NEW YORK – A recent debut by a former Meta executive has caught significant attention, selling 60,000 copies in its inaugural week and swiftly climbing into Amazon.com’s best-seller top ten, even as the social media behemoth tries to undermine the publication.
Published last week by Flatiron Books, Sarah Wynn-Williams’ compelling narrative “Careless People” divulges troubling allegations about Mark Zuckerberg, Joel Kaplan, and other high-ranking Meta officials. The book discusses incidents of unsettling conduct within the company and Mark Zuckerberg’s alleged strategies to curry favor with Chinese officials. Meta, in response, asserts that Wynn-Williams breached a severance agreement and accuses her of producing a work riddled with inaccuracies.
Flatiron has reported significant first-week sales in multiple formats, including print, audio, and digital editions. By mid-week, “Careless People” had reached the No. 3 spot on Amazon’s rankings.
In the wake of Meta’s complaint, emergency arbitrator Nicholas A. Gowen imposed a restriction last week on Wynn-Williams, prohibiting her from promoting the book or continuing to make critical statements about her former employer. Gowen remarked that Meta showed strong premises for its non-disparagement lawsuit against Wynn-Williams. Despite these legal hindrances, Flatiron remains free to publish and market “Careless People”.
A Meta statement applauded the arbitrator’s decision, emphasizing it as validation that Wynn-Williams’ book, branded by Meta as false and defamatory, should not have been released. The company has labeled “Careless People” a blend of dated narratives and previously reported company issues paired with inaccurate claims about its leadership.
Flatiron issued a counterstatement, expressing distress over what it perceives as Meta’s attempts to suppress the author using a non-disparagement clause. They highlighted that the arbitrator had not evaluated the core allegations set forth by Wynn-Williams.
Flatiron stands firm on their rigorous editing and vetting process, pledging continued backing for the publication of impactful works such as this one, while maintaining their commitment to the book’s promotion.
The book’s release was shrouded in secrecy until days before it became available. Since then, Meta has actively engaged media outlets, striving to influence coverage perception, including interactions with The Associated Press. Washington Post critic Ron Charles remarked on Meta’s persistent communication efforts, noting it as an unprecedented experience in his lengthy career.
