Meta has successfully secured an emergency ruling in the United States to temporarily stop former director Sarah Wynn-Williams from promoting or distributing her memoir, "Careless People." The ruling specifically orders Wynn-Williams to cease promotions "to the extent within her control," as Meta challenges the veracity of claims made in her book.
The memoir, which captures Wynn-Williams' experiences during her seven-year tenure at Facebook, includes a series of critical assertions about the company. Meta's parent company argues that the book contains false and defamatory content. Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta, stated that the ruling confirms "the false and defamatory book should never have been published."
Wynn-Williams did not attend the emergency hearing, where arbitrator Nicholas Gowen determined that Meta presented sufficient evidence indicating potential violations of Wynn-Williams' severance agreement. Meta asserts its commitment to freedom of speech while denying allegations made by Wynn-Williams, including a whistleblower complaint filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) claiming Meta misled investors.
"Due to legal process instituted by Meta, the author has been prevented from continuing to participate in the book's publicity." – A spokeswoman for Macmillan
Despite the legal developments, Wynn-Williams' book has already made an impact, reaching number six on Amazon's chart following its U.S. release on Tuesday. It was published in the U.K. on Thursday. Macmillan, the U.K. publisher of "Careless People," maintains its stance on freedom of speech.
"We are committed to upholding freedom of speech and her right to tell her story." – A spokeswoman for Macmillan
In his ruling, Mr. Gowen noted that without an immediate temporary ruling, Meta would face "immediate and irreparable loss." As the legal proceedings continue, Meta remains firm in its denial of Wynn-Williams' claims and reaffirms its position on both protecting its reputation and supporting free expression.