Court documents unsealed in recent filings show that staff at Meta discussed using a so-called "whisper strategy" to undermine Jonathan Haidt, a prominent US social psychologist and author. The papers say employees considered measures intended to damage Haidt's standing in the academic community, including efforts to "get academic community to disavow" him.
Haidt, the author of The Anxious Generation, has been a vocal critic of social media's effects on young people and has been widely credited with helping to shift public debate toward more stringent regulation and safety measures. His work has been cited in policy discussions internationally and has informed proposals such as calls for restrictions on under-16s using certain platforms in countries including Australia.
The documents provide a rare window into internal discussions at the company that operates Facebook and Instagram about how to respond to influential critics. They suggest some employees were exploring reputational tactics aimed at weakening the authority of an external challenger rather than engaging directly with the substance of his arguments.
The disclosures add to scrutiny of how major technology firms engage with researchers, journalists and other outside voices who raise concerns about platform harms. The revelations are contained in court filings and may form part of broader legal and public debates over the responsibilities and conduct of large social media platforms.
Observers say the matter highlights tensions between platform companies and the academic and policy communities that study them, as regulators and governments consider measures to address online harms. The court documents underscore the complicated relationship between public advocacy, corporate strategy and the shaping of policy conversations about internet safety.