Former Meta Executive Sues for Gender Discrimination, Retaliation

Kelly Stonelake, a former director of product marketing at Meta, has filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation during her 15-year tenure at the company. The lawsuit claims Meta fostered a toxic workplace that silenced women who raised safety concerns, particularly regarding the Horizon virtual reality platform, which Stonelake argues lacked adequate parental controls and exposed children to risks. Stonelake alleges she experienced a cycle of gender-based discrimination, was passed over for promotions in favor of male colleagues, and faced retaliation after opposing unsafe product expansions. Her complaint details incidents of sexual harassment, including a reported assault by a supervisor, which she claims went unaddressed by the company. Stonelake seeks justice for the emotional harm and career setbacks she endured, stating that the corporate culture at Meta was dominated by male decision-makers who marginalized women's contributions. The lawsuit arrives amid broader scrutiny of Meta's workplace practices and policies.