A former Meta official's explosive memoir, "Careless People," has made waves in the literary and tech worlds, debuting at number one on The New York Times bestseller list. Released on March 10, 2025, the book sales surged with 60,000 copies flying off the shelves in its first week, eventually landing in the top ten on Amazon's bestseller list. However, what sets this memoir apart isn’t just its commercial success; it’s the storm of controversy it has unleashed.
Sarah Wynn-Williams, who served as a director of global public policy at Facebook, claims in her memoir that during her six-year tenure at the company, she witnessed shocking behavior from top executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg. According to Wynn-Williams, executives engaged in everything from attempting to curry favor with Chinese authorities to appalling instances of personal misconduct.
Meta's aggressive response to the memoir illustrates their intent to stifle any negative publicity. Just days before the book's release, the company initiated arbitration proceedings to prevent Wynn-Williams from discussing or promoting "Careless People." An emergency arbitrator, Nicholas A. Gowen, upheld this move in a ruling on March 11, 2025, asserting that Meta had shown a “likelihood of success on the merits of its contractual non-disparagement claim” against Wynn-Williams.
Despite these legal setbacks, Wynn-Williams's book has captured significant media attention, some may even say inadvertently boosted by Meta's efforts to discredit it. "Careless People" exposes disturbing accounts involving Zuckerberg's interactions with employees and his attempts to win over Chinese officials, casting a shadow over the tech giant's public image.
In the memoir, Wynn-Williams details instances of alleged misconduct by Sandberg, including sending an assistant to purchase lingerie during a business trip and inappropriate advances made toward a colleague aboard a private jet. Allegations such as these raise questions about the corporate culture at Meta during its rapid ascent to market dominance.
This memoir isn’t merely a retelling of events but is framed within Wynn-Williams’s broader observations of Facebook’s role on the global stage. The book appears to reflect her struggle with reconciling her responsibilities at Facebook with her moral beliefs as the company transitioned from an idealistic platform fostering democratic engagement to an entity embroiled in misinformation scandals and censorship.
Meta has taken a strong stance against the memoir, labeling it a “mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives.” They maintain that Wynn-Williams was terminated for “poor performance and toxic behavior” back in 2017, adding weight to their assertion of attempting to protect their reputation from what they deem unfounded allegations.
The memoir's title "Careless People" is a nod to a line from The Great Gatsby, perfectly encapsulating the themes of entitlement and disregard that Wynn-Williams alleges pervade at the highest echelons of the company. In her accounts, the public personas of Zuckerberg and Sandberg starkly contrast with their personal behaviors, overwhelming their influence over Facebook's narrative and contributing to the tech giant's ongoing troubles.
The frenetic reaction from Meta reflects the deep-seated concerns within the corporation regarding the potential fallout from Wynn-Williams’s insider account. The company reportedly reached out to multiple media outlets, attempting to influence coverage around the book and discrediting criticisms raised against them.
Flatiron Books, the publisher of "Careless People," issued a statement defending their decision to publish the memoir, expressing discontent with Meta’s tactics to silence their author through the arbitration process. They emphasized that the book had undergone rigorous editorial scrutiny and insisted they would continue to support its promotion.
Meta has not only sought to mitigate the damage from the book but has also emphasized Wynn-Williams's supposed affiliations with “anti-Facebook activists,” attempting to undermine her credibility. Yet, for many readers, this narrative is one of vindication against a corporation increasingly seen as out of touch with the public.
While Meta is busy defending itself, "Careless People" has ignited a broader conversation about corporate practices in technology firms and the ethics of leadership in a digital age. The book's widespread sales and the attention surrounding it suggest that many people are eager for insight into the realities of life within one of Silicon Valley's most influential companies.
In the week since its release, the controversy surrounding Wynn-Williams's claims has only intensified, raising essential questions about transparency and accountability among the tech elite. In the years that have followed her departure, Facebook—now Meta—has had to negotiate a myriad of challenges, including its role in political misinformation, privacy issues, and a declining public image.
As sales of "Careless People" continue to soar, it increasingly becomes clear that the book strikes a chord with a public concerned about the power and influence of tech leaders. The memoir serves as both a cautionary tale and a critique of the corporate culture that permeates technology firms today.
This gripping account is not merely about Wynn-Williams’s experiences but is also a reflection on an era that, for many, is marked by significant doubts about the efficacy and intentions of platforms designed to connect us.
While the fallout from Wynn-Williams’s revelations continues, "Careless People" stands as a testament to the overwhelming narrative that walls have ears, and even the mightiest of corporations must contend with the truths their former employees uncover.
