Sarah Wynn-Williams and Virginia Giuffre jointly win freedom to publish prize at British book awards

"Sarah Wynn-Williams and the late Virginia Giuffre have jointly won the Freedom to Publish prize at this year's British book awards, marking the first time the award has been shared. Wynn-Williams, a former Facebook executive, was recognised for Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism, her bestselling memoir about her years inside Meta, formerly Facebook. The book makes allegations about the company's internal culture and practices, including its approach to political influence, China and the wellbeing of teenagers. Meta has disputed the claims."

"Giuffre received the award posthumously for Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, which recounts the abuse she said she suffered at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and others. The award, presented by Yulia Navalnaya and supported by the free expression organisation Index on Censorship, was established in 2022 to highlight threats to writers, publishers and booksellers, and to recognise those who resist attempts at censorship."

"Speaking at the ceremony, Wynn-Williams used a rare public appearance to warn of the growing influence of wealthy elites over public discourse and institutions. We are all living in a world that now, more than ever, is dominated by networks of powerful elites, whose wealth too often puts them above the law, she said. As they rewrite the rules, they grow arrogant with entitlement and impunity."

"Wynn-Williams has herself faced legal restrictions since the publication of Careless People. Meta secured a legal order on the eve of publication preventing her from publicly discussing aspects of the book, and she faces fines of $50,000 each time she breaches the order. Referring to Giuffre's memoir, Wynn-Williams said: Virginia understood who silence protected and realised that only truth can protect everyone else."

Sarah Wynn-Williams and Virginia Giuffre jointly received the Freedom to Publish prize at the British book awards, the first shared instance of the honor. Wynn-Williams, a former Meta executive, was recognized for Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism, which alleges internal culture and practices at Meta, including political influence, China-related conduct, and impacts on teenagers. Meta disputed the allegations. Giuffre received the award posthumously for Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, recounting abuse she said she suffered involving Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and others. The prize, established in 2022, recognizes resistance to censorship and threats to publishing. Wynn-Williams warned about wealthy elites dominating public discourse and noted legal restrictions and fines tied to her book.

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