Who is Sarah Wynn-Williams? Former Meta insider exposing Facebook's dark side

Sarah Wynn-Williams, Meta’s former director of global public policy, is back in the spotlight with her memoir, "Careless People -- A cautionary tale of power, greed, and lost idealism.”

The book provides an inside account of Meta’s boardrooms, private jets, and high-level meetings, exposing the priorities, blind spots, and excesses of top executives like Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and Joel Kaplan.

Wynn-Williams paints a scathing picture of Meta’s leadership, portraying them as self-interested and indifferent to the broader consequences of their decisions. She alleges that the company ignored internal warnings about potential harm to human rights and democracy, particularly during its aggressive expansion in China.

Williams claimed that under Zuckerberg and Sandberg, Facebook's culture turned rotten, and the two executives turned a blind eye to "shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards," according to a review of the book by the New York Times.

Wynn-Williams, who joined Facebook in 2011, played a critical role in shaping its global government relations. She managed teams across continents and had direct contact with Zuckerberg and Sandberg. However, she was fired in 2018. She claimed that her dismissal was retaliation for her complaints about Joel Kaplan, then the company’s vice president of global public policy.

Meta, however, denies these claims. The company states that she was fired due to “poor performance and toxic behavior.” She has since filed a whistleblower complaint with the SEC, alleging Meta misled investors.

Before joining Facebook, Wynn-Williams had an impressive career in diplomacy, law, and policy. Here is what we know about Sarah Wynn-Williams:

Career at Meta: Hired in 2011, she was a top-ranking public policy executive overseeing government relations across Asia and South America.

Key Allegations: Claims Meta ignored warnings about threats to human rights and democracy in its pursuit of growth.

Background: A New Zealand diplomat, lawyer, and policy expert with experience at the UN and the New Zealand government.

Other Roles: Managed relations with the World Bank and IMF for Oxfam .

Education: Holds a BA in political science and international relations from the University of Canterbury and a Master of Laws from Victoria University.