I believe that there’s a lot of context that goes into these sorts of big decisions that can be the difference between being able to pay rent and not. That being said, no, I would not accept a job at Facebook.
On one hand, I think that it’s hard to blame an individual, especially at such a low level of work (assuming that I’m straight out of college into an IC1/E3 role). In the current context, the economy is looking rough, the cost of living is exorbitantly high, the interview process is brutal (to say the least), it’s hard to find a job right after graduation (especially at a large company), and very few companies will pay on the same level that Facebook does. It’s completely understandable if a student or anyone were to accept a job at Facebook— there’s a lot of situational context that goes into it and their actions are unlikely to be the make-or-break for Facebook’s evil.
Now, on the other hand, Facebook is not “run” by one single person. Like 99% of all other companies, this work is distributed amongst hundreds or thousands of employees, each with their own specialization and task that allows for each person to help build a block that assembles the larger pyramid. As such, this sort of system would not work without employees, and by becoming an employee, you are participating as a gear in the system that causes Facebook to prey and earn off of disadvantaged individuals. You may be given orders/tasks that you know are not morally right, but you must follow them to keep your job.
I chose to not take a job at Facebook in this situation for these reasons. Would I judge somebody else for saying yes and taking a job at Facebook? Absolutely not— again there’s a lot of context and situation that I can’t see. But given my situation, moral compass, and personal beliefs, I don’t believe I would be comfortable being a gear in the larger system of Facebook, knowing that my work can continue to spread misinformation, profit off of others, and continue on forever even if I’m not alive.
