A former Meta executive, Sarah Wynn-Williams, testified before U.S. senators on Wednesday, alleging that the company compromised national security to build a lucrative business in China.
Wynn-Williams, who previously served as Meta's global public policy director, claimed that company executives allowed the Chinese Communist Party to access Meta user data, including that of American citizens, as part of efforts to expand its operations in China.
Meta, however, strongly disputed Wynn-Williams's accusations. "Sarah Wynn-Williams' testimony is divorced from reality and riddled with false claims," said Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels. He added that while CEO Mark Zuckerberg has publicly expressed interest in operating in China, Meta does not currently offer its services there. Nevertheless, Meta does generate significant advertising revenue from Chinese advertisers.
During her testimony before the Senate judiciary subcommittee, Wynn-Williams also accused Meta of working closely with Beijing to develop censorship tools. She specifically cited the company’s decision to delete the Facebook account of Chinese dissident Guo Wengui, who lives in the U.S., after pressure from Chinese authorities. Meta maintains that Wengui's account was unpublished and suspended for violating its Community Standards.
Wynn-Williams described her personal experiences with the company's collaboration with the Chinese government, stating, "One thing the Chinese Communist Party and Mark Zuckerberg share is that they want to silence their critics."
In addition to her testimony, Wynn-Williams released a memoir, "Careless People," in March, which includes critical claims about her time at Facebook. Meta had sought to block the promotion of the book, calling it "false and defamatory."
Senator Josh Hawley, who led Wednesday’s hearing, accused Meta of trying to prevent Wynn-Williams from speaking out. He claimed the company had threatened her with financial penalties, alleging Meta intended to impose $50,000 in punitive damages each time she publicly mentioned Facebook.
Wynn-Williams shared that the ordeal had taken a personal toll on her, describing the decision to testify as incredibly difficult. "The last four weeks have been very difficult," she told the committee.
Meta's spokesperson did not directly address whether the company would pursue financial penalties in response to Wynn-Williams's testimony, but clarified that she was not prohibited from testifying before Congress. The ongoing legal disputes and accusations reflect growing tensions over the company's practices, both domestically and internationally.
Meta has signed another major solar energy agreement, acquiring 650 megawatts (MW) of clean power capacity across Kansas and Texas to support the rapid expansion of its AI-driven data centers, the company confirmed Thursday.
African countries are stepping up efforts to hold global tech companies like Meta accountable for how they handle user data. This could be a turning point for digital control on the continent.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, unveiled a free standalone artificial intelligence (AI) app for its Meta AI assistant on Tuesday, marking a significant move as part of the growing wave of new AI apps in the tech industry.
Meta is launching its first-ever AI developer conference, LlamaCon, on Tuesday, aiming to re-engage the developer community and spotlight the company’s Llama family of open AI models.
Brussels has fined Apple and Meta over €700 million combined, launching its first crackdown under the Digital Markets Act aimed at curbing big tech’s power and boosting competition in the digital economy.
Fourteen years after President Barack Obama asked Steve Jobs what it would take to manufacture iPhones in the United States, President Donald Trump is pressing Apple CEO Tim Cook with the same question — but under more aggressive terms.
Russia will send the same delegation to the second round of negotiations with Ukraine, scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul, according to a diplomatic statement on Thursday.
The next five years are likely to be the warmest in recorded history, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), as rising global temperatures push the planet closer to surpassing key climate thresholds with wide-ranging consequences.
A U.S. federal trade court delivered a significant blow to President Donald Trump’s trade policy on Wednesday, ruling that his administration exceeded presidential authority when it imposed sweeping tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
AnewZ takes to the streets of Yerevan and Baku to ask a simple yet deeply complex question: How do you see peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan? In the first part of our special report, we hear the hopes, doubts, and scars still shaping people’s perspectives on both sides.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Kyiv faced a large-scale Russian drone and missile assault overnight, with explosions and gunfire echoing throughout the city, forcing residents to shelter in subway stations.
China has taken a major step in deep space exploration with the launch of Tianwen-2, aiming to become the third nation to return samples from an asteroid.
A newly discovered object in the Milky Way is baffling astronomers with bursts of radio and X-rays every 44 minutes.
SpaceX's latest Starship launch from Texas ended in an uncontrolled spin before completing key mission goals, highlighting fresh challenges for Elon Musk’s ambitious Mars program.
Nvidia plans to roll out a lower-cost AI chip tailored for China based on its new Blackwell architecture, aiming to preserve its foothold in a shrinking but still critical market amid intensifying U.S. export restrictions.
Pakistan is positioning itself as a major tech hub, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announcing a $700 million IT investment and urging global investors to capitalize on the country's digital growth.
Fourteen years after President Barack Obama asked Steve Jobs what it would take to manufacture iPhones in the United States, President Donald Trump is pressing Apple CEO Tim Cook with the same question — but under more aggressive terms.
Russia will send the same delegation to the second round of negotiations with Ukraine, scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul, according to a diplomatic statement on Thursday.
The next five years are likely to be the warmest in recorded history, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), as rising global temperatures push the planet closer to surpassing key climate thresholds with wide-ranging consequences.
A U.S. federal trade court delivered a significant blow to President Donald Trump’s trade policy on Wednesday, ruling that his administration exceeded presidential authority when it imposed sweeping tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment