Facebook’s owner Meta has responded to numerous reports of whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams not being allowed to talk at the Hay Festival in the UK. Wynn-Williams is the author of Careless People, her exposé of the company.
The Bookseller reports: ‘Wynn-Williams was prevented from talking after receiving legal advice that taking part in the on-stage discussion could place her in breach of an injunction imposed on her by Meta. The festival had earlier withdrawn her book from sale in order to facilitate her appearance. According to her lawyers, Meta specifically targeted her appearance at Hay in a legal letter; two weeks ago she spoke at the Bath Literature Festival on AI.
‘Meta told the BBC that the assertion it was restricting Wynn-Williams’ freedom of speech or trying to silence her “is not what’s happening here”. “There is a binding interim arbitration award against Ms Wynn-Williams which she agreed to during her time at Meta and which explicitly prohibits her from promoting her book,” it said. “We are entitled to ask that the terms of that order be observed.”