A former Meta executive, Sarah Wynn-Williams, has filed a lawsuit against the social media giant, alleging that the company is attempting to silence her following the release of her memoir, "Careless People." The book provides a critical insider account of her experiences during her tenure at Meta, which was formerly known as Facebook. The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in federal court in Northern California and challenges the validity of an arbitration order that prohibits her from discussing the company or promoting her bestselling book.
Wynn-Williams, who served as the director of global public policy at Facebook from 2011 until her termination in 2017, asserts that the severance agreement she signed upon leaving Meta, which included a non-disparagement clause, was executed under duress. Her memoir, "Careless People," presents allegations of troubling behavior by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other executives at the company. It also reportedly details Zuckerberg's attempts to curry favor with Chinese officials.
In response, Meta has argued that Wynn-Williams breached her non-disparagement agreement and that her book is filled with inaccuracies. The lawsuit claims that the company is seeking damages of $50,000 for each instance that Wynn-Williams allegedly violates this agreement, imposing a financial burden on her. As part of her legal action, she is requesting the court to lift the arbitration order and invalidate her severance agreement with Meta.
Meta released a statement claiming that Wynn-Williams is misusing the legal system to promote her book, which was deemed to have breached the agreement she signed in exchange for a considerable severance payment. They characterize her memoir as "divorced from reality," stating it is disparaging and "riddled with false claims."
According to the lawsuit, Meta has gone as far as obtaining an emergency gag order, prohibiting Wynn-Williams and her legal team from making any public comments about the company or her book. Over a period exceeding one year since the book's publication, the lawsuit alleges that Meta has engaged in surveillance of Wynn-Williams, with company representatives attending her public appearances and documenting instances where she refrained from discussing Meta or her memoir.
Furthermore, the lawsuit highlights that Meta took issue with Wynn-Williams' attendance at a U.K. arts and literary festival earlier this year, where she was a panelist but chose to remain silent due to the presence of other speakers critical of the company.
Wynn-Williams' lawsuit asserts that Meta's actions are a direct attack on free speech and a tactic to intimidate anyone else contemplating making legitimate disclosures about the company’s alleged unlawful and abusive practices. The legal document underscores the sentiment that Meta, along with Zuckerberg and other executives, is pursuing her not only for her refusal to succumb to their influence but also to instill fear in potential whistleblowers regarding the company’s business conduct.
