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Careless People, the bestselling memoir written by former Meta executive Sarah Wynn-Williams, has become the center of a high-profile legal battle. She filed a federal lawsuit accusing Meta Platforms Inc. of attempting to silence her through an arbitration order and restrictive severance agreement.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, argues that Meta's efforts to prevent Wynn-Williams from discussing or promoting her book violate her constitutional rights and were designed to intimidate other current and former employees from speaking publicly about the company.

Wynn-Williams, who served as Facebook's director of global public policy from 2011 until her dismissal in 2017, alleges that she signed a non-disparagement agreement under financial duress after losing her job. She is now asking the court to invalidate that agreement, lift the arbitration order restricting her speech, and award damages for lost book sales and speaking opportunities.

Careless People Offers Insider Look at Meta

Published in March 2025, Careless People provides an insider's account of Wynn-Williams' six years at Facebook, which later became Meta Platforms. The memoir quickly became a bestseller after its release and generated widespread attention for its allegations about the company's leadership and corporate culture.

The book portrays what Wynn-Williams describes as a workplace plagued by misogyny, sexual harassment, and internal power struggles. It also contains allegations involving several of Meta's highest-ranking executives.

Wynn-Williams' Tell All 

Among the book's claims, Wynn-Williams alleges that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was willing to explore sharing certain data with Chinese officials as part of efforts to expand the company's business opportunities in China. She also accuses former Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg of inappropriate workplace conduct during business travel.

In addition, the memoir includes allegations that Joel Kaplan, now Meta's chief global affairs officer, sexually harassed her during her employment.

Meta has vigorously denied the allegations contained in the book, describing them as false, misleading, and defamatory. The company has also stated that an internal investigation previously cleared Kaplan of wrongdoing.

Meta's  Emergency Arbitration Order Against Careless People

Shortly after the memoir's publication, Meta initiated arbitration proceedings, arguing that Wynn-Williams violated the non-disparagement clause contained in the severance agreement she signed after leaving the company.

An emergency arbitrator subsequently issued an order prohibiting Wynn-Williams from making statements that could be considered disparaging, critical, or otherwise harmful to Meta. According to court filings, the order also bars her from actively promoting the book.

The lawsuit states that Meta is seeking financial penalties of up to $50,000 for each alleged violation of the arbitration order, creating what Wynn-Williams describes as enormous financial pressure.

Her attorneys argue that these penalties effectively prevent her from defending herself publicly or discussing the memoir.