Google cancels diversity meeting as backlash grows
Transcript
Controversy surrounding diversity at Google continues to grow.
On Thursday the search giant cancelled an all hands meeting set up for employees to discuss issues of diversity at the company.
The 11th hour cancellation by Google CEO [UNKNOWN] raised concerns about their safety after proposed questions for the town hall meeting were leaked online.
In a memo to staff obtained by Rico, Pichai said Google had hoped to have a frank open discussion.
But when proposed questions from specific employees started appearing online, staff wrote to him concerned about their safety and worried that they may be outed for publicly asking questions in the town hall.
The meeting comes amidst a diversity backlash of the company after Google thought one of its engineers James Demore, for pinning a 10 page memo titled Google's Ideological Echo Chamber.
In the note Demore argued a gender gap exist at Google not because of systemic sexism But because of biological differences between men and women, the memo soon went viral sparking outrage amongst Google's employees and the wider tech community.
Google moved quickly to fire Damore.
But now, the former engineer says he will likely be pursuing legal action.
A Twitter account under Damore's name with the handle, Fired4Truth, has popped up online gaining more than 10,000 followers.
While supporters have also set up a fundraising page to help Damore fight google.
The page has already reach $37,000 of its $60,000 goal.
I'm Claire Reilly for CNET and for more coverage head to CNET.COM.
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