Meta’s China Ties: Whistleblower Alleges Security Risks

A former Meta (Facebook) employee, Sarah Wynn-Williams, has testified before Congress, alleging that the social media giant undermined U.S. national security through its dealings with China. Wynn-Williams claims Meta executives misled employees, shareholders, Congress, and the American public about their interactions with the Chinese Communist Party.

Wynn-Williams, who previously accused Meta of retaliation after she reported sexual misconduct, stated that Meta engaged in “illegal and dangerous activities” with China during her seven-year tenure, starting in 2011. She worked closely with figures such as Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg in her role as director of global public policy.

According to Wynn-Williams, Meta executives sought to gain favor with Beijing in order to establish an $18 billion business in China. She told Senators that Meta worked closely with the Chinese Communist Party to develop censorship tools that suppressed criticism and provided China with access to user data, including that of Americans.

A Meta spokesperson refuted the claims, calling them “divorced from reality and riddled with false claims,” and stated that while they had previously expressed interest in operating in China, their services are not currently available there.

Wynn-Williams further alleged that Meta briefed the Chinese Communist Party on emerging technologies, including AI, with the intent of helping China outcompete American companies. She connects these briefings to China’s development of AI models for military use, citing Meta’s Llama model.

Meta previously faced scrutiny after Wynn-Williams published a memoir accusing the company of firing her in 2017 following a sexual harassment complaint. The company claims she was terminated for “poor performance and toxic behavior,” and an investigation found her harassment allegations to be “misleading and unfounded.”

Despite facing what she described as a “legal gag order” related to her severance agreement, Wynn-Williams testified before Congress, stating, “I am here at considerable personal risk because you have the power and the authority to hold them accountable.”