Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams
Careless People
Subtitle: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism
Author: Sarah Wynn-Williams
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Publish Date: March 2025
Read: May 2025
Favorite Quote: As Mark contemplated his future — his legacy and the coming year’s personal challenge — I think he came to this dark conclusion: if Trump can do it, so could he.
After all, not only does Mark now have Trump’s playbook, he owns the tools and sets the rules. And he has something no one else has, the ability to control the algorithm with zero transparency or oversight.
Synopsis: Sarah Wynn-Williams joined Facebook with the hope the platform could be used to connect the world in a positive, meaningful way. However, her idealism quickly morphed into a cold reality as she worked with tech people with no regard for how their actions rippled beyond their bubbles and how the social network could be used for evil (as well as good). Wynn-Williams chronicles her seven years at Facebook working with big names like Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg directly on global policy and data.
Why does this book beguile? When I heard Facebook wanted to remove this book from shelves, I knew I had to read it. Social media is a very delicate topic for me: when used to genuinely connect people and inform them, it’s beautiful. However, like all things that go unchecked, it can be flipped for more nefarious means - as we’ve all seen. Sadly, I feel that much of social media (not limited to Meta companies) is rife with misinformation, fraud, and trolls — all of which cause more harm than good.
Maybe it’s confirmation bias, but Careless People confirms what we’ve all suspected. Facebook was built and grew unchecked by anyone internal or external. In fact, anyone who wanted to challenge policy internally or ensure people were safe online was ostracized and even bullied. What started as a lonely boy’s desire to connect with like-minded people has grown into a global behemoth running unchecked and (mostly) unchallenged.
Bookshop.Org Link*: Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams
Amazon.com Link* Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams
If you’re interested in this, read*: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Bookshop.Org / Amazon.com
