Meta compromised national security to build business in China: Whistleblower
What's the story
In a serious allegation against Meta, former global public policy director at Facebook, Sarah Wynn-Williams, accused the tech giant of compromising national security to build an $18 billion business in China. Speaking at a recent congressional hearing, Wynn-Williams alleged that Meta's executives granted the Chinese Communist Party access to the data of its users, including Americans. Her book Careless People, a revealing insider account of her time at Facebook, has climbed into the top 10 on Amazon's best-seller list.
Censorship claims
Meta also helped China develop censorship tools: Wynn-Williams
Wynn-Williams further alleged that Meta worked closely with Beijing to develop censorship tools to suppress critics of the Chinese Communist Party. She specifically mentioned that Meta complied with China's demand to delete the Facebook account of Guo Wengui, a US-based Chinese dissident. In response, Meta claimed it unpublished Guo's page and suspended his profile for violating its Community Standards.
Company's response
Meta refutes Wynn-Williams's claims
Meta has strongly denied Wynn-Williams's allegations. The company's spokesperson, Ryan Daniels, called her testimony "divorced from reality and riddled with false claims." Daniels admitted that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has publicly shown interest in providing services in China but added that "the fact is this: we do not operate our services in China today."
Financial penalties
Wynn-Williams could be fined for her testimony
Senator Josh Hawley alleged that Meta hinted Wynn-Williams could be fined for her testimony. "They have threatened her with $50,000 in punitive damages every time she mentions Facebook in public," he claimed. The amount is reportedly for each material violation of the separation agreement she signed while leaving the company in 2017. However, Meta clarified to BBC that this was an arbitrator's comment, not its own.
Personal impact
The choice to speak to Congress is incredibly difficult: Wynn-Williams
Wynn-Williams also opened up about the emotional toll of these events on her. She said, "The last four weeks have been very difficult... Even the choice to come and speak to Congress is incredibly difficult." When asked by BBC if she would face financial penalties for her statements made in front of Congress, Meta declined to directly respond. Meta used a "campaign of threats and intimidation" to silence the former executive, said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut.