A former Meta executive has come forward with allegations that challenge Mark Zuckerberg's recent free speech positioning. According to a whistleblower complaint filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Facebook (now Meta) was once willing to implement extensive censorship measures to gain access to the Chinese market.
The Whistleblower's Claims
Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former global policy director at Facebook who left the company in 2017, filed a 78-page complaint with the SEC detailing Facebook's alleged efforts to enter the Chinese market. According to the complaint, which was obtained by The Washington Post, Facebook began attempting to crack the Chinese market in 2014 under a project codenamed Project Aldrin. Wynn-Williams claims that the company was willing to make significant concessions to China's ruling Communist Party to gain access to the country's massive user base.
Timeline of Facebook/Meta's China Efforts:
- 2014: Facebook forms "Project Aldrin" team to work on China-specific version
- 2015: Company allegedly builds automatic censorship system for restricted terms
- 2017: Restriction of Guo Wengui's account allegedly to please Chinese regulators
- 2017: WhatsApp banned in China despite Meta's compliance efforts
- 2019: Zuckerberg publicly announces move away from China efforts and pivots to free speech advocacy
Alleged Censorship System
One of the most concerning allegations is that Facebook built a content censorship system in 2015 specifically designed to automatically detect and remove content containing terms restricted by the Chinese government. The whistleblower report claims Facebook was prepared to install a chief editor who would oversee content on the Chinese version of the platform, with the power to remove content deemed inappropriate and even shut down the site entirely during periods of social unrest in the country.
Key Alleged Concessions to Chinese Government:
- Hosting Chinese and Hong Kong user data on servers in China
- Building automatic censorship system for restricted content
- Appointment of "chief editor" with power to remove content and shut down site
- Allowing a Chinese private-equity firm to review user content
- Hiring hundreds of moderators to remove restricted content
Data Storage Concessions
The complaint further alleges that Facebook agreed to host Chinese user data on servers within China, including data from users in Hong Kong who had previously enjoyed stronger protections. This arrangement would have potentially made it easier for the Chinese government to access personal information of its citizens, raising significant privacy concerns.
The Guo Wengui Case
Wynn-Williams' report points to a specific incident involving Chinese businessman Guo Wengui as evidence of Facebook's willingness to comply with Chinese censorship demands. Guo, who was living in exile in New York and regularly posted about alleged corruption within the Chinese government, had his Facebook account restricted in 2017. While Facebook publicly claimed this was due to Guo sharing personal information of others without their consent, the whistleblower alleges the removal was actually encouraged by one of China's internet regulators as a way for Facebook to demonstrate its willingness to address mutual interests.
Meta's Response
Meta has firmly denied these allegations, with spokesperson Andy Stone stating: This is all pushed by an employee terminated eight years ago for poor performance. We do not operate our services in China today. Stone acknowledged that the company's previous interest in the Chinese market was no secret but emphasized that Meta ultimately opted not to go through with the ideas we'd explored, which Mark Zuckerberg announced in 2019.
Zuckerberg's Free Speech Evolution
The whistleblower's claims stand in stark contrast to Zuckerberg's public stance on free expression in recent years. After apparently abandoning hopes of entering the Chinese market, Zuckerberg gave a speech at Georgetown University in 2019 championing free expression and specifically criticizing China's approach to internet censorship. More recently, following Donald Trump's re-election, Zuckerberg has positioned Meta as a defender of free speech, rolling back content moderation policies and removing third-party fact-checkers.
The TikTok Irony
Adding another layer to this complex situation is Zuckerberg's current advocacy for banning TikTok, a platform with Chinese connections, from operating in the United States. This position has raised questions about whether Meta's newfound commitment to free speech principles might be selectively applied when it aligns with the company's business interests.
Failed Efforts
Despite the alleged concessions Facebook was willing to make, the company's efforts to establish itself in China were largely unsuccessful. While Facebook did covertly launch some social apps in the country, its major platforms never gained a foothold. In fact, WhatsApp, which Facebook had acquired, was banned in China in 2017 despite the company's reported attempts to comply with Chinese requirements.