-rated Sunday night was a Cowboys game in 2012...

FOR THE RECORD, PART FIVE

-- Britney Spears took to Twitter to thank her #FreeBritney supporters for "your constant resilience in freeing me from my conservatorship..." (Deadline)

-- John Jurgensen checked in with Conan O'Brien, who has found a "a new comedic gear" through podcasting... (WSJ)

-- Now it's official: Natalie Morales is joining "The Talk..." (TVLine)

Big move by "Billions"

Brian Lowry writes: "'Billions' pulled off a pretty major surprise in its season finale, while announcing that the sixth season -- after a bifurcated fifth due to Covid production delays -- will return in January. Spoilers were hard to avoid Sunday night, so if you're still in the dark, be forewarned and maybe don't click this link..."

FOR THE RECORD, PART SIX

-- Netflix is donating $5.4 million to establish the Chadwick Boseman scholarship at Howard University, Marianne Garvey reports...

-- William Shatner is headed to space, on board the next Blue Origin flight, Chloe Melas writes...

-- Speaking of the final frontier, a Russian actor and director are trying to film the first movie made in space, starting Tuesday. Ashley Strickland has details...

-- Lisa Respers France writes: "Harry Styles has revealed the NSFW meaning of 'Watermelon Sugar...'"

-- One more from France: Billie Eilish will be the youngest solo Glastonbury headliner at the festival next year...

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST...

Pet of the day!

Al Roker and Deborah Roberts share their canine companion: "While our girl is named Pepper, she is one Salty Dog. We can't imagine life without her. She knows her way around a boat, fore and arft!"