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by bra-ket 2021 days ago
this case had nothing to do with censorship though. It was Gebru' unprofessional conduct - she gave ultimatum to her managers demanding to disclose names of the reviewers who criticized her work or she would resign, and broadcasting emails to entire team literally calling for sabotage.

Her behavior fits the definition of 'toxic employee', it was unprofessional by any standard.

Here is Jeff Dean's letter sent to the Google Research team with the details of what actually happened: :https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f2kYWDXwhzYnq8ebVtuk9CqQ...

2 comments

> Here is Jeff Dean's letter sent to the Google Research team with the details of what actually happened: :https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f2kYWDXwhzYnq8ebVtuk9CqQ...

You choose to trust the words of the man that did the firing vs. the corroborated stories of dozens of Google Brain researchers that contradict his corporate messaging. Don't take corporate's word as "what happened:" that's about as naive as taking a police's side as the "truth."

>"corroborated" stories of dozens

It's a "boy who cried wolf" for me. I've seen these activists promoting lies to us the entire summer of protests for completely made-up causes. I've seen them distorting facts and pushing misinformation through media. I've also seen them bullying people via social media 'witch hunts', which is happening now with Jeff Dean, Nando de Freitas and whoever stands in their way.

The whole activism movement is toxic and whoever brings it to the workplace.

By “these activists” you are referring to the Google brain researchers? Or somebody else?
> The whole activism movement is toxic and whoever brings it to the workplace.

Why do you find people that are putting in the work to bring fairer, more just, and more even-handed application of human rights to all corners of society "toxic"?

What are you afraid of, or believe is "toxic", by removing the gap in privilege* that exists between white men and everyone else?

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_privilege#History

The ends do not justify the means.

What I see is a bunch of bullies forcing their opinions on everyone else, spreading lies and propaganda on media, attacking and 'cancelling' anyone who stands in their way.

Whatever seed of 'social justice' motivation was there, the activist movement completely discredited themselves, and the ideas they so aggressively promote. And the more I interact with them the more it seems their primary motivation is promoting themselves.

If you push someone until you know they will break by being difficult and stupid to them you lose the ability to point to them and say "well that's unprofessional". Given that this is a company vs a person, odds are better than 90% that they just wanted to be rid of her and pushed her until they could.