Sarah Wynn-Williams wins whistleblowing prize for ‘extraordinary courage’

Sarah Wynn-Williams, former Meta executive and author of Careless People (Macmillan), has won Blueprint’s Asia-Pacific Whistleblowing Prize 2025.

The annual prize, awarded by non-profit charity Blueprint for Free Speech, aims to “acknowledge the recipient’s bravery, in the face of difficult ethical challenges, to reveal the truth, and their desire to create positive change in society”.

Wynn-Williams was selected for “her disclosures concerning Meta’s attitude towards authoritarian governments and the significant personal cost she has endured to bring these issues to light”, publisher Pan Macmillan said.

Since the publication of her book in March 2025, Wynn-Williams has faced legal pressure and is not allowed to promote the book after Meta filed a lawsuit against her in arbitration, claiming she violated a non-disparagement agreement signed when she left the company.

Wynn-Williams recently won an inaugural Speakies award for the audiobook edition of Careless People, narrated by her. In her acceptance speech at the ceremony on 24th November, she said: “Thank you. This is an extraordinary honour. It is quite something to receive a Speakie award when the reality is that is the one thing I am not allowed to do. To speak.”

The author’s lawyer, Ravi Naik, said of the Blueprint Award: “Ms Wynn-Williams deserves the highest praise for her extraordinary courage in exposing the truth. This award stands as a testament to that bravery. I am incredibly proud to act for her but she should be speaking to you about the award.

“My client wishes she could say more, but the company she blew the whistle on has invoked arbitration proceedings to impose a sweeping, indefinite speech embargo. Such a prohibition is draconian and without precedent. For an organisation that claims to champion free speech, its actions against Ms Wynn-Williams starkly betray the reality of its moral stance. We continue to hope that they will see reason and end their repressive legal action.”

Her UK publisher, Mike Harpley, said: “Careless People is a vitally important book that shines a light on one of the most powerful companies in the world. Its publication was defined by a confrontation. Meta attempted to block Sarah’s memoir using a sweeping non-disparagement agreement.

“They are claiming that this bans her from saying anything critical about the company forever or promoting her book – forever. At a time when power is becoming ever more concentrated, the role of whistleblowers like Sarah is essential for democracy and free speech. This is precisely what makes this prize so important. Sarah’s courage is entirely unique and we are so proud to have published her story.”