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In a development raising serious concerns about data privacy and national security, new testimony presented to the U.S. Senate alleges that Meta, parent company of Facebook, once considered providing the Chinese government access to user data — including that of American citizens — in exchange for market access.
The claims come from former executive Sarah Wynn-Williams, who testified this week under oath, stating that Meta had developed custom censorship tools tailored to the needs of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). She also alleged that internal agreements included data-sharing arrangements that potentially exposed personal information of millions of users.
Although Meta has long been restricted from operating its core platforms in China, the company’s financial ties to the country remain strong. According to its own filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Meta generated $18.35 billion in revenue from China in 2024 alone — a figure that has grown significantly from previous years, despite Meta’s services not being available there.
Wynn-Williams, who spent nearly seven years in a senior policy role at Facebook, stated that Meta began offering products and services in China as early as 2014 and has never truly stopped. She described a company willing to compromise core values and user security in pursuit of access to the Chinese market.
Among the more serious revelations was mention of a proposed submarine cable linking the U.S. to Hong Kong, a project jointly initiated by Meta and Google in 2016. The plan was ultimately rerouted after facing backlash from U.S. security officials over espionage concerns.
Meta has rejected the allegations, calling them “divorced from reality” and denying that it operates its services in China. However, its commercial presence via local resellers, serving Chinese advertisers, is well documented.
These revelations reignite critical questions about the ethical boundaries of global tech operations and the balance between business expansion and national security. As governments worldwide grapple with regulating Big Tech, the Meta case underscores the urgent need for greater transparency, stricter oversight of international data practices, and a reevaluation of how geopolitical considerations intersect with digital infrastructure and user privacy.
