A former top exec at Meta dropped bombshell claims on Capitol Hill Wednesday, accusing the tech giant of compromising U.S. national security to chase billions in China.
Sarah Wynn-Williams, who once served as Meta’s global public policy director, told a Senate panel she personally witnessed the company hand over user data to Chinese authorities.
Billions at Stake, Security Abandoned
Wynn-Williams said Meta prioritized business over American safety, building what she called an “$18 billion pipeline” into China. The goal, she claimed, was to rake in ad cash from Chinese firms—even if that meant selling out U.S. users.
Meta pushed back hard. Spokesman Ryan Daniels blasted the claims, calling her testimony “divorced from reality and riddled with false claims.”
Facebook Doesn’t Operate in China—But Its Ads Do
Daniels insisted Meta’s services aren’t even live in China. However, the company does collect ad money from Chinese businesses.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly expressed interest in entering the Chinese market. But critics now wonder if Meta crossed the line in its pursuit of profits.
Working With Beijing, Not Against It?
Wynn-Williams didn’t stop at data. She also said Meta caved to Beijing’s censorship demands. Specifically, she accused Meta of helping silence Chinese dissidents—including removing the Facebook account of Guo Wengui, a vocal critic of the Chinese Communist Party.
Meta maintains it took down Guo’s account for violating its rules—not because of Chinese pressure.
But Wynn-Williams saw it differently. “The CCP and Mark Zuckerberg have something in common: they both silence critics,” she said.
From Executive to Author, Now a Witness
In March, Wynn-Williams published a memoir called Careless People, detailing her time at Facebook. Soon after, Meta filed an emergency court motion to stop her from promoting the book.
Meta called the book “false and defamatory.” Wynn-Williams called it the truth.
Senator Hawley Slams Meta’s Legal Threats
Wednesday’s hearing was led by Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, who didn’t mince words.
He accused Meta of launching a legal war against Wynn-Williams to silence her. According to Hawley, Meta threatened her with $50,000 in damages for each time she mentioned Facebook in public—even if what she said was true.
“Why is Facebook so desperate to keep her quiet?” Hawley asked.
Zuckerberg Under Fire Again
This isn’t the first time Sen. Hawley has grilled Zuckerberg. Back in January, he demanded the CEO apologize to families who claimed social media harmed their kids.
Zuckerberg turned to those families and said, “No one should go through what you have.” But many critics saw it as too little, too late.
Now, with Wynn-Williams joining other whistleblowers like Frances Haugen and Arturo Béjar, the pressure on Meta keeps building.
Legal Risk Still Lingers
Meta claims Wynn-Williams can testify to Congress without penalty. But the company refused to say whether it would sue her for what she said under oath.
Wynn-Williams said the company told her creating exceptions would “eat the rule”—language she says came straight from Meta.
Meta later said that line came from an arbitrator, not its own team.
The Human Cost of Speaking Out
Wynn-Williams said the fight has taken a heavy toll. “The last four weeks have been very difficult,” she told lawmakers. “Even deciding to come and speak to Congress was incredibly hard.”
Still, she showed up. And her claims have now joined a growing pile of damning testimony against one of the world’s most powerful tech firms.
