Live data from Hacker News

Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

thehill.com

31–40 of 135 posts

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#31
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And an NDA being void due to such a situation does not stop the company from taking legal action against, costing you lots of money and time to defend

Exactly. That's why the public hearing was held. To make her and the case famous. This is how you play the game. Now Meta can still sue but it risks damaging its public image by going after a famous whistleblower.

One of the benefits of having a lot of scandals. Will get buried in the noise. Those that care about this kind of stuff already hated meta, those that don't care won't start caring now.

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#32
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Precisely why China needs to be a whole lot less important to the world. Freedom and personal liberty actually are ideologies. They don’t encompass every ideology that doesn’t make sense at all. I’d say CCP and many other governments like Russia and Ukraine are FAR more corrupt than the US. Your argument really doesn’t make sense.

> Freedom and personal liberty actually are ideologies. Feyerabend in particular would likely differ, and say instead that freedom and liberty are what emerge when mature adults democratically order their societies, irrespective (or in spite) of any ideologies used to bind them

I'd love to know the reference for that. I've read a couple of Feyerabend's books, but it was years ago, and I gave them away, but would not mind taking another look.

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#33
post #19
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A corporate NDA doesn't block someone from cooperating with legal proceedings or submitting evidence to a hearing.

Why did you just make up a legal proceeding? There are no proceedings (yet) - that is the entire point of this.

I heard about her book, I also heard about lawsuit threats from Facebook. Facebook is a rich company so a threat from them to sue you is a serious threat. I'm sure they threaten to sue people to try to quash uncomfortable information as do probably lots of companies. Are you thinking she made up the threatened lawsuits?

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#34

> They have threatened her with $50,000 in punitive damages every time she mentions Facebook in public … even if the statements she is making are true,” he said. Unless Congress asks for the testimony, which is probably why Meta tried to stop the hearing.

But infinitely rich companies can of course bankrupt any ordinary human by suing them over and over again. They already look bad, so it doesn't make them look worse. Why wouldn't they just keep suing her?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_lawsuit_against_publ...

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#35

It's interesting to think about the way in which the Chinese government operates compared to the government of other countries like the US. The US government was conceived as merely a public utility to fund public works; there was no single ideological basis beyond that. Freedom isn't a "single" ideology because it encapsulates all possible ideologies. The ideology rested with the people themselves to implement on an…

The effects of decades of American propaganda at work...

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#36
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A corporate NDA doesn't block someone from cooperating with legal proceedings or submitting evidence to a hearing.

You can end up in legal quandary where you fight over exactly what NDA can and cannot cover. Congressional Subpoena would put her on much firmer legal standing. My guess is her lawyers recommended this strategy.

> You can end up in legal quandary where you fight over exactly what NDA can and cannot cover. Congressional Subpoena would put her on much firmer legal standing

A corporate NDA cannot prevent you from cooperating with a Congressional hearing.

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#37
post #27
post #14

[flagged]

At least 4 downvotes, no explanation. What's the problem? I'm curious what the situation is: did the person speak up internally, were they disempowered, did they go along with it but then have a change of heart at some point, etc.?

She wrote a whole book about it, and yes that’s more or less her claim. Her telling is that she tried to avoid touching China policy as long as possible until she was forced into it, largely as retaliation for reporting sexual harassment from Joel Kaplan. Kaplan and Zuckerberg were directing most of the China policy personally so she had little to no ability to overrule them.

The audiobook is free if you have Spotify premium.

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Freedom and personal liberty actually are ideologies. Feyerabend in particular would likely differ, and say instead that freedom and liberty are what emerge when mature adults democratically order their societies, irrespective (or in spite) of any ideologies used to bind them

I'd love to know the reference for that. I've read a couple of Feyerabend's books, but it was years ago, and I gave them away, but would not mind taking another look.

he says something like this in Science in a Free Society, I'll see if I can find it.

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#39
post #21

It's interesting to think about the way in which the Chinese government operates compared to the government of other countries like the US. The US government was conceived as merely a public utility to fund public works; there was no single ideological basis beyond that. Freedom isn't a "single" ideology because it encapsulates all possible ideologies. The ideology rested with the people themselves to implement on an…

Many “western” governments have formed genuine ideological movements. I understand this may be difficult, but what are you actually talking about?

And the US specifically was founded on the concepts of 'rights' and 'freedoms'

Re: Whistleblower tells senators that Meta undermined U.S. security, interests

#40
post #12
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A corporate NDA doesn't block someone from cooperating with legal proceedings or submitting evidence to a hearing.

And an NDA being void due to such a situation does not stop the company from taking legal action against, costing you lots of money and time to defend

> And an NDA being void due to such a situation does not stop the company from taking legal action against, costing you lots of money and time to defend

Not really. If the NDA is void (such as the case with congressional hearings), there isn't going to be a lengthy legal proceeding. The judge would look at it and throw it out.

Post reply on HN