Former Facebook executive says company undermined national security
By BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writer
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams made explosive allegations against Meta, accusing the company of compromising national security and sharing U.S. artificial intelligence efforts with China to expand its business in the country.
In her testimony, Wynn-Williams stated, “We are engaged in a high-stakes AI arms race against China. And during my time at Meta, company executives lied about what they were doing with the Chinese Communist Party to employees, shareholders, Congress, and the American public.”
Her book, “Careless People,” which provides an insider account of her time at Meta, gained significant attention, selling 60,000 copies in its first week. Despite Meta’s efforts to discredit her work, the book reached the top 10 on Amazon’s best-seller list.
Wynn-Williams, who served as director of global public policy at Facebook, now Meta, from 2011 until her termination in 2017, revealed how the company prioritized its business interests over national security concerns.
She also highlighted Meta’s decision to delete the Facebook account of Chinese dissident Guo Wengui, stating that the company bowed to pressure from China. Meta defended its actions by claiming that the account violated its rules by sharing sensitive personal information.
Additionally, Wynn-Williams raised concerns about Meta’s plans to establish a physical data pipeline between the U.S. and China, which could have compromised user data security. She credited lawmakers for preventing the implementation of these plans.
In response to Wynn-Williams’ testimony, Meta dismissed her claims as false and detached from reality. The company emphasized that it does not currently operate in China.
The hearing took place ahead of Meta’s impending antitrust trial, where the Federal Trade Commission is seeking potential divestments of Instagram and WhatsApp from the tech giant.
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