Jan 8, 2018 - Technology

Google memo author sues over discrimination against conservative white men

Google building sign at its Mountain View, Calif. headquarters. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

James Damore, a former Google engineer who was fired for his infamous memo about diversity last year, has filed a lawsuit against the search giant for allegedly discriminating against conservative white men. He's joined by another former Google engineer, David Gudeman, who spent three years at the company.

Why it matters: Just a few months ago, three female former Google engineers (recently joined by another female former employee) filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging gender-based pay discrimination. Last summer, the Department of Labor probed the company after it found evidence, during an audit, of pay discrimination resulting in lower wages for women.

Details: In their complaint, the men accuse Google of having illegal hiring quotas as part of its efforts to diversify its workforce, discriminating against white men, and fostering a negative environment for conservative white men, including openly shaming them for their views.

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Axios
7 hours ago - Podcasts

Facebook boycott organizers share details on their Zuckerberg meeting

Facebook is in the midst of the largest ad boycott in its history, with nearly 1,000 brands having stopped paid advertising in July because they feel Facebook hasn't done enough to remove hate speech from its namesake app and Instagram.

Axios Re:Cap spoke with the boycott's four main organizers, who met on Tuesday with CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other top Facebook executives, to learn why they organized the boycott, what they took from the meeting, and what comes next.

Sara Fischer
9 hours ago - Technology

Boycott organizers slam Facebook following tense virtual meeting

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Civil rights leaders blasted Facebook's top executives shortly after speaking with them on Tuesday, saying that the tech giant's leaders "failed to meet the moment" and were "more interested in having a dialogue than producing outcomes."

Why it matters: The likely fallout from the meeting is that the growing boycott of Facebook's advertising platform, which has reached nearly 1000 companies in less than a month, will extend longer than previously anticipated, deepening Facebook's public relations nightmare.

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Hans Nichols
10 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Steve Scalise PAC invites donors to fundraiser at Disney World

Photo: Kevin Lamarque-Pool/Getty Images

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise’s PAC is inviting lobbyists to attend a four-day “Summer Meeting” at Disney World's Polynesian Village in Florida, all but daring donors to swallow their concern about coronavirus and contribute $10,000 to his leadership PAC.

Why it matters: Scalise appears to be the first House lawmakers to host an in-person destination fundraiser since the severity of pandemic became clear. The invite for the “Summer Meeting” for the Scalise Leadership Fund, obtained by Axios, makes no mention of COVID-19.

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