Meta seeks to block further sales of ex-employee's revelatory memoir
What's the story
Meta has won a temporary legal battle against former employee Sarah Wynn-Williams, who recently released a controversial memoir.
The book, titled 'Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism' makes serious allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct by senior executives during her time at the company.
An arbitrator has now temporarily restrained her from promoting or distributing copies of this explosive memoir.
Contract dispute
Arbitration initiated over alleged contract breach
Meta has started arbitration proceedings, claiming that Wynn-Williams's memoir breaches a nondisparagement agreement she signed as a global affairs employee.
At an emergency hearing on Wednesday, arbitrator Nicholas Gowen found enough evidence indicating potential breach of contract by Wynn-Williams.
The two parties will now proceed to private arbitration to settle this dispute.
Legal obligations
Restrictions imposed on Wynn-Williams
As part of the arbitration ruling, Wynn-Williams is barred from promoting her book or making any more disparaging comments about Meta.
She is also ordered to retract all previous critical statements "to the extent within her control."
However, it remains unclear if these restrictions apply to Flatiron Books and its parent company Macmillan, who continue to publish the memoir.
Company response
Meta denies allegations in Wynn-Williams's memoir
Meta has vehemently denied the allegations leveled in Wynn-Williams's memoir.
Andy Stone, a spokesperson for the company, slammed the book as "a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives."
He added that Wynn-Williams was fired due to poor performance and an investigation at the time found her harassment allegations misleading and unfounded.
Future implications
Uncertainty remains over the outcome of arbitration
It remains to be seen if Meta's attempts to stop further circulation of Wynn-Williams's memoir will work.
In 2023, the National Labor Relations Board had ruled that it is generally illegal for companies to offer severance agreements preventing workers from making potentially disparaging statements about former employers.
The ruling could have an impact on the ongoing arbitration proceedings between Meta and its ex-employee.