Exclusive: Sarah Wynn-Williams faces $50,000 fine every time she breaches order banning her from criticising Meta

Exclusive: Sarah Wynn-Williams faces $50,000 fine every time she breaches order banning her from criticising Meta

A former Meta executive who wrote an explosive exposé making allegations about the social media company’s dealings with China and its treatment of teenagers is said to be “on the verge of bankruptcy” after publishing the book.

An MP has claimed in parliament that Mark Zuckerberg’s company was trying to “silence and punish” Sarah Wynn-Williams, the former director of global public policy at Meta’s precursor, Facebook, after her decision to speak out about her time at the company.

Louise Haigh, the former Labour transport secretary, said Wynn-Williams was facing a fine of $50,000 (£37,000) every time she breached an order secured by Meta preventing her from talking disparagingly about the company.

  • LavaPlanet@sh.itjust.works
    3·
    12 hours ago

    Isn’t she just talking truthfully? Is the truth disparaging, if it is, isn’t it of their own making, how is she to discern, I doubt they have a bar they wouldn’t go below, even they wouldn’t be able to point to the line where something is truthful but disparaging, if that’s a possible description, because doesn’t that then just become a retelling of the facts? Anyone would be hard pressed to find something above board, or even slightly ok about fb. Not even one, non disparaging description or thing, exisits relating to fb. I haven’t read the book, I’m just going by what Zuck has publicly said and done, too.

    • DreamlandLividity@lemmy.world
      4·
      8 hours ago

      In legal terms, disparagement means any negative remarks regardless of truthfulness. It is usually used in cases where the statements are truthful or opinions.

      Defamation or libel is used when it is not. Obviously, you can usually disparage anyone you want if it is the truth or opinion. However, you may sign a contract, usually as part of employment, that forbids you from disparaging someone, usually your employer. That is likely what happened here. If you signed such a contract, your statements being true does not help you.

      Also note that no contract can stop you from reporting a crime to the authorities, in case you ever need to know that.