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Sarah Wynn-Williams
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Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism Kindle Edition

by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 268 ratings
Amazon Charts #2 this week
See all formats and editions

“Careless People is darkly funny and genuinely shocking...Not only does [Sarah Wynn-Williams] have the storytelling chops to unspool a gripping narrative; she also delivers the goods." -Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times

“When one of the world’s most powerful media companies tries to snuff out a book — amid other alarming attacks on free speech in America like this — it’s time to pull out all the stops.” –Ron Charles, The Washington Post

An explosive memoir charting one woman’s career at the heart of one of the most influential companies on the planet, Careless People gives you a front-row seat to Facebook, the decisions that have shaped world events in recent decades, and the people who made them.

From trips on private jets and encounters with world leaders to shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards behind the scenes, this searing memoir exposes both the personal and the political fallout when unfettered power and a rotten company culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative where a few people carelessly hold the world in their hands, this eye-opening memoir reveals what really goes on among the global elite.

Sarah Wynn-Williams tells the wrenching but fun story of Facebook, mapping its rise from stumbling encounters with juntas to Mark Zuckerberg’s reaction when he learned of Facebook’s role in Trump’s election. She experiences the challenges and humiliations of working motherhood within a pressure cooker of a workplace, all while Sheryl Sandberg urges her and others to “lean in.”

 Careless People is a deeply personal account of why and how things have gone so horribly wrong in the past decade—told in a sharp, candid, and utterly disarming voice. A deep, unflinching look at the role that social media has assumed in our lives, Careless People reveals the truth about the leaders of Facebook: how the more power they grasp, the less responsible they become and the consequences this has for all of us.

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  1. Print length
    385 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Flatiron Books
  4. Publication date
    March 11, 2025
  5. File size
    1.6 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

Careless People Sarah Wynn-Williams

Careless People Sarah Wynn-Williams

Careless People Sarah Wynn-Williams

Careless People Sarah Wynn-Williams
Careless People Sarah Wynn-Williams

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sarah Wynn-Williams worked as a diplomat for New Zealand, including in Washington, DC. She joined Facebook after pitching a job and ultimately became director of global public policy. After leaving the company she has continued to work on tech policy, with a focus on artificial intelligence. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DY9TZD8Z
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flatiron Books (March 11, 2025)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 11, 2025
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 385 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 268 ratings

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Sarah Wynn-Williams

Sarah Wynn-Williams

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
268 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and engaging. They appreciate the well-written, common-sense writing style that describes observable actions. Many readers find it funny and find the humor funny at times. Opinions differ on the pacing - some find it disturbing and gripping, while others describe it as upsetting and a cautionary tale.

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InsightWriting styleEnjoymentHumorPacing
11 customers mention "Insight"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and engaging. They appreciate the revealing insights and insider perspective on how the "greed is good" generation works. The book provides a clear look into the realities of corporate drive, losses, and lies told by people.

"Insiders viewpoint of how the “Greed is Good” generation goes to work and the amount of control they exercise over society...." Read more

"...Hilarious in spots, well-written, and revealing, it's also disturbing, and a strident klaxon trying to get our attention, even though the author..." Read more

"Astounding - insightful - and the end of this book will chill you to your core as to what is in store for the future of humanity...." Read more

"...pace, and I appreciate how the events unfold in a dynamic, interesting way...." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing style"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style. They find it well-written and dynamic. The author uses neutral, common-sense language to describe observable actions.

"...The author speaks in neutral, common-sense language, describing observable actions — words said, things done...." Read more

"Wow. I very much enjoyed reading this book. The writing style kept me wound in. It also taught me how to approach Facebook...." Read more

"Gripping, upsetting, and above all, very well written. Very important book! Facebook is beyond shameful." Read more

"...This one is a 10 out of 10" read. Hilarious in spots, well-written, and revealing, it's also disturbing, and a strident klaxon trying to get our..." Read more

3 customers mention "Enjoyment"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it informative, engaging, and fun.

"...The theme of diplomacy is new to me, and I find it both curious and enjoyable." Read more

"Informative, Engaging, Fun - and you probably need to hear thi..." Read more

"Addictive!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Humor"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it readable and sometimes humorous.

"...This one is a 10 out of 10" read. Hilarious in spots, well-written, and revealing, it's also disturbing, and a strident klaxon trying to get our..." Read more

"...really important stuff but delivered in a very readable and sometimes LOL funny way. Can’t recommend it more!!!!" Read more

"...At times LOL and at others there times nauseating and enraging." Read more

8 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it disturbing, terrifying, and a cautionary tale. Others describe it as gripping, upsetting, and nauseating at times.

"Brava to author Sarah Wynn-Williams! This is one of the most disturbing, yet believable, books I have ever read...." Read more

"Gripping, upsetting, and above all, very well written. Very important book! Facebook is beyond shameful." Read more

"...I couldn't put it down as it is riveting and disturbing. It isn't hard to understand why Facebook is fighting to silence the author...." Read more

"...Hilarious in spots, well-written, and revealing, it's also disturbing, and a strident klaxon trying to get our attention, even though the author..." Read more

Informative, Engaging, Fun - and you probably need to hear thi
5 out of 5 stars
Informative, Engaging, Fun - and you probably need to hear thi
"Careless People" arrived yesterday, and once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. This one is a 10 out of 10" read. Hilarious in spots, well-written, and revealing, it's also disturbing, and a strident klaxon trying to get our attention, even though the author knows it may be too late. I bought it because Mark Zuckerberg tried to silence the author, which seems to contradict his whole "free speech " position on which he shut down content moderation. I dislike censorship and don't approve of book banning.Full disclosure, I'm not a fan of Facebook since the whole Cambridge Analytica scandal. I left the platform and never looked back. I don't miss it. This book makes me doubly glad to be away from all that, and also leaves me concerned that it's even possible to appropriately regulate big tech companies to secure humanity's future privacy (and safety).If you're feeling like *something* is wrong in the world and can't quite put your finger on exactly what, this book is a great start - and a genuinely fun read. Definitely buy this book while you can. (Maybe from someone other than Amazon.)
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Lisa H
    5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, Engaging, Fun - and you probably need to hear thi
    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    "Careless People" arrived yesterday, and once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. This one is a 10 out of 10" read. Hilarious in spots, well-written, and revealing, it's also disturbing, and a strident klaxon trying to get our attention, even though the author knows it may be too late. I bought it because Mark Zuckerberg tried to silence the author, which seems to contradict his whole "free speech " position on which he shut down content moderation. I dislike censorship and don't approve of book banning.

    Full disclosure, I'm not a fan of Facebook since the whole Cambridge Analytica scandal. I left the platform and never looked back. I don't miss it. This book makes me doubly glad to be away from all that, and also leaves me concerned that it's even possible to appropriately regulate big tech companies to secure humanity's future privacy (and safety).

    If you're feeling like *something* is wrong in the world and can't quite put your finger on exactly what, this book is a great start - and a genuinely fun read. Definitely buy this book while you can. (Maybe from someone other than Amazon.)
    Customer image
    Lisa H
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Informative, Engaging, Fun - and you probably need to hear thi

    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2025
    "Careless People" arrived yesterday, and once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. This one is a 10 out of 10" read. Hilarious in spots, well-written, and revealing, it's also disturbing, and a strident klaxon trying to get our attention, even though the author knows it may be too late. I bought it because Mark Zuckerberg tried to silence the author, which seems to contradict his whole "free speech " position on which he shut down content moderation. I dislike censorship and don't approve of book banning.

    Full disclosure, I'm not a fan of Facebook since the whole Cambridge Analytica scandal. I left the platform and never looked back. I don't miss it. This book makes me doubly glad to be away from all that, and also leaves me concerned that it's even possible to appropriately regulate big tech companies to secure humanity's future privacy (and safety).

    If you're feeling like *something* is wrong in the world and can't quite put your finger on exactly what, this book is a great start - and a genuinely fun read. Definitely buy this book while you can. (Maybe from someone other than Amazon.)
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    41 people found this helpful
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  • roadman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Care-less People
    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Thank you Mark & Meta, for filing the preliminary injunction to stop publicity for this book. If not for the multiple news reports about your attempts to stifle the book, I never would have known it existed! Now that I’ve read it, I highly recommend it to any and all. Though the book could have been a bit shorter (the real payoff comes in the last half), this is essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of civil society. It is a well-written, first-hand account of Zuckerberg, Sandberg, and Co. - all who could care less about destroying the psyches of adolescents, who could care less about enabling the genocide of the Rohinga, who could care less about enabling autocracy and dictatorship.

    Though Wynn-Williams never uses the word “evil,” the last sections of the book certainly raise that question. To be simply “careless” implies ignorance. But to “care less” about human life, as is well-documented in the book, puts the question of evil front and center. And that question is not about some faceless company - it is about specific individuals, and their complete abdication of human morality.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • carilynp
    5.0 out of 5 stars Harrowing account how tech can be manipulated not for good. Must read! Bravo Ms. Wynn-Williams!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Read about the careless top execs in this startling book that I implore you to read, written with an understanding only a former insider could have. Once she had stars in her eyes, practically begged them for a job, nearly a decade later, she found herself defeated.

    Wynn-Williams has the chops, determination, and foresight to see the impact Facebook could have on a international level and wants to put her global public policy experience to use in guiding the company to leverage its power for good. After convincing executives to hire her, she makes herself indispensable utilizing her expertise, political relationships, management skills, dedication, passion, impactful ideas.

    This is an exceptionally well written engaging book and the author manages to inject humor, lightening the load of the careless people's deeds such as: how Facebook manipulated vulnerable teens with targeted beauty ads, allowed hate speech and misinformation that aided in inciting violence, helped sway US voters using disinformation ads in the presidential election, did nothing to halt misogynistic behavior within the company despite its top female leader's feminist manifesto considered the gospel, in desperate attempts for China’s business, willing to censor users’ content while claiming to be free speech advocates. And believe me, so much more. All of which will leave you gasping.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading!!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This is a fascinating account by a former Facebook insider. I couldn't put it down as it is riveting and disturbing. It isn't hard to understand why Facebook is fighting to silence the author. I'm not sure why Amazon rejected my first review as against their standards; there was no profanity, hate speech etc
    in my review. This is a book worth reading and a lot to think about
    18 people found this helpful
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