Blumenthal, Johnson, & Hawley Open Investigation into Meta for Alleged Collaboration with CCP

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Chairman of PSI, and Josh Hawley (R-MO) today announced an investigation into Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta) for its alleged work to censor and provide artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including surveillance software, for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a letter sent yesterday to Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, the Senators demanded all records and communications pertaining to Meta’s operations within China, including the potential use of AI models developed by or in collaboration with the CCP.

Citing internal documents received by the Subcommittee, the Senators wrote, “Facebook’s plan reportedly included more engagement with the CCP, and later included plans to partner with a Chinese company to build censorship tools and provide the CCP with user data. Further, Facebook’s censorship efforts on behalf of the CCP allegedly extended to dissidents outside of China, including in the United States.”

The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here and below.

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg:

            Pursuant to Senate Resolution 94 (119th Cong.), the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“the Subcommittee”) is conducting a review of Meta Platforms, Inc.’s alleged work to build censorship tools for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as part of its efforts to gain entry in the Chinese market, including its communications with CCP officials.[1]

            According to recent reports on a book, titled Careless People, written by former Facebook executive Sarah Wynn-Williams, in 2014, Facebook allegedly developed a “three-year plan” to gain access to the Chinese market (codenamed “Project Aldrin”).[2]  Facebook’s plan reportedly included more engagement with the CCP, and later included plans to partner with a Chinese company to build censorship tools and provide the CCP with user data.[3]  Further, Facebook’s censorship efforts on behalf of the CCP allegedly extended to dissidents outside of China, including in the United States.[4]  These accounts are corroborated by internal records documenting these efforts reviewed by the Subcommittee. 

            To assist the Subcommittee’s review, please provide the following by April 21, 2025.

1. All records[5] referring or relating to Facebook/Meta’s preparations and operations within China from January 1, 2014, to the present, including but not limited to:
   
   
   1. all communications or records of meetings with Chinese government officials, including but not limited to Lu Wei, Zhao Zeliang, and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC);
      
      
   2. all records related to Facebook/Meta’s subsidiaries and partners in China, including Hony Capital, IvyCo, Leaplock, Ivy Zhang, or Youge Internet Technology;
      
      
   3. all records related to Pacific Light Data Communication, Dr. Peng Group, and the proposed China or Hong Kong operations of the Pacific Light Cable Network; and
      
      
   4. all records related to Meta’s launch of apps in China, including Colorful Balloons, Flash, Boomerang, Layout, Hyperlapse, and MSQRD.
      
      
2. All records referring or relating to the use of artificial intelligence models developed by or in collaboration with Facebook/Meta, including but not limited to Llama, by the People’s Liberation Army, DeepSeek, or any instrument of the CCP.

3. All communications referring or relating to “Project Aldrin.”[6]

4. A list of the names and titles of all employees who worked on or participated in Facebook’s/Meta’s alleged three-year plan for China or “Project Aldrin.”

5. All records, between Facebook/Meta and any national government entity or representative thereof, from January 1, 2014, to the present, referring or relating to any effort to censor or otherwise remove content at the government’s request.
   
   
6. All communications referring or relating to whether and how to censor or otherwise remove content at the request of a national government entity or representative thereof.
   
   
7. Please identify all accounts and produce all content that has been removed or restricted by Facebook/Meta related to, or based on, a request from Chinese officials or entities, as well as who at Facebook/Meta was responsible for final approval of the removal or restriction.
   
   

To expedite the Subcommittee’s review, submit the material responsive to this request as it becomes available, rather than waiting to provide it all at once. To avoid any unnecessary delays, carefully review the Procedures for Transmitting Documents to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and contact the Subcommittee to discuss the method and timing of the production.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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