Not Meta's Best Day in Washington
Two of us urged the Federal Government to investigate; are Meta and Mark Zuckerberg "masculine" enough to handle it?
Late last night, when I was supposed to be packing, I watched 90 minutes of Senate testimony by Sarah Wynn-Williams. Now, it’s the middle of the night and I should be sleeping, but I need to write.
Just a few weeks ago, I reflected on what Sarah’s memoir “Careless People” and my lawsuit say together about the consequences to the public for Meta's silencing of women who speak up. I examined how SWW’s experience with Meta mirrored my own, from facing harassment to having concerns about safety and ethics dismissed, to ultimately being pushed out when we refused to stay silent.
The parallels continue as I watched SWW testify about the threat to the public of Meta’s prioritization of growth at any cost.
Her testimony details Meta’s:
Collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) including the co-development of censorship tools
Suppression of Chinese dissident voices and US data shared with the CCP despite Zuck standing for free speech when it serves him
Export of AI capabilities to China despite citing competitiveness with China as reason for less conservative AI laws and more sympathetic anti trust investigations
It also reveals that Meta initiated forced arbitration proceedings against SWW without ever properly notifying her or her legal team. They sent documents to a defunct email address she hadn't used in years, deliberately avoiding proper notification until they had secured gag orders. Only then did they send notice to her home address. The hypocrisy is staggering from a company whose CEO cites “free speech” to avoid accountability.
This morning, my 14-page sworn statement detailing Meta’s pattern of choosing growth over safety was sent to the Federal Trade Commission along with Fairplay’s Request for Investigation which alleges that Meta is violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in Horizon Worlds. Fairplay’s report reveals that:
Meta has knowingly allowed children under 13 to access Horizon Worlds using standard (adult) accounts
These accounts collect extensive personal data, including biometric and behavioral information, without parental consent
Children using these accounts are regularly exposed to cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and manipulative marketing
My sworn statement testifies to the fact that leadership absolutely knew about these violations of COPPA and proceeded with growth plans anyway. From my letter to the FTC, with Fairplay’s RFI:
I spent nearly 15 years working at Facebook, which became Meta, rising from an hourly employee to Director of Product Marketing. I once loved Facebook and its promise to make the world more open and connected; I bet my career on it. Today, I am setting my career aside to bet on something more important: the safety and well-being of children online.
My statement outlines Meta’s internal knowledge of underage users in Horizon (including children under 13), repeated warnings ignored, and a systemic pattern of choosing growth over safety.
When I was laid off while on medical leave, I was presented with a severance agreement that required me to hold Meta harmless. I could not, and neither should you.
I urge the FTC to subpoena internal Workplace messages, meeting notes, and launch readiness assessments from 2022 through 2024. These materials will show that Meta leadership was fully aware that children were present and unprotected in Horizon Worlds and proceeded with growth plans anyway. Safety feedback was silenced, documentation discouraged, and product launches prioritized regardless of known violations.
Innovation advances society and leaves our children a better world. I hope my statement supports the Commission in making it clear that harming children for profit in the name of innovation isn’t innovation, it’s exploitation.
In the span of 24 hours, two former Directors with a combined tenure longer than Meta has existed have come forward publicly with information that Meta fought to keep buried. Information about how Meta endangers national security and children's privacy. Information that cost both of us our careers.
The jig is up. Women are exhausted; we are done carrying the shame of men and the institutions and systems protecting their power.
Meta might not have prepared for a world where we wouldn't be intimidated into silence, or have prioritized our personal financial security over the safety of the public. Meta might be learning that when you attract employees with a vision of making the world better, and urge them to stick to their values despite fear, they just might.
We're speaking, on the record, and with receipts.
And now we’ve got allies in the United States Senate.
Senator Blumenthal wants to know if Mark Zuckerberg has “the guts" to answer to Sarah Wynn-Williams’ testimony, assuring her “it’s not going to be the last time you’re going to speak [about Meta] if we have anything to do with it.”
“Stop trying to silence her. Stop trying to gag her. Stop trying to hide behind your lawyers and millions of dollars in legal fees you’re trying to impose on her. Come to this committee, take the oath, let us question you, and give the American people the truth, adds Senator Hawley, “We will be waiting for you.”
And Senator Markey and Senator Cassidy are collaborating on a joint, bipartisan letter in support of Fairplay’s FTC Request for Investigation.
If Meta stands by its principles, then it’s time to fully comply with the FTC’s antitrust hearing instead of trying to lobby for Trump’s sympathy. It’s time to slam the brakes on Horizon and any initiative that’s harming children and other vulnerable groups. It’s time pull their hypocritical gag orders and let Sarah Wynn-Williams speak freely about her experiences.
Mark Zuckerberg calls for more masculine workplaces as Meta spends millions on intimidation tactics and legal threats to suppress women.
If he believes in his version of the story, he should be man enough to share it — under oath.
I’m currently reading Sarah’s book. Than you for writing this instead of sleeping. Not enough people know what’s going on and what’s BEEN going on. “Women are exhausted; we are done carrying the shame of men and the institutions and systems protecting their power.” — couldn’t have said it better myself.
Thank you for everything you’re sharing. After reading Careless People, I wrote a piece about how those who are brave enough to tell the truth in these toxic workplaces are the canary in the coal mine. It’s so important what you’re doing, but I know it must be coming at a cost.
https://open.substack.com/pub/innercanvas/p/carelessness-killed-the-canary?r=1nj596&utm_medium=ios