Hawley demands Zuckerberg testify on Meta’s alleged Chinese Communist Party ties

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify on Capitol Hill following allegations made by a Facebook whistleblower that the company has ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a letter to Zuckerberg, Hawley demanded that he come before Congress to answer for what he described as selling out the country’s security for profits in China.

The whistleblower in question, Sarah Wynn-Williams, served as the director of global public policy at Facebook for nearly seven years. During a recent Judiciary Committee hearing, Wynn-Williams made explosive claims about Meta’s dealings with the CCP. She alleged that the company deleted the account of a Chinese dissident living in the U.S. under pressure from Beijing and shared user data with the CCP. Wynn-Williams further stated that Meta had been briefing the CCP on AI and other emerging technologies since as early as 2015.

Hawley highlighted Wynn-Williams’ testimony in his letter to Zuckerberg, emphasizing the high-stakes AI arms race between the U.S. and China. The senator accused Meta executives of lying about their interactions with the CCP to employees, shareholders, Congress, and the American public. He called for Zuckerberg to be held accountable for these actions.

The dissident mentioned by Wynn-Williams is believed to be Guo Wengui, whose Facebook page was temporarily shut down in 2017. At the time, Facebook cited community standards violations as the reason for the shutdown. However, during a Senate hearing in 2017, Facebook’s general counsel denied that the company had been pressured by China to delete Wengui’s page.

Meta has denied doing business in China and has refuted Wynn-Williams’ allegations. A spokesperson for the company stated that Wynn-Williams’ testimony was divorced from reality and contained false claims. While acknowledging Zuckerberg’s past interest in offering services in China, Meta clarified that they do not currently operate in the country.

It is clear that the allegations made by the Facebook whistleblower have sparked significant controversy and raised concerns about Meta’s relationship with the CCP. Hawley’s call for Zuckerberg to testify on Capitol Hill underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for transparency and accountability in the tech industry.

In conclusion, the revelations brought to light by the whistleblower have prompted a closer examination of Meta’s practices and their potential impact on national security. It remains to be seen whether Zuckerberg will heed Hawley’s call to testify before Congress and address the allegations raised by Wynn-Williams. The tech billionaire’s response to these allegations will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for Meta and the broader tech industry as a whole.