Expert insights: Why social media companies need to be reined in

By Kaitlynn Mendes, Jacquelyn Burkell, Jane Bailey and Valerie Steeves, Special to Western News. In September, the Wall Street Journal released the Facebook Files. Drawing on thousands of documents leaked by whistle blower and former employee Frances Haugen, the Facebook Files show that the company knows their practices harm young people, but fails to act, choosing corporate profit over public good. The Facebook Files are damning for the company, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp. However, it isn't the only social media company that compromises young people's internationally protected rights and well-being by prioritizing profits. As researchers and experts on children's rights , online privacy and equality and the online risks, harms and rewards that young people face, the news over the past few weeks didn't surprise us. Harvested personal data.