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After cancelling a session by an Indian historian who had disparaged marginalised communities and their concerns, Alphabet's Google this week introduced guidelines for inviting guests to its headquarters, according to corporate emails obtained by Reuters.
The policy that Google unveiled on Thursday represents its most recent attempt to uphold an open culture while addressing differences that have grown as its workforce has expanded.
Over politics and issues of racial and gender fairness, employees at Google and other major tech businesses have recently battled and protested. Additionally, union organising campaigns are urging employees at Alphabet, Apple, and Amazon to demand the corporations implement progressive policies.
According to company emails seen by Reuters, Alphabet's Google this week introduced standards for inviting visitors to its headquarters after cancelling a session by an Indian historian who had disparaged marginalised populations and their concerns.
Google's most recent effort to maintain an open culture while addressing divisions that have emerged as its staff has grown is represented by the policy it announced on Thursday.
Employees at Google and other major tech companies have recently fought and protested over politics and concerns of racial and gender fairness. Employees at Alphabet, Apple, and Amazon are being urged by union organising campaigns to demand the companies adopt progressive policies.
The policy, according to an email introducing it to managers, explains and unifies a jumble of regulations.
The open, university-like ethos that Google has valued since its founding is threatened by increased scrutiny. However, a more welcoming workplace might draw a more varied workforce, which could help Google create goods with a wider market.
Google recently reduced the frequency of company-wide meetings and tightened content moderation on workplace message boards as a result of internal conflicts that leaked into the public eye.
Competitors like Meta also have speaker invitation guidelines.
Former US presidential candidate Barack Obama, celebrity chef Ayesha Curry, and former basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have all spoken at Google.
messed up
Thenmozhi Soundararajan, an author who fights for those who are oppressed by caste discrimination, was scheduled to speak on India's socioreligious caste system in April, but Google decided to postpone the event due to internal strife.
Members of a Hindu group within the organisation had complained about Soundararajan, calling her rhetoric provocative and prejudiced, which is what she describes the accusation.
An internal message said that at least one of the critics suggested summoning Rajiv Malhotra for balance. The self-described contrarian author Malhotra, a former computer entrepreneur, has called campaigners like Soundararajan "snakes" and criticised affirmative action programmes that support lower caste groups.
Malhotra was eventually invited to talk about India's beneficial worldwide effect by the Hindu group at Google. A later release revealed that the organisers had postponed the discussion until November 10, the day before it was scheduled to take place at the Silicon Valley offices of Google.
According to a message asking for complaints regarding Malhotra, some employees protested to high management. In a related document, the Alphabet Workers Union, a labour group that has been urging Google to include caste in its anti-discrimination policies, noted that Malhotra had referred to Islam as a destructive force and homosexuality as a medical condition.
Malhotra told Reuters that while he is in favour of marginalised groups, he is opposed to "politicizing bias in ways that divide societies and make them susceptible to foreign colonization."
Employee messages suggested that allowing his speak while rejecting Soundararajan's would have amounted to a double standard.
Employees "must submit a proposal and have it authorised" by a "cross-functional" review team, according to the new speaker policy. At least 12 weeks before an event, requests must be made.
Before contacting the speaker and/or their representative, it instructs, "Await a response." Failure to adhere to this procedure is against Google policies.
