Meta's UK Arbitration 'Threatens to Bankrupt' Facebook Whistleblower, Says Her Lawyer (theguardian.com)
(Sunday September 21, 2025 @05:17PM (EditorDavid)
from the court-costs dept.)
- Reference: 0179440266
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/09/21/195215/metas-uk-arbitration-threatens-to-bankrupt-facebook-whistleblower-says-her-lawyer
- Source link: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/21/meta-expose-author-sarah-wynn-williams-faces-bankruptcy-after-ban-on-criticising-company
In a debate on employment rights, a [1]U.K. Parliament member brought up Meta's former director of global public policy Sarah Wynn-Williams
> Louise Haigh, the former Labour transport secretary, said Wynn-Williams was facing a fine of $50,000 (£37,000) every time she breached an [2]order secured by Meta preventing her from talking disparagingly about the company... "I am sure that the whole house and the government will stand with Sarah as we pass this legislation to ensure that whistleblowers and those with the moral courage to speak out are always protected...."
>
> Meta has emphasised that Wynn-Williams entered into the non-disparagement agreement voluntarily as part of her departure. Meta said that to date, Wynn-Williams had not been forced to make any payments under the agreement... [The ruling came after Wynn-Williams published an exposé in March about her time at Facebook titled Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism .] The ruling stated Wynn-Williams should stop promoting the book and, to the extent she could, stop further publication... Wynn-Williams has not spoken in public since appearing at the Senate hearing in April.
Wynn-Williams "remains silenced" according to her lawyer, who tells the Guardian that Meta's arbitration proceedings in the U.K. "threaten to bankrupt" the whistleblower.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/21/meta-expose-author-sarah-wynn-williams-faces-bankruptcy-after-ban-on-criticising-company
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/13/meta-careless-people-book-former-employee
> Louise Haigh, the former Labour transport secretary, said Wynn-Williams was facing a fine of $50,000 (£37,000) every time she breached an [2]order secured by Meta preventing her from talking disparagingly about the company... "I am sure that the whole house and the government will stand with Sarah as we pass this legislation to ensure that whistleblowers and those with the moral courage to speak out are always protected...."
>
> Meta has emphasised that Wynn-Williams entered into the non-disparagement agreement voluntarily as part of her departure. Meta said that to date, Wynn-Williams had not been forced to make any payments under the agreement... [The ruling came after Wynn-Williams published an exposé in March about her time at Facebook titled Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism .] The ruling stated Wynn-Williams should stop promoting the book and, to the extent she could, stop further publication... Wynn-Williams has not spoken in public since appearing at the Senate hearing in April.
Wynn-Williams "remains silenced" according to her lawyer, who tells the Guardian that Meta's arbitration proceedings in the U.K. "threaten to bankrupt" the whistleblower.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/21/meta-expose-author-sarah-wynn-williams-faces-bankruptcy-after-ban-on-criticising-company
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/13/meta-careless-people-book-former-employee
Power imbalance (Score:5, Interesting)
by Baron_Yam ( 643147 )
Non-disparagement should be unenforceable. Libel and slander are still laws, so if the person is damaging your reputation with lies there are existing ways to handle that.
The power imbalance between a corporation and an individual means that non-disparagement clause was signed under duress, and given the nature of the clause it should be one that isn't legally enforceable.
Future Meta applicants take note (Score:2)
by realmojo ( 62898 )
Would you really want to work for a company that has such a toxic and unethical culture that they need to force former employees from exposing it?
Yeah, well (Score:2)
by cascadingstylesheet ( 140919 )
UK and free speech ... you can actually get locked up longer for a Facebook post complaining about thuggish crimes then you can for doing the crime.
Don't you understand yet ? (Score:3)
Money buys you the justice that you want.
Re: (Score:2)
Mod parent Funny but actually too true to be funny.
However I have a new theory about moderation on Slashdot. First you have to pass a reverse CAPTCHA test. The mod points are then only given to accounts that can prove they are not human.
On the story itself, I think we are all so fscked that it doesn't even make sense to think about solution approaches. The giant corporate cancers can always find a suitable jurisdiction where they they fsck you if'n they want to.
However it would reach a new level of Funny if