Key facts
- A former Meta executive, Sarah Wynn-Williams, has sued Meta Platforms Inc. in federal court.
- The lawsuit claims Meta is attempting to 'silence' her memoir, 'Careless People'.
- Wynn-Williams alleges her severance agreement was signed under duress and seeks to vacate it.
- Meta claims Wynn-Williams violated her agreement and that her book is inaccurate.
- The company reportedly obtained an emergency gag order against Wynn-Williams.
- Meta is seeking $50,000 in damages for each alleged violation of a non-disparagement agreement.
A former Meta executive, Sarah Wynn-Williams, has filed a lawsuit against the social media giant, alleging that the company is attempting to 'silence' her and invalidate her severance agreement. Wynn-Williams, who served as director of global public policy at Facebook (now Meta) from 2011 to 2017, claims the non-disparagement clause in her severance agreement was signed under duress. Her memoir, 'Careless People,' reportedly offers an insider account of her time at the company, including alleged disturbing behavior by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his efforts to gain favor with Chinese officials.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Northern California, argues that Meta's private arbitration order barring her from speaking about the company or promoting her book is invalid. Meta, in response, stated that Wynn-Williams is using the legal process to sell books and that her memoir is 'divorced from reality, disparaging and riddled with false claims.' The company also claims she violated her agreement and that an arbitrator previously ruled against her.
According to the lawsuit, Meta has pursued Wynn-Williams aggressively, obtaining an emergency gag order and allegedly surveilling her at public appearances to document any violations. The company is reportedly seeking $50,000 in damages for each purported breach of the non-disparagement agreement, which Wynn-Williams argues places her under financial duress. She is asking the court to lift the arbitration order and vacate her severance agreement.