Careless People

A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

By: Sarah Wynn-Williams

Narrated by: Sarah Wynn-Williams

#1 New York Times Bestseller

“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.

©2025 Sarah Wynn-Williams (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

'Devastating . . . funny . . . highly enjoyable . . . A Bridget Jones’s Diary-style tale of a young woman thrown into a series of improbable situations'—The Times

'Amazing: of all the books in all the world Mr Free Speech Zuckerberg wants to ban, it’s the one about him'—Marina Hyde, Guardian

"A darkly hilarious, shocking tale that starts as farce and ends as tragedy. It combines withering portraits of Facebook’s insular, callous leadership with harrowing details of what Wynn-Williams calls the company’s “lethal carelessness” on the global stage.”–Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times

The grass ain’t greener at FB

I love her writing style and her perspective on the FB culture especially the darker side of Mark and Sheryl

My worst fears confirmed

What an amazing book by a very brave and intelligent woman! Zuckerberg reminds me of some of the petty, small-minded programmers I used to work with as a EE in power systems, who treat writing code as if they're creating some sort of a video game. the sad fact is that they don't even care that their greed and negligence leads to violence and blood shed. all I have to offer Mr Zuckerberg is one of the Buddha's Noble Truths: "My actions are my only true possessions."

Great inside stories!

Very interesting information shared here that many should learn about. The more we know the better we can help prevent history from repeating itself.

Engaging, informative and well worth it!

This audio book is fantastic. Engaging and very personal. Very informative about the dangers of unchecked wealth and power in the tech world. Told with an authenticity and truth that only an insider can do. Bravo to the author for exposing the moral bankruptcy and greed of facebook-Meta's senior leaders. Facebook's stupidity in trying to silence her with an unconscionable NDA and arbitrator's injunction only caused me to want to hear what she had to say, so I purchased the audiobook. Highly recommend this book!

Painful but riveting

Having lived through so many similar circumstances, I don't doubt the author's account. And yet I was still shocked at the utter depravity. I wish I could say I thought it would change, but it's always the people not concerned with humanity that sit in power.

deleting all my meta accounts

this was scathing. at points melodramatic, but at it's core, reveals what most of us felt was really going on at Facebook the whole time.

Really really good

I work in tech, and it’s scary hearing it from another perspective. Especially one that looks at global impact and was in leadership.

Untold, insider’s look

Well presented. Important impressions and information about how facebook leaders think and function. Highly recommended.

Remarkable and Candid

Sarah Wynn-Williams gripping account of her time at Facebook should serve as a warning to humanity: Here we find that the promise of social media is at best an empty bill of sales, and at worst the cause of death, and destruction around the world. In “Careless People” Wynn-Williams sacrifices her health and family’s happiness for the promise of material gains, and the hope that she can make a notable difference in the world of geopolitics . Spoiler, neither materialize,

Chilling and disappointing behavior

This was as expected, an insider’s expose of the Facebook no one ever talks about. The author weaves horrifying stories of her personal HR struggles amid Facebook execs casual neglect and intentional blindness of user safety and privacy. Also, if true, tons of international violations. I can’t wait to see the fallout.