Meta Whistleblower Reveals Meta Aided China’s AI Development

Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former high-ranking executive at Meta Platforms Inc., has leveled serious allegations against the tech giant, claiming it compromised U.S. national security while fostering ties with China.

Photo credit: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, Wynn-Williams accused Meta of aiding China’s advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and enabling censorship practices.

Wynn-Williams, who served as Meta’s director of global public policy until 2017, stated that the company began briefing Chinese Communist Party officials on emerging technologies, including AI, as early as 2015.

She alleged that these briefings were conducted at all levels of the company, including its leadership, with the explicit aim of helping China surpass American firms. “Meta’s actions created a direct pathway for China to leverage AI tools for military purposes,” she testified, citing reports that Chinese researchers linked to the People’s Liberation Army developed military AI models based on Meta’s technology.

The whistleblower also claimed that Meta provided custom-built censorship tools to China and facilitated access to user data, including that of Americans.

These actions, she argued, were part of a broader strategy to gain favor with Beijing and expand Meta’s business interests in China.

Despite Facebook being banned in the country, Wynn-Williams highlighted that Meta continues to generate billions in revenue annually from Chinese advertisers.

Meta has strongly denied Wynn-Williams’ allegations. Company spokesperson Andy Stone described her claims as “divorced from reality and riddled with falsehoods.”

He emphasized that while Meta had previously explored entering the Chinese market, it does not operate its services in the country today.

Wynn-Williams’ testimony comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S.-China relations in technology. Lawmakers from both parties condemned Meta during the hearing for attempting to silence Wynn-Williams through legal action after the release of her memoir “Careless People”, which details her experiences at the company.

The memoir has drawn significant attention from Congress, with Senator Josh Hawley leading a bipartisan effort to investigate her claims.

The Senate hearing also touched on broader concerns about Meta’s impact on children’s mental health and its role in shaping global AI capabilities.

Lawmakers called for renewed legislative efforts to address these issues and ensure greater accountability for tech companies operating at the intersection of national security and emerging technologies.