Sales of Careless People, the memoir by Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, have soared by more than 300% in the UK following her 'silenced' appearance at the Hay Festival. The book, which criticises Meta's internal culture and political influence, saw a 304.5% week-on-week sales increase, propelling it to the top of the paperback nonfiction chart.
Wynn-Williams, who served as Facebook's director of global public policy from 2011 to 2017, appeared on stage on 31 May but did not speak during the hour-long session on legal advice. She was joined by journalist Carole Cadwalladr and academic Tim Wu. The event followed legal action by Meta, which obtained an order blocking Wynn-Williams from promoting the book, which it describes as 'a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims'.
In March, Meta filed a sanctions motion claiming that Wynn-Williams violates the order whenever she appears where her book is sold. A letter from her lawyers to the Hay Festival on 30 May stated that Meta argued attending the festival would breach the order because promotional materials included a link to a bookshop offering Careless People for sale. The letter requested the festival to prevent the book from being sold at or through any festival outlet.
Pan Macmillan reported that over 140,000 copies of Careless People have been sold across all formats in the UK since publication. Mike Harpley, Wynn-Williams' editor, said her 'courageous, silent appearance' resonated with the public, who want to read her story and make up their own minds. He added that Meta's legal threats drew massive public attention to the book, calling it 'corporate censorship'.
At the event, Wynn-Williams was unable to nod or shake her head but received a standing ovation, generating widespread press coverage. Co-panellist Tim Wu wrote in the Guardian that Meta is seeking to make an example of her, threatening financial ruin to warn off other critics.
