Technology

Meta Clamps Down on Internal Discussion of Roe v. Wade’s Overturning

Meta told workers on Friday not to openly discuss the Supreme Court’s decision to rule out the constitutional right to abortion over a wide range of internal communications channels, people familiar with the situation said. ..

Meta’s manager, who owns Facebook and Instagram, quoted the company’s policy of putting “strong guardrails around social, political, and sensitive conversations” at work, people who said on anonymous terms. Told. They said the manager pointed out a May 12 company memo to employees. This memo was issued after a draft opinion on the possibility of overturning the Roe v. Wade case. Leaked From the Supreme Court.

In a May 12 memo obtained by The New York Times, Meta said, “Openly discussing abortion at work increases the risk of creating a hostile work environment.” I was in the position of .. “.

People said the policy led to frustration and anger. On Friday, some contacted colleagues and managers to express their opposition to the company’s stance. Messages that violated Team Chat policy have been removed, but the manager was advised to be sympathetic but neutral on this topic, the two said. In the past, Meta employees frequently used internal communication forums to discuss socio-political issues and current events.

Ambroos Vaes, a meta software engineer, said: In the post On LinkedIn, he was saddened that employees were “not allowed” to discuss the Supreme Court’s decision widely. On the company’s internal communication platform, “moderators quickly remove posts and comments that mention abortion,” he writes. “Limited discussions only occur in groups of up to 20 employees who are following a set playbook, but are not published.”

A meta spokesman declined to comment.

Friday’s action was Meta’s latest attempt to crack down on the controversial internal debate after years of employee anxiety and media leaks.of 2020According to a May 12 memo, the company has updated its respectful communication policy to limit certain discussions in the workplace.

This change followed a civil war over the killing of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis two years ago by police. Meta-employees were told that they are no longer allowed to discuss political or social issues on the company-wide channel of Workplace, the company’s employee message board.

In October, Meta unpublished some Workplace groups after former employee Frances Haugen leaked thousands of internal investigation documents to the media. Employees lamented the loss of openness and collaboration, according to comments seen by the Times.

In a May 12 memo, Meta previously allowed open discussions about abortion at work, but later “given the unique legal complexity and number of people affected by the problem, It caused serious confusion in the workplace. ” The policy has resulted in a large number of complaints to the personnel department, and many internal posts regarding abortion have been withdrawn due to violations of the company’s harassment policy, the memo said.

Employees suffering from the Supreme Court’s ruling were instructed to support each other in a one-on-one conversation or in a small group of “similar colleagues,” the memo said.

On Friday, Meta “to the extent permitted by law” to employees who need “access to out-of-state medical and reproductive services” to address employee concerns about the Supreme Court’s decision. He said he would refund the travel expenses.

Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Meta, who will leave the company this fall, said: Facebook post “The Supreme Court’s ruling endangers the health and livelihoods of millions of girls and women across the country,” he said on Friday.

“It is threatened to undo the progress women have made in the workplace and deprive them of their financial strength,” she writes. “It will make it more difficult for women to achieve their dreams.”

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