Margaret Mitchell, the co-lead of Google’s Ethical AI team, says the company fired her after an investigation into her use of corporate email.
Why it matters: Google has already come under fire for the impeachment of Timnit Gebru, the other co-leader of the team. Mitchell has been locked out of the corporate email since last month after what a source says was her attempt to search corporate correspondence for evidence supporting Gebru’s allegation of discrimination and harassment.
The move comes on the same day that Google announced internally that it had completed its investigation into Gebru’s exit, as Axios first reported. The company did not release the findings of that survey, but announced a series of policy changes, including linking executive pay across the company to diversity and inclusion.
Between the lines: Mitchell too posted a tweet critical of Google’s dealings with Gebru and a subsequent meeting between CEO Sundar Pichai and historically Black college and university leaders.
“Suppose you have a problem with consistently alienating black women and have done serious damage in their lives. You could: A) try to undo that damage B) try to find more black people who like you (the symbolic approach). Good luck. …. “
Margaret Mitchell, in a Twitter post in January
What they say
- Mitchell, on Twitter: “I have been fired.”
- Google, in a statement to Axios “After reviewing this manager’s conduct, we confirmed that there were multiple violations of our code of conduct and security policy, including the exfiltration of sensitive company documents and other employees’ private information.”
Go deeper: Google adjusts diversity, research policy after research