leaf node prayer plant Prayer Plant ‘Maranta leuconeura’
SKU: 93701706103
leaf node prayer plant

leaf node prayer plant Prayer Plant ‘Maranta leuconeura’

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leaf node prayer plant Prayer Plant ‘Maranta leuconeura’The Prayer plant, known as Maranta leuconeura, is a popular choice among houseplant enthusiasts due to its stunning foliage and relatively easy care needs. Known for its uniquely patterned and colorful leaves, this plant adds a vibrant touch to indoor spaces, making it one of the most sought after houseplants. Those looking for a pet friendly plant will be pleased to know that prayer plants are non toxic to both pets and humans. The Prayer Plant is so

The Prayer plant, known as Maranta leuconeura, is a popular choice among houseplant enthusiasts due to its stunning foliage and relatively easy-care needs. Known for its uniquely patterned and colorful leaves, this plant adds a vibrant touch to indoor spaces, making it one of the most sought-after houseplants. Those looking for a pet-friendly plant will be pleased to know that prayer plants are non-toxic to both pets and humans.   

The Prayer Plant is so named for its unique habit of folding its leaves upward in the evening, as if in prayer. This remarkable movement is a natural circadian rhythm known as “nyctinasty,” in which the leaves respond to light levels by opening flat during the day and curling up at night. In addition to being closely related to the red prayer plant, this intriguing behavior gives any indoor garden a dynamic and lively feel. 

Native to South America, it is also called the “Rabbit Tracks” plant. The Green Maranta Prayer Plant is renowned for its unique patterned leaves, featuring light green backgrounds and dark green blotches along the central vein.

These distinctive spots create a visually appealing contrast and resemble animal tracks. This eye-catching foliage, combined with the plant's low-growing habit, makes it a perfect choice for table displays, shelves, or hanging baskets.

The Maranta leuconeura is a compact plant that typically reaches a mature size of 12 inches tall and 12 inches wide. In its natural environment, it grows as a ground cover, spreading low along the forest floor under the shade of taller trees.  

The Prayer plant flowers bloom in the spring with small, delicate, white, or pale lavender flowers on thin stalks. While not as showy as the foliage, these flowers add a delicate charm to the plant’s overall appearance. However, many people grow the Maranta green prayer plant primarily for its decorative foliage, as the blooms are typically short-lived and less prominent.  

When and How to Water Your Prayer Plant  

Even though your prayer plant can withstand some dry conditions, it still requires regular watering to thrive. These prayer plants are not highly drought tolerant, so do not allow them to completely dry out. It is critical to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water the plant once the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Make sure the pot has a drainage hole to avoid waterlogging, which can lead to root rot. Avoid getting water on the leaves to prevent fungal diseases.

According to one theory, the prayer plant movement is intended to maximize water capture. During the day, they lower their leaves to absorb moisture and rain water, while at night, they move inward to retain water and direct any water to the center of the plant.   

In the spring and summer, during the growing season, you may need to water your prayer plant more frequently, possibly every 1-2 weeks, depending on the humidity levels in your home. In contrast, in the fall and winter, when the plant is in its dormant phase, you can reduce watering, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings.

It's crucial to use room temperature water when watering your prayer plant, as cold water can shock the roots. Additionally, consider using distilled or filtered water to prevent the build-up of salts and chemicals from tap water, which can harm the plant over time. By following these watering guidelines and paying attention to your plant's moisture needs, you can help your Maranta leuconeura thrive and display its beautiful, patterned leaves.

Light Requirements – Where to Place Your Prayer Plant 

When growing indoors the prayer plant prefers bright, indirect light for at least 4-6 hours daily. Place your prayer plant near a window where it can receive filtered bright light or in a room with ample ambient light. Direct sunlight can scorch the leaves, so it's best to avoid placing them in harsh, direct light.

Additionally, they can tolerate low light conditions, though not extremely low ones. If your indoor space lacks natural light, you can supplement this houseplant with artificial grow lights to provide the necessary light intensity for your plant.

When considering outdoor conditions for your prayer plant, it's essential to replicate its preferred indoor environment.

If you choose to move your Maranta leuconeura outdoors, ensure it is placed in a shaded or partially shaded area. Direct sun light can be too intense for the prayer plant's delicate leaves and may lead to leaf burn.

By providing a sheltered spot with dappled sunlight or indirect light, you can create a suitable outdoor environment for your prayer plant to thrive. Remember to monitor the plant's response to its new outdoor location and adjust as needed to maintain optimal light conditions for healthy growth.   

Optimal Soil & Fertilizer Needs

The prayer plant thrives in well-draining, peat-based potting acidic soil that retains moisture without becoming waterlogged. A mix that includes peat moss, perlite, or sand can help maintain the ideal balance of moisture and aeration for your plant's roots. Instead, make or buy a well-draining potting mix, or ideally, use our specialized potting mix, opens in a new tab that contains 5 natural substrates and mycorrhizae to promote the development of a strong root system that helps your houseplant to thrive. Ensure the pot has drainage holes to prevent water from pooling at the bottom, which can lead to root rot. 

In terms of fertilizing your prayers plant, it's best to use a balanced, water-soluble NPK fertilizer with a ratio of 5-10-5. During the growing season in spring, you can fertilize your Maranta leuconeura once a year to provide essential nutrients for healthy growth. However, reduce fertilization frequency or stop altogether during the plant's dormant period in fall and winter. Over-fertilizing can cause salt build-up in the soil, leading to nutrient imbalances and potential damage to the plant.  

Hardiness Zones & More

For indoor growing prayer plants, they prefer average room temperatures ranging from 65-75°F. It's essential to avoid exposing the plant to temperature extremes or drafts, as they can stress the plant and affect its growth. Maintaining a consistent temperature within this range will help your plant flourish indoors. 

For outdoor cultivation, the prayer plant is typically suited for USDA zones 11-12, where temperatures remain consistently warm throughout the year. If you live in a region within these zones, you can consider growing your Maranta leuconeura outdoors in a shaded or partially shaded area. Ensure the plant is protected from direct sunlight to prevent leaf burn and maintain optimal growth conditions. By selecting a suitable spot in your garden or patio that mimics the plant's preferred indoor environment, you can provide a conducive outdoor setting for your prayer plant. 

When it comes to humidity requirements, the prayer plant thrives in moderate to high humidity levels. Indoor environments can often be dry, especially during the winter months when heating systems are in use. To increase humidity around your Maranta leuconeura, you can place a humidifier nearby, use a pebble tray filled with water, or group plants together to create a microclimate with higher humidity. Regularly misting the plant's leaves can also help increase humidity levels and prevent them from drying out.

Wildlife – Prayer Plant Attracts the Following Friendly Pollinators 

The prayer plant, Maranta leuconeura, attracts pollinators and insects through its unique and vibrant flowers. The plant produces small, white flowers with delicate purple spots that are visually appealing to pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. These insects are drawn to the flowers' nectar and play a crucial role in pollinating the plant, facilitating the production of seeds for future growth. Additionally, the plant's foliage, with its striking patterns and colors, can also attract other beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which help control pest populations in the surrounding environment. 

Butterflies
Bees
Hummingbirds
Lady Bugs
Multi Pollinators
Other Birds

Toxicity: According to the ASPCA, Maranta leuconeura is non-toxic to cats and dogs, and humans. This makes it a pet-friendly option for homes with pets, as it doesn’t pose a risk of toxicity if accidentally ingested by cats, dogs, or other pets. This feature, along with its beautiful foliage, makes the Prayer Plant a popular choice for pet owners who want to add greenery to their homes without worrying about harmful effects on their animals. 

How to Propagate a Prayer Plant 

To propagate the prayer plant, you can use division or stem cuttings. Division involves separating the plant at the roots into smaller sections, each with a healthy root system and growth points. When taking stem cuttings, select a healthy stem with several leaves and nodes, then place it in water or a moist potting mix to encourage root development. Ensure the cuttings have adequate humidity and warmth to support root growth. With proper care and attention, you can successfully propagate your prayer plant to expand your collection or share it with fellow plant enthusiasts. 

Key Takeaways

  1. The prayer plant, known for its striking foliage and unique leaf movements, is a popular indoor plant due to its vibrant colors and slow growth rate.
  2. According to the ASPCA, it is safe for homes with cats and dogs, as it is non-toxic.
  3. Its leaves fold up at night as if in prayer, a fascinating response to light levels.
  4. Though it does not prefer prolonged drought-tolerance, it can withstand short dry periods and prefers consistently moist, well-draining soil.
  5. It produces small, delicate white or lavender flowers, though it rarely blooms indoors.

The Bottom Line 

Overall, the prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) is a captivating houseplant known for its stunning foliage with intricate patterns that fold up at night, resembling praying hands, hence its name. This plant not only adds a touch of elegance to indoor spaces but also attracts pollinators with its charming flowers. To care for your prayer plant, ensure it receives indirect light, consistent moisture, and high humidity levels. Avoid direct sunlight and overwatering to prevent root rot. Regularly misting these indoor plants and occasionally wiping their leaves with a damp cloth can help maintain their lush appearance. By providing the right conditions and attention, you can enjoy the beauty of the prayer plant while creating a healthy environment for it to thrive in your home. Order your very own prayer plant for sale today! 

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Timothy Bumpus
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 2
Good, but only for complete beginners who haven’t seen the tutorials on the Godot website
Format: Kindle
Skippable with free tutorials found on the web both from official and unofficial resources. A good starting block for those who are completely new to the concept and want to get started with Godot.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2023
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L. Schmiesing
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Superbly written, relatable, important, and humanistic
Format: Hardcover
I purchased the hardback of this book when I heard that Meta was trying to block its publication. And I’m so glad I did. The book was a jaw-dropping, gripping read that held me in a trance. It’s my understanding that the legal efforts on Meta’s part to have the book blocked have only made it more popular. After reading the book, I’m not surprised. Meta is run by short-sighted, narcissistic, and self-important people who often act like idiot toddlers. Mine. Mine. Gimme. Gimme. Cake. More. More. Once I received the book, I was reluctant to dive in, thinking it would be a challenging read with technology and boring stuff, but I was wrong with that assessment. The book is superbly written, relatable, and humanistic, and made me proud of Sarah for her bravery in becoming a whistleblower. A New Zealand native, Sarah is a lawyer who worked as a diplomat for the United Nations before doggedly selling herself on the staff at Facebook for a job within the organization that she felt could better the world. After working in the upper stratosphere echelons of Facebook for around six years, she has the receipts to prove that the dream of what it could be, became a nightmare. She lays the groundwork for her assertions against Facebook/Meta building her credibility with the reader as she starts from her youth and before the hire. Eventually becoming an intricate player within the Facebook organization, she is a brilliantly smart person (and writer), and she struggles with the culture and personalities of the privileged and out-of-touch leadership who carelessly treat her not as a person, but as a tool. She is often in physical danger too! I was shocked at how often the top leadership - Mark, other top execs, and Sheryl Sandberg - could have cared less about Sarah’s pain, pressure, obstacles, and danger. Not to mention their ignoring Sarah’s wisdom and advice. I’d heard of Sheryl Sandberg – she of the hot book – Lean In. As Oprah and CEOs and other high flyers applauded Sheryl’s awesomeness and her book, I recall at the time feeling intrigued, but super skeptical. See me giving a side eye to the situation and rejecting being given life coaching by a billionaire. It turns out my instincts were right. It’s easier to lean in when you have a staff of nannies, maids, cooks, toadies, and private jets. But she expects everyone to be just as work-driven and productive as her. If you’ve seen the great show Succession – think of the personal assistants portrayed on that show. Their job is to just do – never question – no matter how stupid the task or how impossible the ask. (Do you remember the scene on funeral day when Kendall Roy asks his fast-walking-in-heels personal assistant why she has a meeting scheduled with him and she says in a nervous sing-song – oh, we can talk about it then. He stops walking and presses her for an answer on the spot and she softballs intimating that she is thinking about making a change – and he’s pissed and says like thanks a lot for bringing this up today, my father just died. But she didn’t – he did…. Whatever. You cannot win). Another example. Think Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada asking for the yet-unpublished Harry Potter books to be delivered to her children that the same day. There is a story in Sarah’s book where while traveling in Mexico with the top execs, she gets a frantic call from her husband – there is a horrible situation going on at home in Manhattan with their nanny and the baby (for spoilers – I won’t tell you what was happening but it’s scary as heck). Sarah, trapped and traveling in a car, relays or shares the story about the in-real-time event, because . . . how could you not! Later, in her review, she is told that it was inappropriate for her to talk about her personal life and to basically keep her mouth shut and focus on the job. Lean in and keep your mothering and baby problems to yourself! And part of the problem with all this is that Sarah is not even an “assistant” – she is part of the team. But she is often treated like a body. Another time in a review they said she was ‘difficult to reach’ during the review period and she had to remind them that she was in an actual coma in the hospital. Still – they thought it pertinent and left the negative content as a strike against her. I found the number of personal cruelties to Sarah abhorrent – but Sarah is not a whiner. No. She stayed because she believed in her work and the possible differences she (and presumably, hopefully? others) could make. But the world-changing greed on Facebook’s part to ignore moral and privacy issues, leverage people’s vulnerabilities, profit on the backs of victims, to control the flow of information, and have a pay-to-play mindset in working with an assortment of hate organizations, movements, and autocrats, and to take it further into doing whatever they want as long as they keep growing and gaining more users for their platforms changed everything. Meta is a world gobbler. A globe-stroking Golem who has Thanos power and it’s scarier than you know what. And Facebook had FACEBOOK employees embedded in the Trump campaign to assist them in maximizing the algorithms and giving them whatever tools and access that others didn’t receive. Millions of dollars were spent targeting and spreading the thousands of Trump messages . . . saying God knows what. (Eating cats and dogs?) Harness the press. Harness the information sent to the masses. Pay to ride. Own the world. I’m not sure how Sarah got away with publishing the book, but I applaud the publisher (and I’m assuming a team of lawyers) for going forward with the publication. Read it. Learn from it. I have. But now what do I do? I use Facebook and Instagram– I need to for my business. Don’t I? Maybe Facebook will decide for me after some creepy search retaliates against me for siding with Sarah and for this review. A second is all it takes for me to go bye bye for some infringement or for breaking some policy I’ll never get an answer for. God help us all.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2025
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Stephan Makatita
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 4
Careless People: Power, Marketing, and the (Absent) Moral Boundaries at Facebook
Format: Hardcover
Careless People: Power, Marketing, and the (Absent) Moral Boundaries at Facebook Sarah Wynne-Williams, former Director of Public Policy at Facebook, spent seven years at the company. In Careless People, she takes the reader behind the scenes of the world’s largest social media platform. A hopeful mission She shows how Facebook’s original idealistic mission, “to make the world more open and connected”, was quickly overshadowed by internal tensions, political interests, and ethical dilemmas. Wynne-Williams began her career in the public sector. Driven by a strong sense of civic duty, she was initially enthusiastic about Facebook’s mission, but soon grew disillusioned with how things worked behind closed doors. In her book, she describes how commercial interests and the drive for rapid growth consistently outweighed (positive) social impact. This fundamental tension runs throughout the book. Diplomacy, data, and dominance The book offers a rare, and at times revealing, glimpse into Facebook’s international strategy. Wynne-Williams describes how the company organized state visits, attempted to build diplomatic relationships, and how many of these efforts ended in awkward failure. Particularly notable is Facebook’s push to enter the Chinese market, including Mark Zuckerberg’s personal effort to learn Mandarin. Facebook’s leadership: no innocent bystanders Wynne-Williams doesn’t spare the company’s executive leadership. She paints a picture of a culture riddled with sexual misconduct, power plays, and rivalries. The workplace environment she describes, full of intrigue, temper outbursts, and a striking lack of psychological safety, stands in stark contrast to Facebook’s carefully cultivated public image. This insight is valuable not only for those following Facebook, but for anyone seeking to understand how power and growth shape company culture in the tech sector. Facebook as a PR machine One of the book’s core revelations is how Facebook began to operate less as a technology company and more as a PR machine. Initiatives like internet.org were presented as altruistic, but in practice were primarily aimed at market expansion. The company’s role in political campaigns, notably Donald Trump’s election, is sharply laid out. The book illustrates how thin the line is between innovation and manipulation when user data is leveraged at scale for political and commercial gain. Insightful, but not always credible Wynne-Williams’ personal tone makes the book engaging and accessible. Her commitment to the mission, and her growing frustration, are palpable. Yet her constant presence as narrator sometimes undermines the story’s credibility. Dramatic anecdotes, coincidental twists, and strong personal judgments occasionally create distance, especially when the subject matter demands nuance. That’s unfortunate, because the topics she raises, ethics, global power dynamics, and the impact on young users, deserve to speak for themselves. Lessons for the future What stays with the reader is how even the most powerful tech companies appear vulnerable when ideals clash with growth ambitions. The book shows how easily ethical boundaries blur when billions are at stake. For companies, policymakers, and marketers, it offers a confronting mirror: rapid growth and profit never come without moral cost. Final verdict Careless People is an accessible and insightful book that offers a unique perspective on the inner workings of Facebook and Big Tech. Despite stylistic shortcomings, a tendency toward dramatization, and a sometimes overly subjective voice, it’s a worthwhile read for anyone looking to understand the intersection of technology, power, and marketing. Personally, I found it especially compelling because I’ve taken the opposite path: from marketing and tech into public service. That gives me a unique appreciation of the tension Wynne-Williams describes, the ongoing conflict between social ideals and commercial imperatives. The book lacks objectivity at times, but it undeniably prompts reflection. And that alone makes it more than worth the read. Rating: 7.5
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Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2025
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Todd
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
How Facebook lost its conscience, and how the young man at its helm grew to love the taste of power
Format: Hardcover
A WORD ABOUT THIS PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS US Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams This riveting memoir about the maturation of Facebook is fascinating in large part because of the direct access the author had for over six years to the highest levels of leadership at the company. Its title comes from The Great Gatsby, where narrator Nick Carraway says, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money.” A former New Zealand diplomat, Wynn-Williams had to pitch her own job to Facebook in 2011, as Zuckerberg and other senior leaders had no clue then about the role Facebook was destined to play in global politics. Rising to the position of Director of Global Public Policy, Wynn-Williams had a front-row seat to decisions that would irrevocably alter the political landscape in the US and around the world. Fast forward to the 2016 presidential election and the author’s account of how Facebook’s microtargeting of users, its allowance of misinformation on the site, and its assignment of staff to work hand in glove with the Trump campaign as they utilized these ethically compromised tactics turned the tide in that election, and set the stage for the wrecking ball now swinging in our halls of government. You could say Careless People is the story of how Facebook lost its conscience, and how the curious and impressionable young man at its helm grew to love the taste of power. The author weaves the story of Facebook’s role in the 2016 election with a number of other narratives, all revealing the same pattern showing how principled concerns were steamrolled by the relentless pursuit of growth, revenue, and influence. See also Cory Doctorow’s engaging review of this book, with its helpful explanation of why continued growth is so important to a company like Facebook. Her account reads like a slow-building tragedy, where you see exactly where the off-ramps were and watch, helplessly, as they pass by one by one: The Rohingya Genocide This is perhaps the most devastating section of the book. Wynn-Williams argues that Facebook failed to moderate hate speech against the Rohingya in Myanmar, and that the company only had two Burmese language moderators for the entire country. Facebook had also failed to invest in Burmese language support for its automated systems, meaning none of its moderation tools could even parse posts written in Burmese script. Because of these decisions, hate speech and misinformation designed to stoke ethnic and religious division spread like wildfire across the platform, and the genocide that followed is presented as a direct consequence of this reckless neglect. Censorship for China A chilling revelation for anyone who believes in free speech is Facebook’s willingness to compromise its own foundational values in pursuit of access to the Chinese market, which Zuckerberg seems to have perceived as a kind of final frontier and holy grail. Rather than standing firm on the principles of open communication it so publicly champions, Facebook secretly developed what was essentially a bespoke censorship tool designed to win over a Chinese government playing hard to get. If China had decided to allow Facebook through the Great Firewall, this system would have allowed Beijing to suppress content it found politically inconvenient, and would have extended into Hong Kong. One subnarrative in this thread is the lengths to which Zuckerberg went to court President Xi Jinping. He asks him (in Mandarin) to name his firstborn child (Xi declines), and the author includes an entertaining depiction of one-upmanship of Xi over Zuckerberg when the latter seeks unsuccessfully to arrange an impromptu meeting with Xi (since Xi had repeatedly rejected overt requests to meet). Sexual Harassment Culture For a company that spent years wrapping itself in the language of feminine empowerment and progressive values — most visibly through COO Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” movement — the picture Wynn-Williams paints inside Facebook’s walls is a study in hypocrisy. The book alleges that sexual harassment by senior executives was not only tolerated but effectively shielded from consequences. Monetizing Teenage Insecurity Wynn-Williams reveals that Facebook identified teenage girls who had deleted selfies on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and then forwarded their data to companies who used it to target them with beauty products. Let that sink in for a moment. These were young girls navigating the minefield of adolescent insecurity, who made a conscious decision to take their photos down. And rather than respecting that decision, Facebook treated it as a data point to be monetized. Content Moderation as a Political Tool At the heart of this memoir is the question of how Facebook decides what speech is acceptable and what isn’t, both in the US and across the world. Facebook has spent years presenting its content moderation decisions as principled, values-driven calls — the careful work of a responsible company trying to balance free expression with public safety. However, the author shows, an internal policy established in February 2015 made the actual workings explicit: when governments requested that content be removed, Facebook would only comply if there was a credible threat to block the platform entirely in that particular country or a risk to its own employees. Numerous examples paint a picture of a company that was essentially making it up as it went along — complying with take-down requests when powerful enough governments (such as China) pushed hard enough, and ignoring everyone else.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Most of us have encountered, in one way or another, Facebook’s self-described “Community Standards,” which, the company states, “are written to ensure that everyone’s voice is valued.” “Facebook,” the language continues, “takes great care to craft policies that are inclusive of different views and beliefs- in particular those of people and communities that might otherwise be overlooked or marginalized.” However, the picture the author reveals in Careless People suggests that such language is mostly posturing. Zuckerberg’s Ego and Detachment One of the most fascinating and unsettling threads running through the book is the portrait Wynn-Williams paints of Mark Zuckerberg — a man who began as a socially awkward but genuinely curious young idealist and somewhere along the way became something different. One anecdote about Indonesia is comic in its brazenness: Zuckerberg allegedly demanded that Wynn-Williams organize an entirely staged, artificial mob of fans to “gently” swarm him in public, creating the illusion of organic, spontaneous popularity. His staff routinely let him win at board games on his private jet, and he remains oblivious to that fact until the author finally spells it out one day. After the 2016 election, when Obama dresses him down at the APEC summit in Peru about Facebook’s role in swinging the results, he becomes indignant, and instead of recognizing an opportunity for a course correction, he contemplates a run for president himself, instructing his staff to take him on a grassroots tour of the country that includes all the requisite stops for a presidential candidate. Throughout the book, we see a leader increasingly insulated from the consequences of his own decisions, surrounded by people too afraid or too incentivized to speak the truth to his face. What makes the author’s account of this man and his company compelling is that initially she believed in the mission. She was there because she thought Facebook could be a genuine force for good in the world–a way to connect people, a uniquely powerful democratizing force. In that sense she probably stands in for most of us who are here right now because we recognized these same qualities ten or fifteen years ago. But now we feel tremors beneath us and the ground shifting in unsettling ways as we post and scroll and message here. What is this platform becoming? What are our responsibilities to bear witness to that and to respond? I believe this book can help us answer those difficult questions. As a footnote, consider that when the book was published, Meta immediately filed an emergency legal action to prevent Wynn-Williams from publicly promoting it, citing a non-disparagement agreement she signed on leaving the company. The attempt backfired in the way these things tend to: the book reached number one on the New York Times best-seller list, and Wynn-Williams was invited to testify before the U.S. Senate. Meta’s attempts to disparage the author read as transparent and cynical in the face of the credibility she establishes throughout this book. And its efforts to limit her voice have only become additional evidence supporting the story she has told. If you’re looking for a book that explains how we got to the crazy, upside-down world we are living in now — politically, socially, technologically — Careless People is a great place to start.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2026
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Onyx Parrot
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Great inside view of Facebook's corrupt behavior.
Format: Hardcover
I've always been creeped out by Facebook, and avoid all of their services. This book confirms the wisdom of this. The author is tough (literally surviving a shark attack as a teenager!) and smart. After getting a law degree in her native New Zealand, she climbs the ladder in a diplomacy career, working in New York and Washington DC. In the late 2000's she (idealistically) sees potential in Facebook as a global communications tool, and after aggressively pursuing a position there manages to land a job at Facebook's Washington DC office helping to manage their international affairs. Her work at Facebook starts off chaotic but hopeful. Her experience with international affairs as the company wakes up to their global opportunities lands her in the company's C-suites, escorting and introducing executives to world leaders as they expand their global influence. Things start to go off the rails when Facebook's leaders observe their large (and profitable!) political influence with the rise of Donald Trump. Observing this facility to use Facebook for promoting other leaders around the world (many corrupt), the original idealism goes out the window as Facebook cashes in on becoming a global propaganda and manipulation tool. Wynn-Williams had a front row seat to all of this, as well as some really ugly workplace behavior, left unchecked. She's a great storyteller. The book is well worth reading if you're curious about how the company (now "Meta") regards the world's attention it harvests for maximum profit. My only disappointment with the book is the Cambridge Analytica scandal is only mentioned in passing, even though it occurred during the author's tenure at the company. I'd be interested in her observations on it, even if she wasn't directly involved.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2026

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