The Whistleblower Who Built Meta’s Ad Empire Now Seeks to Expose It
In a dramatic turn of events, Brian Boland, a former Meta executive instrumental in constructing the company’s formidable advertising apparatus, has shifted from a position of “deep blind faith” to becoming a vocal public critic. His recent testimony before a California jury offers an unprecedented look into the inner workings of Meta, challenging its public narrative and raising serious questions about its priorities.
A Decade of Dedication, A Shift in Perspective
For over a decade, Boland dedicated his expertise to developing the systems that fueled Meta’s immense profitability. Yet, on Thursday, he revealed to a jury that these very systems inherently incentivized the relentless pursuit of user growth, including vulnerable teenagers, often at the expense of their well-being. This testimony directly contradicts Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent assertions that the company’s mission primarily balances safety with free expression, not revenue.
Boland’s role was to dismantle this carefully constructed image, explaining precisely how Meta generates its wealth and how this financial imperative profoundly shaped the design and functionality of its platforms. He painted a picture of a culture, fostered by Zuckerberg himself, where growth and profit consistently overshadowed user welfare from the highest echelons of leadership. Described as a whistleblower – a term Meta has actively sought to suppress – Boland’s journey from unwavering belief to firm conviction highlights a stark realization: “competition and power and growth were the things that Mark Zuckerberg cared about most.”
The “Move Fast and Break Things” Ethos Unveiled
Boland, who served as Meta’s VP of partnerships before his departure in 2020, recounted his extensive experience in various advertising roles dating back to 2009. He testified that Facebook’s infamous early slogan, “move fast and break things,” was far more than a catchy motto; it represented a deeply ingrained “cultural ethos” within the company.
Prioritizing Speed Over Scrutiny
The philosophy behind this motto, Boland explained, was to prioritize rapid product deployment over meticulous consideration of potential negative consequences. The directive was clear: “don’t really think about what could go wrong with a product, but just get it out there and learn and see.” At the height of its influence, employees were greeted at their desks with a provocative question: “what will you break today?”
Growth and Engagement: The Unwavering Mandate
According to Boland, Zuckerberg’s priorities for the company were consistently unambiguous. Through all-hands meetings, he left no room for doubt regarding the company’s focus, whether it was a shift to mobile-first products or outpacing competitors. Boland recalled a “lockdown” period, complete with a digital countdown clock, when Facebook raced to counter a rumored Google social network (likely Google+). Crucially, Boland testified, during his entire tenure, there was never a similar “lockdown” dedicated to user safety. Instead, Zuckerberg allegedly instilled in engineers that “the priorities were on winning growth and engagement.”
Challenging Meta’s Public Stance
Meta has consistently refuted claims that it prioritizes user engagement over well-being. Both Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri have recently testified that building platforms users enjoy and feel good about is in their long-term interest, guiding their decisions. Boland, however, vehemently disputes this narrative.
“My experience was that when there were opportunities to really try to understand what the products might be doing harmfully in the world, that those were not the priority,” he stated. “Those were more of a problem than an opportunity to fix.” He further elaborated that when safety issues emerged from press reports or regulatory inquiries, the primary response was to “figure out how to manage through the press cycle… as opposed to saying, ‘let’s take a step back and really deeply understand.'”
A Culture of Conformity
While Zuckerberg recently cited internal disagreements around 2019 as evidence of a culture that encourages diverse opinions, Boland offered a contrasting view. He testified that while such openness might have existed earlier in his tenure, the company later evolved into “a very closed down culture.” The implication is clear: dissent was not merely discouraged but actively suppressed as the company matured.
The Uncaring Algorithm
Boland’s testimony paints a chilling picture of a system driven by an amoral imperative. His concluding thought, though incomplete in the provided text, hints at the cold, calculating nature of the platforms he helped build: “There’s not a moral algorithm, that’s not a thing… Doesn’t eat, doesn’t sleep, doesn’t care.” This stark statement encapsulates the core of his critique: a machine designed for growth, indifferent to the human cost.
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