Careless People: A Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis

Author: Sarah Wynn-Williams (Former Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook) Publication Date: March 11, 2025 (Flatiron Books / Macmillan)

Subtitle: "A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism"

This book is Wynn-Williams's memoir of her time at Facebook (now Meta) from 2011 to 2017. Through her firsthand experiences, the author exposes Facebook's internal culture and decision-making processes, revealing how the tech giant transformed from an idealistic, innovative platform into an empire that wielded global influence while "carelessly" abusing its power. The title, Careless People, is a direct quote from the final line of the American classic The Great Gatsby: "They were careless people." The original line refers to the wealthy and indifferent Tom and Daisy Buchanan. Wynn-Williams draws a parallel to Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg, who are portrayed in the book as modern-day counterparts to Tom and Daisy, recklessly destroying people's lives and retreating into their vast wealth, leaving others to clean up their mess. This metaphor, rooted in the decadent Gilded Age of 20th-century America, highlights the indifference and imbalance of power and responsibility among modern tech leaders.

This report will provide a chapter-by-chapter summary, focusing on each chapter's main themes, key events and figures, and the compelling historical anecdotes, social details, and character portraits within the book. We will also examine the intersections of 20th-century American history and contemporary reflection, such as the author's use of historical allusions (classic literature, political figures, cultural symbols) to mirror the realities of the modern social media era. Without delving into other works or the author's writing style, the following is a breakdown of Careless People:

Chapter 1: The Call of Idealism – From Diplomat to Social Media Pioneer

Theme: The author's transition from a New Zealand diplomat to a Silicon Valley idealist. Wynn-Williams describes how, in the early 2010s, she was driven by the idealistic potential of social media to connect the world. This belief led her to leave her traditional diplomatic career and proactively seek a position at the rapidly growing Facebook. Having worked at the United Nations and the New Zealand Embassy in the U.S., she felt like a mere cog in a bureaucratic machine and yearned for a more impactful role. In 2011, as a young international lawyer and diplomat, she pitched herself to Facebook, even designing the role of "Director of Global Public Policy" because the company's leadership had not yet realized they needed such an expert. She recalls the difficulty of even getting in touch with Facebook, describing the company as a "brick wall," but she managed to "pry open a crack" through her network and land the job. This journey underscores her passionate belief in Facebook's mission.

Core Events & Details: This chapter establishes the author's motivation for joining Facebook. Wynn-Williams recounts a personal experience that solidified her belief that social media could be a force for good: during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand, she temporarily lost contact with her sister, who was in the disaster zone. She was immensely relieved to learn of her sister's safety the next day via Facebook. This event deeply moved her, demonstrating the value of global connectivity and real-time information and fueling her ambition to join Facebook to advance its vision of a connected world. With this conviction, she left her stable government career for the uncertainty of Silicon Valley, hoping to "make a difference at a pivotal moment in history." The chapter sets an idealistic tone, portraying her belief that Facebook had the potential to break down borders and unite people, with her determined to be a guiding force.

Character Introductions: The author briefly introduces herself (New Zealand origin, background in law and diplomacy) and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. She notes that Zuckerberg, then in his late 20s, led a team of geeks and engineers and was surprised by her unsolicited pitch. However, her persistence and expertise won them over, and she became the company's first executive dedicated to global policy and government relations, setting the stage for her future advocacy on global issues within Facebook.

Chapter 2: Silicon Valley Initiation – An Empire of Engineers and "Little Red Book" Culture

Theme: The author's initial impressions of Facebook's headquarters, depicting its unique corporate culture and power structure. Upon arriving in Silicon Valley, Wynn-Williams found a company dominated by young software engineers and "frat boys" who were flush with cash and operated with impunity. The work environment felt more like a college dorm than a traditional corporation. Facebook had transformed from a Harvard campus social network into a global information empire in just a few years, yet its culture retained a youthful arrogance. This chapter highlights the duality of the internal culture: on one hand, an innovative energy and wealth explosion that stunned outsiders; on the other, highly centralized decision-making and a near-fanatical corporate ideology.

Core Content: Wynn-Williams observed an "engineers-first" philosophy where programmers and tech experts held the reins of power. As the newly appointed Director of Global Public Policy, she was astonished to find that the top leadership, especially Zuckerberg, had almost no interest in international politics or diplomacy and even disliked attending diplomatic functions. She describes Zuckerberg at the time as a tech prodigy holed up in his lab, focused solely on product features and user growth, and dismissive of government affairs and international relations. This made her initial work challenging, as she had to persuade this group of "tech bros" of the importance of a global perspective.

Social Details: The author uses vivid anecdotes to illustrate Facebook's peculiar culture and the narrow geographical awareness of some Americans. For instance, a senior executive was clueless about New Zealand's location, much to her amusement and dismay. She jokingly offered to buy him a world map for his office. He initially declined, but shortly after, a large world map appeared on his wall. This anecdote is both humorous and telling: Facebook's decision-makers, despite their global impact, knew little about the world and needed a basic lesson in international geography.

Corporate Culture: The "Little Red Book" Phenomenon: Wynn-Williams describes a legendary employee handbook, jokingly referred to as Facebook's "Little Red Book." Much like Mao's Little Red Book for the Red Guards, Facebook's version compiled the quotes, photos, and core philosophies of its "supreme leader," Mark Zuckerberg. New employees received a copy to learn the company's values. She quips, "Of course, the 'Chairman' in this book wasn't Mao, but Mark." This half-joking comparison highlights the personality cult and ideological nature of Facebook's corporate culture. The company fostered a quasi-religious atmosphere where the words of the leadership were gospel, and all employees were expected to memorize and adhere to them. The historical parallel between 20th-century Maoist doctrine and 21st-century "Markisms" reveals the fervor and insularity of Facebook's internal culture, where decisions were heavily influenced by Zuckerberg's personal will.

Engineers Rule and Gray Areas: In the latter part of the chapter, the author points to a worrying aspect of Facebook's culture—a disregard for rules and a willingness to operate in gray areas. The engineer-led management championed moving fast and breaking things, adopting a utilitarian approach to law and policy: one set of principles for public consumption, while privately exploiting loopholes and pushing boundaries. She gives an example of the company publicly committing to protecting user data privacy while privately allowing developers to operate freely in policy gray areas. This double standard would pave the way for a series of future scandals and began to raise her alarm about the dangerous tendencies within Facebook's culture.

Chapter 3: A Stumbling Global Expansion – The First Taste of Power

Theme: This chapter chronicles Facebook's initial forays into the international diplomatic arena and the author's role in it. Between 2011 and 2012, as Facebook transitioned from a campus product to a global platform, it began tentatively engaging with world leaders. As Director of Global Public Policy, Wynn-Williams actively arranged meetings for Zuckerberg with international dignitaries to enhance the company's legitimacy with foreign governments. Zuckerberg was initially indifferent to such events until he got a taste of the political spotlight, which gradually changed his attitude. The chapter focuses on Zuckerberg's initial encounter with political power, tracing his transformation from awkward shyness to burgeoning ambition.

Core Event 1 – First Meeting with a Head of State (Russia, 2012): In 2012, Zuckerberg met his first sitting head of state: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Wynn-Williams, who was present, described Zuckerberg as being so nervous that he was sweating profusely. This meeting was a new experience for the young Silicon Valley entrepreneur; for the first time, he realized that as the head of a social media empire, he could sit as an equal with political strongmen. Transitioning from unease to savoring the sweetness of power, Zuckerberg began to develop an interest in high-level diplomatic events. Wynn-Williams notes that Zuckerberg developed a taste for it: he started requesting to meet more legendary figures at international gatherings. For example, he tried to be seated next to Cuban leader Fidel Castro at a dinner (a request that was not fulfilled). Zuckerberg became captivated by the feeling of being on the world stage, shoulder-to-shoulder with influential figures. He had tasted power, and his ambition grew.

Core Event 2 – Expanding into Emerging Markets (Myanmar, 2012): During the same period, Facebook extended its reach to countries with low internet penetration. The chapter details a symbolic diplomatic mission: in October 2012, Wynn-Williams was sent to Myanmar to negotiate with senior military government officials to lift the block on Facebook. At the time, Myanmar was just beginning its democratic transition, but online speech was still controlled by the military. Facebook had been banned, and her mission was to lobby the military junta to "unban" Facebook, allowing the American social product into a new market. She successfully persuaded the Myanmar authorities, opening the country to Facebook. Ironically, the author would later discover that local civil society activists had warned her as early as 2012 about the growing problem of hate speech on the platform, but the company was indifferent at the time. The book later details the tragic consequences of this negligence (the Rohingya genocide), but here it serves as foreshadowing. At the moment, Facebook viewed its entry into Myanmar as a victory, focusing on expanding its territory without anticipating that the platform would later be used to "incite hatred and violence."

Social Details: The author wryly describes her role as Facebook's "diplomatic pioneer," traveling the world to get governments to accept this new American platform. In promoting it in new markets, she sometimes encountered comical situations. The book mentions that Myanmar officials at the time had almost zero understanding of Facebook, leading to numerous misunderstandings and cultural clashes during their talks. For instance, some military officials were baffled as to why young people were so keen on sharing trivial details of their lives online, while the author emphasized how Facebook could facilitate information dissemination and economic development. The military government was ultimately persuaded, partly because they saw Facebook as a potential tool for monitoring public opinion (which also sowed the seeds of future chaos in Myanmar).

Historical Parallel: Wynn-Williams's descriptions subtly evoke the rise of early 20th-century multinational corporations like Standard Oil and the East India Company. As a new kind of information-age enterprise, Facebook's global expansion similarly involved striking deals with local powers and influencing sovereign policies. Her personal experience shows that tech companies had become powerful enough to negotiate directly with governments, a privilege previously reserved for superpowers or multinational conglomerates. Facebook, as a 21st-century social empire, was mirroring the imperialist expansion of the past, only this time conquering digital territory.

Chapter 4: Privileged Flights – A Daily Life of Private Jets and Lavish Perks

Theme: This chapter shifts focus to the extravagant lifestyle of Facebook's top executives and the company's hierarchical culture of privilege. Traveling frequently with senior management, Wynn-Williams experienced flying around the world on private jets and witnessing scenes of extreme luxury. This was a stark contrast to her previous life in the public sector; no matter how demanding her diplomatic work had been, it never approached the opulence of Silicon Valley's tech giants. Through her firsthand accounts, she exposes the lavish spending of Facebook's leadership, implying a moral numbness brought on by immense wealth.

Descriptions of Luxury: In the author's telling, the private jet trips of Facebook executives were astounding: the planes were equipped with bedrooms, a wide array of fine food and entertainment, and top executives could party or negotiate deals at 30,000 feet. During one intercontinental flight, she witnessed a few executives hatch an audacious plan, as if their billion-dollar fortunes made anything possible. For example, she mentions that some "crazy ideas were green-lit on private jets," with Facebook's decisions affecting hundreds of millions of people being made by this small, exclusive circle. This highlights the concentration of power and arbitrary decision-making: when decision-makers are detached from reality in a vacuum of luxury, they are more likely to make far-reaching decisions carelessly. As the author notes, many of Facebook's later, more outrageous projects were "cooked up" in this environment.

Privilege and Detachment: The author laments that Facebook's leadership, living in a bubble of privilege, grew increasingly disconnected from the reality of ordinary users. She recounts a specific detail: on a business trip aboard a company private jet, she saw firsthand how executives squandered company funds. The wine budget for a single in-flight meal ran into thousands of dollars. At the same time, the platform was filled with stories of real suffering from users around the world, creating a jarring sense of irony. This chasm between the haves and have-nots planted a seed of doubt in her mind: Did Facebook's leaders, who claimed to be connecting the world and empowering people, truly understand the needs of the masses? Or were they living in their own luxurious bubble?

Related Figures: This chapter also provides background on some of Facebook's early key executives. For example, she mentions figures from the American political establishment, with Joel Kaplan being a prime example. Kaplan, a former Deputy Chief of Staff in the George W. Bush administration, had deep connections in Washington, D.C. In 2011, Facebook hired him as Vice President of U.S. Public Policy. He was later promoted to Vice President of Global Public Policy, becoming the author's boss. These figures, who moved seamlessly between politics and business, brought Republican-style connections and hardball tactics to Facebook, adding a "D.C. power-player" element to its culture. Through descriptions of the exclusive gatherings on private jets, the chapter underscores the insular and echo-chamber effect of Facebook's inner circle—a few like-minded individuals with aligned interests controlled everything, their world vastly different from that of their users.

Chapter 5: The Geometry of Power – Gray Games in a Small Circle

Theme: This chapter delves into the small-circle culture of Facebook's power core and how the company operated in the gray areas of regulation and rules. The author reveals that Facebook was manipulated by a small, incestuous group of people who controlled the attention of billions. This circle had its own logic: highly cohesive internally, while adopting aggressive and even unscrupulous tactics to protect its interests externally. Wynn-Williams concludes from her observations that Facebook's leadership was power-hungry and lacked checks and balances, gradually creating a situation of unchecked authority.

Core Argument – Concentration and Expansion of Power: The author points out that Zuckerberg's special share structure gave him veto power, granting him absolute control over the company. Although Facebook was a publicly traded global company, it effectively operated like a private empire—"Facebook is a dictatorship run by one man." She reveals that the company's annual filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) explicitly stated this: Zuckerberg could unilaterally sell the company or change its direction, even against the wishes of the board and other shareholders. This meant that Facebook's decisions often reflected Zuckerberg's personal obsessions. For example, he long viewed explosive user growth as the ultimate goal, like a chess master focused only on winning, and was willing to use aggressive means to achieve it. The author emphasizes that company policy always followed Zuckerberg's preferences: whatever he was obsessed with, the entire company's resources would shift in that direction.

Operating in "Gray Areas": Under this structure, Facebook demonstrated a flexibility that bordered on lawlessness in its global expansion. Wynn-Williams reveals several secret projects. For instance, in 2014, the company formed a "China team" dedicated to developing a version of the platform that complied with Chinese censorship requirements to enter the market. In 2015, the company even developed a censorship system tailored for Chinese authorities, allowing a designated "editor-in-chief" to delete posts and, if necessary, shut down the entire site with a single click. These plans were never made public at the time; the company claimed it would "not sell out its values to enter China," while privately building a mechanism for full compliance with censorship. Similarly, Facebook executives discussed lowering privacy protections for users in Hong Kong and forming joint ventures with Chinese companies to bypass restrictions. These seemingly unthinkable compromises demonstrate Facebook's willingness to cross ethical red lines in the pursuit of profit. It was only in recent years, as U.S.-China relations deteriorated and Washington became hostile toward China, that these China-related projects were halted. The author's revelations in the book and subsequent whistleblower complaint to the SEC confirmed that Zuckerberg had long tried to "cooperate with the Chinese government," and had even preemptively enabled some censorship tools for trial use by CCP officials in places like Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Historical Metaphor: The author laments that tech giants like Facebook are no different from traditional industrial behemoths—they are the oil and tobacco tycoons of the digital age. She writes, "It struck me that Meta and its peers were just digital versions of the oil, mining, and tobacco conglomerates of the past." These companies were also greedy, suppressed dissent, and were even willing to collude with authoritarian regimes in exchange for market access. The only difference is that the resource they control is human attention and speech, not a tangible product. Through these inside stories, the author emphasizes that when the power of tech giants is highly concentrated and lacks checks and balances, the harm they can cause is comparable to that of the most notorious corporate empires of the 20th century.

Chapter 6: A Mirage – The Illusion of Female Empowerment and the Truth About Sandberg

Theme: This chapter focuses on the gender dynamics within Facebook and the dual identity of Sheryl Sandberg. As one of the few women in senior leadership, Wynn-Williams initially saw Sandberg as a role model—Sandberg's 2013 bestseller, Lean In, encouraged women in the workplace to assert themselves. However, as they worked together, she gradually saw the disconnect between Sandberg's words and actions. The so-called female empowerment was merely a facade at Facebook. This chapter reveals Facebook's true attitude toward women in the workplace and the disappointing reality behind Sandberg's "powerful career woman" persona.

The Reversal of Sandberg's Image: Wynn-Williams recounts her initial admiration for Sandberg. The 2013 publication of Lean In sparked a global conversation about gender equality in the workplace, and Sandberg was celebrated both inside and outside Facebook as a symbol of female leadership. She promoted a "Lean In" culture within the company, encouraging female employees to actively seek promotions. However, the author soon discovered that Sandberg's support for women was purely rhetorical. In reality, she demanded absolute obedience and personal loyalty from her subordinates. Wynn-Williams sharply describes Sandberg's management style: "She marketed 'leaning in,' but underneath was an unspoken rule—obedience and closeness." In other words, Sandberg wanted female employees to emulate her, but only if they played by her rules and remained loyal to her.

Shocking Anecdotes – Luxury Lingerie and an Invitation to "Sleep Together": The author uses two startling personal stories to expose Sandberg's boundary-crossing behavior and peculiar power dynamics. In one instance, Sandberg instructed her 26-year-old female executive assistant to purchase high-end lingerie for both herself and Wynn-Williams, with an unlimited budget. The absurd shopping trip ended up costing $13,000. The author felt deeply uncomfortable: a superior asking a subordinate to buy intimate apparel clearly crossed professional boundaries. In another incident, during a business trip to Europe, Sandberg's actions were even more shocking. They were on a 12-hour flight from Europe back to the U.S. on the company jet. Sandberg, dressed in pajamas, occupied the only sleeper bed on the plane and repeatedly ordered Wynn-Williams to "come sleep with me." The author declined several times, and Sandberg seemed displeased. This scene made the author feel unprecedented pressure—as if Sandberg were testing, or even toying with, her subordinate's obedience. Wynn-Williams later confessed to a friend that the request made her extremely uncomfortable, but it was difficult to refuse in such a power-imbalanced situation.

Disordered Superior-Subordinate Relationships: The relationship between Sandberg and her young female assistant also displayed an overly intimate and strange dynamic. The author describes an instance during a long trip in Europe where Sandberg and the assistant took turns napping with their heads on each other's laps in a car, stroking each other's hair to sleep. This behavior went far beyond a typical boss-employee relationship and left the author, who was present, stunned. She began to suspect a severe disconnect between Sandberg's actions and her public image—onstage, she advocated for a professional image for women, while offstage, she engaged in power games resembling cronyism.

The Plight of Women in the Workplace: While reflecting on Sandberg, Wynn-Williams also points out some of the double standards women faced at Facebook. For example, although the company promoted "diversity and inclusion," many female employees felt objectified and marginalized. Facebook's culture was rife with a male-dominated "frat boy" atmosphere, and women who didn't conform or play along found it difficult to break into the senior circles. The author's own experiences as a working mother (detailed in a later chapter) further proved that Facebook was not truly friendly to women and families. She gradually realized that Sandberg's success was more about personal branding than about improving the situation for women at large.

Chapter 7: Undercurrents in the Office – Sexual Harassment and a Culture of Silence

Theme: This chapter focuses on sexual harassment incidents at Facebook and the company's handling of scandals, specifically detailing the author's conflict with her boss, Joel Kaplan. Wynn-Williams alleges multiple instances of inappropriate behavior from Kaplan, ranging from physical harassment at public events to unreasonable demands during her maternity leave. However, the company ultimately chose to protect the executive and silence dissent. This chapter exposes a culture at Facebook where the powerful are privileged and victims are suppressed, and how women are marginalized in a male-dominated power structure.

About Kaplan: Joel Kaplan was a highly influential figure in Facebook's senior leadership. He was an old acquaintance of Sheryl Sandberg's from Harvard (they had briefly dated) and had a distinguished Washington, D.C. background: he had served as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and was involved in the "Brooks Brothers riot" during the 2000 presidential election recount in Florida. In the George W. Bush administration, Kaplan served as Deputy Chief of Staff. After being recruited by Facebook, his political connections helped him rise from head of U.S. public policy to Vice President of Global Public Policy, becoming Wynn-Williams's direct supervisor. Kaplan's aggressive style and deep ties to the Republican establishment made him a pivotal figure within Facebook.

Harassment and Conflict: In the book, Wynn-Williams details Kaplan's inappropriate behavior toward her. At a company party, Kaplan pressed up against her from behind on the dance floor, grinding against her to the music. He theatrically called her "sultry" and even made odd comments about her husband in front of her. This made the author extremely uncomfortable, and she quickly left. Afterward, she felt angry and violated by her boss's blatant physical harassment and considered filing a formal complaint. But in Facebook's "boys' club" atmosphere, she knew that reporting him directly would face immense resistance, so she tolerated it for the time being.

Maternity Leave Harassment and Investigation: A more serious incident occurred during the author's second maternity leave. Around 2016, Wynn-Williams gave birth but suffered an amniotic fluid embolism, a rare and life-threatening obstetric complication that nearly killed her. She survived but required a long hospital stay and recovery. However, even while she was recovering, Kaplan repeatedly emailed her, demanding she join weekly video conferences. He showed little concern for her condition, focusing only on work. The author explicitly informed him in an email about her serious medical state and the need for a second surgery to stop bleeding, but Kaplan persisted, insensitively asking, "Where exactly are you bleeding from?" His coldness and offensive question were unbelievable to her. Ultimately, the author filed a formal complaint with Human Resources about Kaplan's long-term harassment and inappropriate conduct. However, the company's internal investigation concluded that Kaplan had done nothing wrong. This outcome left her heartbroken: Facebook sided with the powerful man, dismissing the female employee's experience.

Double Standards and Oppression: After returning to work from maternity leave, the author not only failed to receive justice but also faced professional retaliation. Kaplan and other supervisors criticized her performance, faulting her for "not being responsive enough" in her performance review. Faced with this absurd accusation, she retorted, "I can't be blamed for not responding quickly while I was in a coma, can I?" This sarcastic reply highlights Facebook's extreme lack of empathy for women and mothers—even when an employee had a near-death experience, the company only cared if she was "instantly replying to emails." Wynn-Williams uses this as an illustration: in this supposedly "diverse" workplace, women were expected to work like machines, with pregnancy and childbirth treated as an impediment to efficiency. Meanwhile, gender discrimination and harassment by male executives were deliberately covered up. This corporate culture stood in stark contrast to the "female empowerment" that Sandberg promoted externally.

Outcome and Impact: The end of this chapter hints at the author's final break with Facebook's leadership. Around 2017, facing internal and external pressures, Wynn-Williams chose to no longer remain silent, which led to a major shift in her career (in later chapters, she is fired and becomes a whistleblower). Facebook's handling of the Kaplan incident revealed a culture of silence: any accusation against senior management would be suppressed, and the accuser could face punishment. This laid the motivational groundwork for her later decision to expose the company's dark secrets.

Chapter 8: The Impossible Working Mother – Balancing Family in a Pressure Cooker

Theme: This chapter focuses on the author's struggle as a mother of two to survive in Facebook's high-pressure work environment. Wynn-Williams frankly states that Facebook's corporate culture did not allow employees to have a "life"—work was everything. This was particularly brutal for women: major life events like pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting were viewed by the company as "burdens." Through her experiences during two pregnancies, this chapter reveals the unfriendly, and even hostile, attitude of the Facebook workplace toward motherhood.

Pressure During Pregnancy: The author describes feeling a subtle discrimination after announcing her pregnancies at work. Some supervisors began to question her ability to handle demanding tasks and even excluded her from important assignments. Paradoxically, the company's leadership did not allow her to rest, instead frequently demanding that she travel and work overtime during her pregnancies. She gives two extreme examples: first, late in her pregnancy (when she was visibly large), the company sent her on a business trip to a region with a Zika virus outbreak. At the time, the Zika epidemic was linked to an increased risk of birth defects in newborns. The trip posed a potential danger to her and her unborn child, but the company's business needs overrode concerns for her personal health. Second, during her second pregnancy, she was required to fly to Japan to support the promotional tour for Sandberg's new book, Lean In. The long flight and intense schedule were extremely taxing for a pregnant woman, but senior management, knowing her condition, insisted on her attendance to project an image of female executives supporting a feminist bestseller. These demands show that Facebook had almost no consideration for pregnant employees, even using them as props for its corporate image.

Maternity Leave in Name Only: After giving birth, the author's situation did not improve. She describes her maternity leave as a battle—constantly having to remind her superiors, "I have a legal right to maternity leave." In reality, she had to handle work intermittently during her leave to avoid missing key decisions or being marginalized. Supervisors like Kaplan constantly contacted her, making it difficult to rest peacefully. Worse, while she was being treated for a life-threatening condition and had not yet regained consciousness, work emails continued to flood her inbox, as if they feared she would miss a minute of work. This cruel situation starkly demonstrates how Facebook's work culture was dominated by "masculine" values: demanding relentless commitment and treating any personal or family needs as a weakness. As Zuckerberg would complain years later on a podcast, Facebook's culture had become "too gentle and accommodating" and needed to be "more aggressive"—a comment that reflects the leadership's persistent belief that efficiency can only be achieved by shedding so-called "feminine concerns," which is in itself a dismissal and devaluation of female workers.

Key Scene – The Colleague with an Epileptic Seizure: This chapter also recounts a shocking office incident that deepened the author's understanding of the company's cold-hearted nature. One day at the office, a female contract worker suddenly had an epileptic seizure, collapsing on the floor, convulsing, foaming at the mouth, and bleeding from her head. Wynn-Williams rushed to help, but the surrounding executives were almost indifferent. They merely dispersed the onlookers and stood aside, watching coldly. No one stepped forward to show concern or assist the ailing employee. The author describes the scene as chilling: those in power "didn't give a f*"** about the life or death of their subordinates. In that moment, she saw clearly that in the eyes of the leadership, employees were just cogs in a machine, easily replaceable if they broke down. No one truly "cared" about your life. It was as if the scales of idealism fell from her eyes—beneath Facebook's polished exterior lay a core of extreme callousness and selfishness. This incident was the author's "awakening moment." The cold indifference of the capitalists depicted in 20th-century social-critical novels (like Tom and Daisy in The Great Gatsby) was playing out in reality. The leadership's treatment of subordinates as disposable commodities left her utterly disillusioned.

Conclusion: Through a series of personal experiences, this chapter conveys the author's dramatic emotional shift—from initially believing she could "balance a career and family and thrive at Facebook" to finally realizing how unattainable that dream was. Facebook wore her down physically and mentally, and she began to question if it was all worth it. In a male-dominated corporate culture, women were expected to make superhuman sacrifices but received none of the respect or protection they deserved. Idealism gradually faded under the pressure of reality, echoing the book's subtitle, "Lost Idealism."

Chapter 9: Lies and Truth – The Undercurrents of Platform Expansion

Theme: This chapter returns to the policy contradictions and public relations crises during Facebook's global expansion. Wynn-Williams reveals how Facebook claimed to be doing good while acting out of self-interest, promoting a glossy vision externally while pursuing maximum profit internally. The Internet.org project of 2014–2015 is used as a prime example to discuss how Facebook, in its quest to "connect the world," actually violated net neutrality principles, drawing criticism from all sides. The author, at the center of this controversy, recalls how she helped package and promote the initiative while feeling increasingly uneasy about the company's hypocrisy.

The Duality of Internet.org: Internet.org was a program launched by Facebook in 2013, claiming to provide low-cost or free internet access to developing countries to bridge the "digital divide." In 2014, the author traveled with Facebook's Vice President of Growth, Javier Olivan, to Colombia to lobby President Juan Manuel Santos to support Internet.org. Facebook hoped to use the endorsement of a Latin American leader to promote the program. However, the author noted that at the same time in the U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was under public pressure over net neutrality. Ironically, Facebook, along with other tech giants, signed a public letter supporting net neutrality and opposing discriminatory pricing by internet service providers. Yet Internet.org was doing the opposite—it only allowed free access to Facebook and a few partner websites, closing off the open internet ecosystem. The author admits this contradiction made her uncomfortable: Facebook was publicly advocating for universal access while actually designing a "walled garden" to monopolize emerging markets. Many digital rights groups strongly opposed Internet.org, criticizing it for undermining the open spirit of the internet. The author points out that Zuckerberg portrayed himself as a philanthropist while ignoring expert warnings that his plan could harm local information ecosystems. As an implementer, she was caught in a moral dilemma: she wanted to promote Facebook's vision but sensed that it was tainted by dishonorable calculations.

The UN Stage: In 2015, Facebook successfully got Zuckerberg a platform at the United Nations. Wynn-Williams describes how she orchestrated his appearance at the UN General Assembly in September of that year to promote Internet.org to world leaders as a solution to the digital divide. At the UN, Zuckerberg grandly advocated for including "internet connectivity" in the Sustainable Development Goals, promising that Facebook would help connect the unconnected. However, the author knew that Zuckerberg's performance of "altruism" was laced with self-interest. The free internet service Facebook planned to offer lacked encryption and content moderation, making it an easy tool for surveillance and manipulation. Digital rights advocates astutely pointed out that Internet.org was a highly restrictive "walled garden" model: it gave people in developing regions access only to Facebook, not the open internet. Faced with strong backlash, Facebook rebranded Internet.org as "Free Basics" in 2016 and adjusted its strategy, but the program had already been blocked or banned in several countries. The author uses this example to critique the hypocrisy and self-serving nature of Facebook's leadership: acting in the name of public good in public, while in reality aiming to expand the company's power. This duplicity left her deeply disappointed.

Moral Conflict: While promoting Internet.org, the author faced a moral dilemma. On one hand, she truly believed that giving more people internet access had positive value and hoped her work could benefit people in impoverished areas. On the other hand, she increasingly saw that Facebook was not a charity and that its leaders' rhetoric about "connecting the world" was more about cultivating new users and monopolizing information gateways. Wynn-Williams confesses in the book that as Zuckerberg spoke eloquently at the UN, she stood by with mixed feelings: his speech was filled with a moral halo, but she thought of the hidden agenda behind it, and the hypocrisy was glaring. This cognitive dissonance made her question Facebook's future: if the core leadership disregarded basic integrity, Facebook would inevitably stray from its mission to improve the world.

Real-World Impact: The author points out that these actions exacerbated mistrust of Facebook among governments and people worldwide, sowing the seeds for future regulatory storms. Controversies like Internet.org made many countries wary of Facebook's expansionist ambitions. Regulatory bodies in some democracies condemned Facebook for attempting to establish a monopoly under the guise of "free service," foreshadowing the stricter scrutiny Facebook would soon face in the Western world. This chapter, from the author's personal perspective, reveals a period of moral decline at Facebook, setting the stage for more severe global crises to come (such as fake news and ethnic hatred).

Chapter 10: Connection Out of Control – Facebook in the Midst of Myanmar's Ethnic Violence

Theme: This chapter delves into the tragic case of how Facebook fueled ethnic hatred in Myanmar, showing the severe real-world consequences when a social media platform expands rapidly without adequate oversight. Focusing on the Rohingya crisis, Wynn-Williams describes how, after entering the country in 2012, Facebook gradually became a tool for inciting hatred, ultimately contributing to the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims between 2016 and 2017. With both pain and self-reproach, she writes: "The example of Myanmar clearly shows the devastation that can be unleashed when Facebook completely permeates a society without proper regulation."

Background: Myanmar was an extreme case for Facebook: due to the country's underdeveloped traditional media, Facebook quickly became the primary source of information, almost synonymous with the "internet" itself. However, the resources Facebook invested in the region were minimal. Wynn-Williams reveals that until the mid-2010s, Facebook employed only one contract worker who spoke Burmese, and that person was based in Dublin, Ireland. In other words, the content moderation for millions of users in Myanmar was handled by a single foreigner not even in the country. Time zones, language barriers, and cultural gaps left Facebook virtually blind to the situation in Myanmar. Hateful posts proliferated on the platform for years without timely moderation, leading to disaster.

The Author's Warnings and Frustration: As the head of global policy, Wynn-Williams received early warnings that the situation in Myanmar was dire. Around 2013, she learned from various sources that false rumors and inflammatory content targeting the Rohingya were spreading on Facebook. She realized this could trigger violence and strongly urged the company to enhance its content moderation capabilities for Myanmar, such as by hiring more Burmese-speaking moderators and accelerating the removal of hate speech. But her recommendations were not taken seriously by senior leadership. At the time, Facebook was focused on user growth and new features, investing little in marginal markets like Myanmar. It wasn't until after 2016, when the situation in Rakhine State deteriorated sharply and Facebook became flooded with fake news, conspiracy theories, and hate speech against the Muslim minority, that it fueled the military and extremist Buddhist forces' large-scale massacres and expulsion of the Rohingya. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed, and hundreds of thousands fled to other countries as refugees. A UN investigation concluded that Facebook had played a "determining role" as an accelerant in the process. Wynn-Williams admits with deep regret that Facebook could have acted sooner and that she herself had sounded the alarm, but the company's greed for growth led it to ignore the problem, resulting in a content moderation response that was "terrifyingly and fatally slow."

The Harsh Reality: Using Myanmar as an example, the author emphasizes the platform's "fatal carelessness": it reaped the rewards of user growth but failed to shoulder the corresponding responsibility. She writes, "Myanmar proved what catastrophic damage can be done when Facebook is truly ubiquitous in a country and fails to manage it responsibly." It was only after the situation became an international PR disaster that Facebook's leadership belatedly apologized and admitted their mistakes. This reactive approach angered her—hundreds of thousands of lives were lost before the company started hiring more moderators to fix the problem. And Facebook had never paid real attention to the local NGOs and journalists who had warned her years earlier.

Aftermath: After the Rohingya crisis, Facebook claimed to have strengthened its policies against genocidal hate speech, and Zuckerberg apologized for it during a congressional hearing. However, the author points out that no one in the company's leadership was held accountable, as if it were just a "minor hiccup" in development. This lack of accountability is a manifestation of the "careless" culture of Facebook's leadership: taking credit during profitable times and downplaying responsibility when things go wrong. Through the chapter on Myanmar, Wynn-Williams strongly condemns the arrogance and dereliction of duty during Facebook's global expansion, sounding an alarm for readers: when the power of social media is unchecked, it can lead to humanitarian disasters.

Chapter 11: The 2016 Election Storm – A Collision of Social Media and Democracy

Theme: This chapter documents Facebook's deep involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the democratic controversies it sparked. Wynn-Williams reveals that Facebook was not just a vehicle for political information but actively participated in the operations of the campaigns. She details how Facebook embedded teams within the Trump campaign, helping it use the platform for sophisticated ad targeting and narrative manipulation, which played a significant role in Trump's unexpected victory. The chaos of 2016 led the author to question Facebook's impact on democracy, as she witnessed firsthand the consequences of the collusion between technology and politics.

Facebook Embedded in the Trump Campaign: Wynn-Williams reveals a stunning inside story: in the months leading up to the 2016 election, Facebook offered embedded technical support teams to the major presidential candidates. Hillary Clinton's campaign declined the offer, while Donald Trump's campaign eagerly accepted. As a result, Facebook sent employees to be stationed at Trump's digital campaign office, working side-by-side with his team. These Facebook personnel included ad specialists, data scientists, and engineers, who worked closely with Trump's digital director, Brad Parscale. Combining Facebook's technical guidance, Parscale pioneered a new form of online campaigning: winning through a massive barrage of "shitposts" on Facebook. They used Facebook's audience targeting tools to bombard specific users in key states and counties with misleading information, emotionally charged posts, and fundraising appeals, creating an online frenzy. Facebook's Vice President of Ads, Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, later praised it as "the single best digital ad campaign I've ever seen. Period." These efforts were instrumental in helping Trump secure crucial votes in swing states.

Quote from the Book: The author includes a shocking quote from the book, recreating the scene:

"On the ten-hour flight to Lima, Elliot patiently explained to Mark how Facebook had, step-by-step, handed the election to Donald Trump.... Facebook staff had been embedded in the Trump campaign in San Antonio... A Trump guy named Brad Parscale, working with the Facebook people, had basically invented a new kind of politics: winning the White House by shitposting—a targeted fire hose of disinformation, inflammatory posts, and fundraising appeals. Boz, who ran ads, called it the 'single best digital ad campaign I've ever seen from any advertiser.'"

(The "Elliot" mentioned is Elliot Schrage, then Facebook's VP of Communications, who the author says detailed to Zuckerberg on a flight after Trump's election how Facebook had helped Trump win, leaving Zuckerberg "both convinced and shocked.")

Zuckerberg's Shock and Ambition: Trump's victory stunned the world. Zuckerberg initially dismissed the idea that social media had a significant impact on the election outcome, calling the notion that fake news swayed voters a "crazy idea." But internally, he began to realize the immense political power of Facebook. On the company jet to the APEC summit in Lima, Peru (November 2016), Elliot Schrage gave him a detailed analysis of how Facebook had "basically handed the election to Trump." Zuckerberg was both shocked and, secretly, inspired by a new ambition. The author writes that Trump's victory directly sparked Zuckerberg's political interest: if social media could really decide elections, why shouldn't he try to go further himself?

The 2017 Listening Tour: And so, in 2017, Zuckerberg embarked on what the media called a "presidential-style" Listening Tour. He visited several swing states, meeting with farmers and people in small towns. There was speculation that he was preparing for a presidential run. Wynn-Williams accompanied him on some of these trips and found his speeches to be like a child imitating what he thought a president should sound like—hollow and contrived. For instance, in one speech, he quoted Abraham Lincoln's words from the Civil War: "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present... As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew." This was from Lincoln's 1862 address to Congress, but Zuckerberg's use of it seemed out of place. The author mockingly describes it as sounding "like a child's idea of what a president sounds like." In the end, Zuckerberg did not run, but this episode shows how the 2016 election gave the Facebook founder a new hunger for and illusion of power.

Political Maneuvering: This chapter also reveals Zuckerberg's changing attitude toward politicians. He began to see politicians who criticized Facebook as "enemies" and instructed his team to pressure and win over unfriendly lawmakers. For example, Zuckerberg privately referred to some senators who grilled Facebook as "opponents" and directed his PR and policy teams to find ways to "get them on our side." Such blatant power plays were previously rare in the tech industry, but Zuckerberg was now emulating political tactics, turning Silicon Valley competition into a political battle. The author emphasizes that Zuckerberg's mindset at this time was dangerous: he believed Facebook was powerful enough to bend democracy to its will and even stand up to government regulation. The outcome of the 2016 election reinforced this almost megalomaniacal belief.

Contemporary Reflection: Through her experience of the turmoil of 2016, Wynn-Williams issues a warning to readers: social media has deeply penetrated the democratic process, and its influence may be far greater than we anticipate. While traditional media in the 20th century also swayed public opinion (like the newspaper magnates of the late 19th century who manipulated war sentiment), 21st-century Facebook, with its algorithms and precision targeting, has elevated manipulation to a new scale and efficiency. That a private company can intervene in an election nontransparently poses a huge challenge to democracy. This chapter uses micro-details to reveal a macro-problem: when technology concentrates immense power in the hands of a few, the rules of democracy will be rewritten.

Chapter 12: The Post-Truth Era – Fake News, Conspiracy Theories, and a Moment of Reckoning

Theme: Continuing from the impact of the 2016 election, this chapter discusses how Facebook became a breeding ground for misinformation in the "post-truth" era and the ensuing government crackdown. Wynn-Williams describes how, after Trump took office, Facebook was mired in PR crises over fake news and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, with its leadership doing everything possible to evade regulatory responsibility. She also witnessed the subtle shifts in Zuckerberg's interactions with world leaders—from Barack Obama's direct rebuke to his attempts to curry favor with China by compromising on free speech principles. This chapter shows how Facebook ended up on the front lines of a global political confrontation while remaining internally arrogant, failing to learn its lesson.

Obama's Direct Rebuke: After the 2016 U.S. election, then-President Barack Obama was deeply concerned about the proliferation of fake news on Facebook. According to the author, Obama directly warned Zuckerberg in an informal meeting shortly after Trump's election, telling him to take seriously Facebook's role in spreading disinformation. At the time, Zuckerberg was still publicly insisting the impact was limited, but Obama's words displeased him and created a rift in their relationship. Previously, Zuckerberg and Obama had a cordial (even friendly) relationship, but Obama's bluntness made Zuckerberg feel offended, and he began to hold a grudge against his former ally. The author includes this anecdote to show that tensions between Facebook and top government officials were beginning to surface.

Cambridge Analytica and the Trust Crisis: In early 2018, the Cambridge Analytica data leak scandal was exposed by the media: the data of tens of millions of Facebook users had been improperly shared and used for political ad targeting, causing a global uproar. Wynn-Williams had left Facebook in 2017, but she mentions this in the book as an example of Facebook reaping what it sowed. The Cambridge Analytica scandal plunged Facebook into an unprecedented crisis of public trust, and Zuckerberg and Sandberg were summoned to testify before the U.S. Congress. At the same time, the EU enacted the GDPR, and countries around the world began considering antitrust investigations. Facebook was busy defending itself but struggled to repair its image. Although no longer an employee, the author comments on the testimony of her former colleagues, noting that their answers in the hearings were deliberately evasive, dodging key questions. For example, when asked in a 2018 Senate hearing, "If you can't operate in China without obeying Chinese law, how will Facebook handle that?" Zuckerberg replied, "We have not made any decisions about what it would take for us to be able to offer our services in China." The author bluntly calls this out: "He was lying." She knew from her inside knowledge (such as the "China project" from earlier chapters) that Facebook had already made numerous compromises to enter China. This showed that Facebook's leadership continued to adopt a deceptive and evasive attitude toward regulators.

Zuckerberg's "White-Glove" Diplomacy: During this period, in its efforts to expand into the Chinese market, Facebook was sycophantic toward the Chinese government. Zuckerberg studied Mandarin, visited Zhongnanhai, and in 2015, when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping, he even asked Xi to give his soon-to-be-born daughter a name (a request Xi declined). Facebook also provided "white-glove service" to Chinese officials, carefully avoiding any offense. Although Facebook was still unable to officially enter China, this pro-Beijing stance created an additional moral burden: people questioned whether Facebook would sacrifice its values for market access. The author confirms in the book that Facebook had blocked the accounts of dissidents at the behest of Chinese censorship requirements to show its willingness to cooperate. A famous example was the Facebook page of exiled Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui, which was temporarily restricted due to pressure from Beijing. When these incidents were reported in the Western media, Facebook's image suffered further. The author documents these events to expose how Facebook, in its pursuit of profit, deviated from its original promise to "let people speak freely." She says that Facebook kowtowed to China on the issue of free speech back then, yet now preaches about free speech being under attack, a hypocrisy and double standard that is contemptible.

Global Turmoil: This chapter also briefly mentions Facebook's involvement in social and political turmoil in other regions: for example, in Brazil in 2018, Facebook's vice president Diego Dzodan was arrested for refusing to provide WhatsApp user information; countries like Pakistan and Turkey aggressively demanded that Facebook censor content and hand over user data, threatening to arrest local employees. Wynn-Williams mentions that for a time, there was news almost every few weeks of a government detaining a Facebook employee or shutting down the service to pressure the company. These events gradually made her realize that Facebook's global expansion had crossed red lines in many countries, and the company was unprepared to deal with these real-world risks. She admits in the book that it wasn't until she saw colleagues potentially facing prison over content issues, and even felt legal risks herself while traveling in some countries, that she fully understood the severity of the problem. In the past, they had always thought they could manage the world remotely, ignoring the complex local situations and the hard work of their on-the-ground teams. Around the time she left, these problems began to erupt, forcing Facebook to confront a strong backlash from governments worldwide.

Conclusion: This chapter brings together various signs to form a conclusion: Facebook's leadership had long been "deaf" to real-world consequences, only being forced to face them when the problems became too big to ignore. And the damage caused by this "delayed admission of guilt" was already irreversible. Wynn-Williams criticizes Facebook's leadership (including the team she was once a part of) for ignoring the constant warnings from all sides over the years, instead indulging in a dream of expanding power. In the end, when the moment of reckoning came, they still tried to shirk responsibility to protect the company's and their own interests. Under a barrage of shocks, the high-and-mighty leaders of Facebook finally had to accept a harsh reality: the real world they had ignored was now striking back at their carelessness with anger and law.

Chapter 13: The Enduring Empire – A "Ruler" with No Term Limits

Theme: As a concluding reflection, this chapter discusses the potential long-term impact of Facebook and Zuckerberg as a power-holder with "no term limits." Wynn-Williams uses a thought-provoking analogy: at an international summit in Peru in 2016, she noticed that heads of state changed every few years, but Zuckerberg remained a constant presence and would likely continue to be for decades to come. She compares Zuckerberg to "a monarch reigning for 50 years," reminding us of the longevity and profound influence of tech leaders' power. This cleverly juxtaposes a 21st-century technological phenomenon with historical precedents from the 20th century and earlier, prompting deep reflection from the reader.

A "Leader with No Term Limits": The author writes that at an international summit in 2016 (likely the APEC summit in Lima or the Davos Forum), she looked around and saw that some of the national leaders from previous years were gone, replaced by new faces. Politicians come and go; their power has an end. However, Mark Zuckerberg, sitting in the tech company section, was there as always. And since he was only in his 30s, he could very well continue to appear at such gatherings of leaders for the next half-century.

The Author's Departure and Whistleblowing: In late 2017, Wynn-Williams was dismissed by Facebook due to a clash of values with senior leadership (she believes the direct cause was her reporting of sexual harassment). At the time, the company claimed she was fired for "poor performance and toxic behavior" and did not acknowledge her harassment allegations. After leaving Facebook, the author did not remain silent. Starting in 2018, she became involved in unofficial negotiations on U.S.-China relations (focusing on AI arms control) while also beginning to document her experiences at Facebook, determined to write this memoir. After completing the manuscript, she also submitted a 78-page whistleblower complaint to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, detailing Facebook's many concessions and secret operations to enter China. After the book's publication in 2025, the U.S. Congress invited her to testify. At a Senate hearing, she further accused Zuckerberg by name of considering compliance with the CCP's censorship demands to open the Chinese market, thereby "harming U.S. national security interests." Through her personal experience, she exposed the problems that had accumulated at Facebook for years, setting a powerful example as a "whistleblower from within" for the tech industry.

Epilogue and Reflection: In the book's conclusion, Wynn-Williams, in a somber and frank tone, traces the trajectory of the tech industry over the past decade from idealism to loss of control, and warns about the future. She emphasizes that Facebook's story is a microcosm of the entire social media era: when a very small number of platforms control global discourse and information distribution, they often become more greedy, arrogant, and negligent in their duties. As their power grows, their responsibility diminishes, ultimately causing harm to society. She admits that she was once part of the system, struggling internally but ultimately unable to change its course, which is why she chose to speak out to raise public awareness. This book is her reckoning with her past idealism: the tech elites who once ambitiously wanted to "change the world" eventually became the indifferent and numb "careless people." As for ordinary people, they went from thinking they could speak freely on social media platforms to being subjected to platform censorship and manipulation of who is allowed to have a voice—a core and alarming issue of our time.

In her conclusion, Wynn-Williams quotes the classic line from The Great Gatsby to drive home her point: "They were careless people... they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness... and let other people clean up the mess they had made." She names Zuckerberg and Sandberg as these "careless people": using their infinite resources and power to run rampant, yet unwilling to bear the consequences, leaving a trail of destruction for others to clean up. This satirical line from 20th-century American classic literature has now become the most fitting description of 21st-century digital giants. The author uses it to call for tech leaders to be held accountable for their actions, and for society to remain vigilant and demand accountability, no longer allowing these powerful figures with "no term limits" to act with impunity in a vacuum.

Finally, in an almost pleading tone, the author states that writing this book was not easy, but she firmly believes someone had to come forward and tell the truth. She hopes her story will serve as a wake-up call, prompting people to reflect on the role of social media in our lives and how we should restrain those who hold immense influence. Careless People is both the author's personal confession and redemption, and an exposé for the public: revealing the arrogance of power and the loss of idealism, and reminding us that while we celebrate technological progress, we must not forget to protect our most basic humanity and responsibility. As the popular American cultural saying goes—"With great power comes great responsibility." If Facebook and other tech giants cannot regulate themselves, society will eventually intervene. For the sake of everyone's future, we can no longer allow "careless people" to wantonly control the world we depend on for communication.

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References:

• Sarah Wynn-Williams, Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, March 2025. All content quotes and chapter summaries are based on this work.
• The Guardian book review, Steven Poole, "Zuckerberg and Me – Careless People review," March 13, 2025.
• The New York Times book review, Jennifer Szalai, "An Insider's Look at Facebook: Misconduct and Political Coddling at the Top," March 10, 2025.
• CNN special report, Clare Duffy, "'People have a right to know how this company actually works,' says former Meta exec in new book," March 11, 2025.
• The Washington Post news, Naomi Nix, "Meta tried to silence a whistleblower. Now she's testifying before Congress," April 9, 2025.
• The above content also references reports and author interviews from media outlets such as Rest of World and Business Insider, all of which corroborate the key facts presented in the book.