Meta Tells Employees Not to Discuss Abortion at Work, Report Says
An executive emphasizes a 2019 policy in the wake of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, according to The Verge.
Meta employees have reportedly been told not to discuss abortion on its internal version of Facebook.
Meta employees have been told not to discuss abortion on Workplace, the company's internal version of Facebook, The Verge reported Friday. An executive apparently said doing so could lead to the company being seen as a "hostile work environment" following the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion indicating that the court will overturn Roe v. Wade next month.
The executive reportedly cited the rebranded parent company's internal Respectful Communication Policy, which was put in place in 2019. The policy reportedly prohibits employees from using internal company platforms to discuss "opinions or debates about abortion being right or wrong, availability or rights of abortion, and political, religious, and humanitarian views on the topic."
Employees are allowed to discuss the issue in small groups but have apparently had Workplace posts about it removed, according to the report. Employees have said abortion is being treated differently than issues like Black Lives Matter, immigration and transgender rights, which they are allowed to discuss on Workplace.
Meta workers can still use public social media, including Facebook and Instagram, to share their thoughts on abortion, The Washington Post reported. For example, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said in a May 3 post on Facebook that if the leaked draft opinion becomes the "law of the land," one of women's "most fundamental rights will be taken away."
Meta didn't respond to a request for comment.