Meta has successfully stopped a former employee from promoting a controversial book about the company. The book, Careless People, written by Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Meta executive, claims to reveal damaging details about the company’s leadership and culture.
A ruling from the American Arbitration Association temporarily blocked Wynn-Williams from promoting the book, stating that its continued publicity could cause Meta “immediate and irreparable loss.” The ruling also instructed Wynn-Williams to take steps to halt further publication, though it did not place any restrictions on the book’s publisher, Macmillan.
Meta Calls Book “False and Defamatory”
Meta, previously known as Facebook, argues that Wynn-Williams violated a non-disparagement agreement by publishing the book. Company spokesman Andy Stone stated that the arbitration ruling confirmed Meta’s stance that Careless People “should never have been published.”
“This urgent legal action was made necessary by [Wynn-Williams], who more than eight years after being terminated by the company, deliberately concealed the existence of her book project and avoided the industry’s standard fact-checking process in order to rush it to shelves,” Stone said.
Despite Meta’s legal efforts, Careless People has already gained significant media attention, with reviews published in The New York Times and other major outlets. Some observers believe the company’s attempt to suppress the book may have inadvertently boosted its publicity.
Serious Allegations Against Meta Executives
The book makes several serious allegations against Meta’s top leadership. Wynn-Williams claims she faced retaliation after reporting sexual harassment by her former boss, Joel Kaplan, who was then vice president for global public policy. She alleges Kaplan made inappropriate comments to her, including asking after childbirth, “Where are you bleeding from?” and calling her “sultry” at a company event. Kaplan, now Meta’s chief global affairs officer, has not publicly responded to the claims.
Wynn-Williams also accuses Sheryl Sandberg, Meta’s former chief operating officer, of inappropriate behavior. She alleges that Sandberg insisted they share a bed on a private jet in 2016 and once instructed her assistant to buy lingerie for both of them.
The book also paints a controversial picture of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Wynn-Williams claims Zuckerberg refused to acknowledge that his employees let him win at board games, admired former U.S. President Andrew Jackson—a known advocate of slavery—and wanted to have a “tribe” of children. She also alleges that Chinese President Xi Jinping rejected Zuckerberg’s request to name his unborn child.
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Claims of Negligence in Myanmar Crisis
Beyond workplace misconduct, Careless People accuses Meta of playing a role in international human rights violations. Wynn-Williams claims that Facebook knowingly allowed false and hateful content to spread in Myanmar, which allegedly contributed to the genocide of the Rohingya ethnic minority.
She also told NBC News that she had filed a whistleblower complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), alleging that Meta misled investors about its handling of harmful content on its platforms.
Ongoing Legal Battle
Neither Wynn-Williams nor Macmillan has responded to media requests for comment. Meanwhile, legal experts suggest that the case could take months to resolve. If Meta succeeds in proving that Wynn-Williams violated a confidentiality agreement, she could face financial penalties or further restrictions on the book’s publication.
For now, Careless People remains widely discussed, and Meta’s attempts to block its promotion may only fuel further interest in its contents.