WASHINGTON – A former Meta executive has accused the social media giant of endangering U.S. national security in its efforts to build business ties with China, alleging that the company enabled Chinese access to user data and collaborated on censorship tools.
Sarah Wynn-Williams, who served in a senior role at Meta, testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism on Wednesday, claiming the company worked “hand in glove” with the Chinese Communist Party to develop content moderation tools and expand its business interests in China.
“I saw Meta executives repeatedly undermine U.S. national security and betray American values,” Wynn-Williams told lawmakers, according to CBS News.
She alleged that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, allowed Chinese entities access to sensitive user information, including data belonging to American citizens. She also accused the company of threatening her with $50,000 in punitive damages for speaking out, citing violations of a separation agreement.
Meta has strongly denied the allegations, calling Wynn-Williams’ claims “divorced from reality and riddled with falsehoods.” A company spokesperson, Ryan Daniels, said that while CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been open about interest in the Chinese market, Meta does not currently operate its services in China.
Senator Josh Hawley, who chaired the hearing, said Meta made significant efforts to block Wynn-Williams from testifying. “Why is it that Facebook is so desperate to prevent this witness from telling what she knows?” he asked during the session.
Wynn-Williams further alleged that Meta’s artificial intelligence model, Llama, was used to assist a Chinese AI firm, DeepSeek, intensifying concerns over potential data sharing and technology transfer to strategic competitors. Meta has rejected the implication, with spokesperson Andy Stone stating that the outdated open-source model in question was irrelevant given China’s massive AI investment.
“The greatest trick Mark Zuckerberg ever pulled was wrapping the American flag around himself and calling himself a patriot,” Wynn-Williams said, accusing the company of secretly building an $18 billion business in China.
The testimony comes as U.S.-China tensions remain high, with Washington increasing tariffs on Chinese imports and moving to force a sale of TikTok to a domestic buyer. A House Select Committee has also been formed to examine China’s strategic competition with the United States.
