In a series of startling allegations, Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former global public policy director at Facebook, has accused the social media giant of considering compromising actions to gain access to the Chinese market in the mid-2010s. Joining Facebook in 2011 and remaining until 2017, Wynn-Williams claims that the company contemplated allowing the Chinese government to access its user data, potentially enabling Beijing to censor and control content on its platform.
Wynn-Williams asserts that Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder, considered complying with Chinese authorities by hiding viral posts until the government could review them. She describes Facebook's relationship with China as working "hand in glove," suggesting close cooperation in exploring possibilities for content control. In response, Zuckerberg himself has commented on the challenges of operating within China's regulatory environment.
"We could never come to agreement on what it would take for us to operate there, and they [China] never let us in." – Mark Zuckerberg
Beyond international concerns, Wynn-Williams has also raised alarms about Facebook's advertising tactics targeting teenagers. She alleges that Facebook was transparent about advert-targeting strategies but used algorithms to identify vulnerable teenagers for targeted advertising. She describes scenarios where a deleted selfie by a teenage girl could trigger advertisements from beauty companies, exploiting moments of insecurity.
"The algorithm could infer that they were feeling worthless or unhappy," – Ms Wynn-Williams
Wynn-Williams claims her employment was terminated by Meta, Facebook's parent company, in 2017 for what was cited as "poor performance." She contends that her dismissal followed complaints about inappropriate behavior by Joel Kaplan, now Meta's chief global affairs officer. In the wake of these allegations, she has filed a whistleblower complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), asserting that Meta misled investors.
Her revelations also extend to personal anecdotes about Zuckerberg's lifestyle and parental practices within Facebook's executive circles. She asserts that many Facebook executives, including Zuckerberg, refrained from allowing their own children to use the platform they managed.
"They had screen bans. They certainly wouldn't allow them to use the product." – Ms Wynn-Williams
Wynn-Williams describes Zuckerberg as someone who did not wake before midday, enjoyed karaoke, and disliked losing at board games like Risk.
"I didn't realise that you were supposed to let him win. I was a little naive," – Ms Wynn-Williams
"It's the one piece on the board game that he hasn't conquered," – Ms Wynn-Williams
In recent developments, Wynn-Williams has published a memoir detailing these experiences. In response, Meta has launched legal action in the United States to prevent further distribution of what it deems defamatory and untrue information. A legal representative for Wynn-Williams counters these claims, arguing that Meta's statements are inconsistent and misleading.
"Meta has made a number of false and inconsistent statements about Sarah since the news of her memoir broke… while Meta's statements are trying to mislead the public, the book speaks for itself" – Legal representative for Ms Wynn-Williams
Despite the legal battles, Wynn-Williams maintains her stance, emphasizing the broader implications of technology companies collaborating with political entities.
"We're in this moment where tech and political leaders are coming together and as they combine forces, that has a lot of consequences for all of us." – Ms Wynn-Williams
She expresses a strong desire for change within Meta, highlighting its significant influence on daily life and advocating for a future aligned with ethical standards.
"They said: 'The business side thinks this is exactly what we should be doing. We've got this amazing product, we can get young people, which is a really important advertising segment.'" – Ms Wynn-Williams