ONE YEAR AGO TODAY I sued Meta. My case has survived a move to Federal Court, a motion to dismiss, and is now in the discovery stage. you’re invited to my lawsuit’s birthday party, a roundup of what’s been revealed by other whistleblowers and investigations about child safety in Horizon and Meta’s systemic misogyny in the year since I filed:
• March 11: Sarah Wynn-Williams' Careless People Released:
Former Director of Global Public Policy's memoir reveals Meta’s culture of sexual harassment, children seen as collateral damage, and that women who raised concerns were removed.
• April 10: Fairplay's Research and RFI:
Child advocacy nonprofit files FTC complaint alleging Meta violated COPPA in Horizon Worlds, and kids’ exposure to harm in the product.
• June 10: Laura Bates' Guardian Investigation:
"Misogyny in the Metaverse" documents virtual sexual assault, children exposed to explicit content, and complete absence of moderation in Horizon Worlds.
• September 8: Washington Post Investigation:
Naomi Nix and Jon Swaine report that Meta's lawyers deleted evidence, shut down projects, and told researchers to avoid documenting children under 13 in Horizon.
• September 9: Sattizahn & Savage Senate Testimony:
Horizon researchers testify to "funnel of manipulation" where Meta controlled and erased research on kids in VR.
• January 12: Britta Hummel's Departure:
Reality Labs Engineering Manager publishes reflection on leaving after six years. Describes silencing on diversity hiring and child safety, and a culture intolerant of empathetic leadership.
Meta knows about the harms in Horizon and beyond. But they’ve made it structurally impossible for that knowledge to change anything.
Meta knows about their misogynistic culture and the havoc it wreaks on women who speak up within the company. But Zuckerberg goes on podcasts calling for a “more masculine” workplace.
My lawsuit is about what happens when companies build systems designed to silence the people who could actually make them better.
The legal process is one way to destabilize that system. But it won’t be the only way, and it won’t be enough on its own. We need regulatory action. We need continued investigation. We need media divestment. We need deactivated accounts. We need more people willing to speak up, even when it costs them.
And we need to stop accepting the premise that Meta is trustworthy enough for your data and attention, or worse, that this is just how tech works.
• March 11: Sarah Wynn-Williams' Careless People Released:
Former Director of Global Public Policy's memoir reveals Meta’s culture of sexual harassment, children seen as collateral damage, and that women who raised concerns were removed.
• April 10: Fairplay's Research and RFI:
Child advocacy nonprofit files FTC complaint alleging Meta violated COPPA in Horizon Worlds, and kids’ exposure to harm in the product.
• June 10: Laura Bates' Guardian Investigation:
"Misogyny in the Metaverse" documents virtual sexual assault, children exposed to explicit content, and complete absence of moderation in Horizon Worlds.
• September 8: Washington Post Investigation:
Naomi Nix and Jon Swaine report that Meta's lawyers deleted evidence, shut down projects, and told researchers to avoid documenting children under 13 in Horizon.
• September 9: Sattizahn & Savage Senate Testimony:
Horizon researchers testify to "funnel of manipulation" where Meta controlled and erased research on kids in VR.
• January 12: Britta Hummel's Departure:
Reality Labs Engineering Manager publishes reflection on leaving after six years. Describes silencing on diversity hiring and child safety, and a culture intolerant of empathetic leadership.
Meta knows about the harms in Horizon and beyond. But they’ve made it structurally impossible for that knowledge to change anything.
Meta knows about their misogynistic culture and the havoc it wreaks on women who speak up within the company. But Zuckerberg goes on podcasts calling for a “more masculine” workplace.
My lawsuit is about what happens when companies build systems designed to silence the people who could actually make them better.
The legal process is one way to destabilize that system. But it won’t be the only way, and it won’t be enough on its own. We need regulatory action. We need continued investigation. We need media divestment. We need deactivated accounts. We need more people willing to speak up, even when it costs them.
And we need to stop accepting the premise that Meta is trustworthy enough for your data and attention, or worse, that this is just how tech works.