Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has taken legal steps to prevent a former employee, Sarah Wynn-Williams, from promoting her newly released book, Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism.
The book, which came out on Tuesday, contains serious claims about the company’s internal practices, including allegations of sexual harassment and efforts to enter the Chinese market through censorship agreements.
Wynn-Williams, who worked at Meta from 2011 to 2017, detailed her experience in the company, specifically accusing top executive Joel Kaplan of inappropriate behavior.
She also wrote about the company’s past consideration of working with the Chinese government to gain access to the market, which involved potential compromises on user data in Hong Kong.
Meta responded by filing a case against her, arguing that the book violated a confidentiality agreement she signed while working in the company’s global affairs team.
An arbitration court has temporarily ruled in Meta’s favor, barring Wynn-Williams from promoting the book or making negative statements about the company until the dispute is resolved.
She is also required to retract previous public criticisms of Meta and its executives.
Meta’s communications director, Andy Stone, defended the company’s actions, dismissing the book’s claims as false.
He also stated that Wynn-Williams was dismissed due to poor performance and misconduct.
Meanwhile, Macmillan Publishers, which released the book, has criticized Meta for attempting to silence the author.
The publisher has vowed to continue distributing the book despite the legal battle.
The case comes as Meta faces criticism over its changing policies, including its approach to misinformation and diversity initiatives.
Earlier this year, the company announced a shift in its fact-checking system, opting for a new “community notes” feature instead of its previous partnerships with media organizations.
