Whistleblower Memoir Alleges Meta Built Censorship Tools to Enter Chinese Market

Meta Accused of Secret Dealings with China and Developing Censorship Systems, Says Former Executive
Whistleblower Memoir Alleges Meta Built Censorship Tools to Enter Chinese Market
Written By:
Kelvin Munene
Published on

The published memoir "Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism," written by ex-Meta worker Sarah Wynn-Williams exposes severe accusations against Meta and its leadership team. According to the book, Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and former COO Sheryl Sandberg chose China's market expansion over moral issues such as censorship alongside their support for China's authoritarian system.

Wynn-Williams, who worked as the Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook until 2018, details a troubling internal culture at Meta and accuses both Zuckerberg and Sandberg of fostering a "rotten company culture."

Allegations of Unethical Cooperation with China

Wynn-Williams’s memoir sheds light on Meta's extensive efforts to gain access to the Chinese market. The book reveals how the organization proposed to build censorship systems for China's government and support their artificial intelligence research. The book reveals how Meta maintained secrecy about its efforts which included working with US lawmakers and public disclosure because it sought profits from China's market without considering ethical or political issues.

The book highlights that Zuckerberg, Sandberg and other senior executives engaged in activities that raised questions about their willingness to compromise on Meta's values. The memoir paints a picture of executives willing to put profit and global expansion ahead of social responsibility, claiming that Meta executives have turned a blind eye to the negative consequences of their decisions.

Meta's Response to the Allegations

Meta has denied the claims made in Wynn-Williams's book. A spokesperson for the company pointed out that Wynn-Williams was terminated in 2017, and an internal investigation at the time found her claims to be false. Meta also referred to remarks made by Zuckerberg in 2019, in which he admitted that the company sought to operate in China but ultimately failed to reach an agreement. The company asserts that it did not, and does not, operate in China due to political and regulatory challenges.

The spokesperson added that Meta had been transparent about its attempts to enter China in the past and that its efforts had been widely reported. Despite the allegations in Wynn-Williams's book, Meta insists it ultimately refrained from pursuing operations in China, citing the company’s inability to navigate the regulatory environment.

Details of the Whistleblower's Claims

Wynn-Williams's whistleblower complaint and his memoir provide additional evidence about Meta's efforts to gain approval from the Chinese Communist Party. According to the complaint, Meta built a censorship network for China, enabling the state to monitor and censor political dissident content. Meta examined the possibility of changing its privacy rules to obtain data from Chinese users.

The whistleblower’s documents suggest that Meta executives pursued these efforts with little regard for transparency. Wynn-Williams claims that Meta repeatedly provided misleading or non-responsive information to U.S. investors and regulators regarding its efforts to enter China.

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