Sen. Josh Hawley requested Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday to testify earlier than Congress in response to whistleblower allegations that he “sold out our country’s security for China profits.”
The request from Hawley (R-Mo.) adopted bombshell testimony from Sarah Wynn-Williams – a former Fb coverage govt who stated Wednesday she witnessed Zuckerberg and different prime brass deceive Congress and “repeatedly undermine US national security and betray American values” in a failed effort to appease Beijing and acquire entry to the Chinese language market.
“The public deserves to hear your response to these serious allegations, particularly since they pertain to American national security,” Hawley stated in a letter addressed to Zuckerberg.
Hawley stated his Senate Judiciary’s subcommittee needed Zuckerberg to testify beneath oath at a second listening to about Wynn-Williams’ allegations and stated his workplace would work with Meta to “find a suitable time and date” for the looks.
Meta didn’t instantly reply to The Put up’s request for touch upon Hawley’s letter.
Meta’s makes an attempt to enter China in the end failed and Zuckerberg deserted plans to supply Fb and Instagram in 2019 – however the firm nonetheless earns $18 billion per 12 months by way of advert gross sales to Chinese language companies.
Wynn-Williams’ testimony was peppered with explosive claims about Meta’s alleged efforts to realize entry to China as a part of a top-secret inner initiative referred to as “Project Aldrin.” She additionally detailed her six-year stint at Meta from 2011 to 2017 within the scathing memoir “Careless People.”
The whistleblower alleged that Meta brass offered briefings to the Chinese language Communist Get together on delicate expertise, together with synthetic intelligence, with an “explicit goal being to help China outcompete American companies.”
Wynn-Williams stated Meta noticed the briefings as a part of a “value proposition” to persuade China to permit its merchandise. She stated her claims are backed up by documentary proof that she has offered to Congressional investigators, together with inner chat logs from prime executives that had been mentioned on the listening to.
Hawley demanded that Zuckerberg reply to that allegation, in addition to separate claims that Meta created censorship instruments on the behest of the Chinese language Communist Get together – which uncovered customers in Hong Kong and Taiwan in addition to placing the info of People in danger.
The Senate additionally desires Meta’s response to allegations that Meta agreed to dam accounts in 2017 operated by Guo Wengui, a self-exiled Chinese language billionaire and dissident, after going through strain from China.
“Her testimony was filled with explosive allegations about your company’s willingness to jeopardize American national interests, betray American users and Chinese dissidents alike, and lie about it to Congress,” Hawley wrote.
Hawley stated that Meta had “lied directly to Congress” throughout a 2017 listening to by which a prime govt stated it took motion in opposition to the account by way of common processes and denied any interference by China.
Hawley just lately informed The Put up in an unique interview that Wynn-Williams testimony could be an important litmus take a look at to find out if and when Meta executives had lied to Congress throughout previous hearings.
Meta has strenuously denied Wynn-Williams’ allegations.
“Sarah Wynn-Williams’ testimony is divorced from reality and riddled with false claims,” a Meta spokesman stated in an announcement responding to her claims.
“While Mark Zuckerberg himself was public about our interest in offering our services in China and details were widely reported beginning over a decade ago, the fact is this: we do not operate our services in China today.”
An organization spokesperson beforehand stated that Meta took motion in opposition to Guo’s account as a result of it had improperly shared delicate information, included passport numbers, social safety numbers and residential addresses, in violation of its insurance policies.
Meta scrambled to dam Wynn-Williams’ memoir from gaining the general public’s consideration – and obtained an arbitration order barring her from selling or publicly discussing the ebook.
A number of senators, together with Hawley, blasted Meta for trying to muzzle Wynn-Williams – who testified that she faces $50,000 in damages for each public point out.
“The greatest trick Mark Zuckerberg ever pulled was wrapping the American flag around himself and calling himself a patriot and saying he didn’t offer services in China while he spent the last decade building an $18 billion business there,” Wynn-Williams stated.
Meta has stated that determine is from the separation settlement that Wynn-Williams signed when she left the corporate in 2017 and applies to any breach of contract, not simply non-disparagement.
