# Careless People

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism is a memoir by Sarah Wynn-Williams, published on March 11, 2025. The book details the author’s experiences working at Facebook (now Meta) and explores the company’s internal culture, decision-making processes, and role in global events.

## Background

Sarah Wynn-Williams is a former Facebook executive who worked in global policy and government relations. In Careless People, she provides an account of her time at the company, discussing its approach to corporate ethics, public policy, and business strategy.

## Coverage

The book (and the SEC filing, see below) documents attempts by Mark Zuckerburg to gain dominance in China. Academic John Naughton writes that these efforts included:
   developing a censorship system for China in 2015 that would allow a "chief editor" to decide what content to remove, and the ability to shut down the entire site during "social unrest"; assembling a "China team" in 2014 for a project to develop China-compliant versions of Meta's services; considering the weakening of privacy protections for Hong Kong users; building a specialised censorship system for China with automatic detection of restricted terms; and restricting the account of Guo Wengui, a Chinese government critic, after a Chinese internet regulator suggested it would improve cooperation.
Continuing, Wynn-Williams accuses Zuckerburg of lying to the US Congress about the extent of efforts by Facebook to woo the Chinese government. Wynn-Williams suggests that Facebook was developing technologies and tools to allow the Chinese government to censor users and gain access to their data.
The military junta in Myanmar was facilitated by Facebook to post hate speech that sought to foment sexual violence and promote genocide against its Muslim minority. "Myanmar would have been a better place if Facebook had not arrived" Wynn-Williams writes.
Wynn-Williams claims Meta identified teenage girls who had deleted selfies on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and then forwarded their data to companies who then targeted them with beauty products and similar.
The book details allegations of unaddressed sexual harassment in the workplace by senior Meta executives.

## Reception

Prior to publication, Wynn-Williams lodged a 78‑page complaint with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Wynn-Williams also briefed the Washington Post, recorded an interview with journalist Emily Maitlis, and appeared on a podcast with Steve Bannon.
Careless People received coverage from media outlets such as The New York Times, Financial Times, and The Guardian. Some reviews described the book as a detailed insider’s account of Big Tech’s influence, while others questioned the extent to which it provides new insights into Facebook’s operations.
Mark Zuckerburg responded by seeking relief at at the Emergency International Arbitral Tribunal, which enjoined Wynn-Williams "from making orally, in writing, or otherwise any disparaging, critical or otherwise detrimental comments to any person or entity concerning [Meta], its officers, directors, or employees". Macmillan, the UK publisher, later issued a statement saying that it would ignore the ruling. As of 15 March 2025, hardback and digital versions of Careless People were being offered for sale by major online retailers.