5 ms·

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

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/1f2kYWDXwhzYnq8ebVtuk9CqQqz7ScqxhSIxeYGrWjK0/preview?pru=AAABdlNwLxs*PKCOHN-Ks0PI5nFrljenMg https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f2kYWDXwhzYnq8ebVtuk9CqQ...

malcolmgreaves 6y ago
> 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 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."
- bra-ket 6y ago
  >"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.
  - amanaplanacanal 6y ago
    By “these activists” you are referring to the Google brain researchers? Or somebody else?
    - bra-ket 6y ago
      I refer to the so-called SJWs ("social justice warriors"), some of them work or worked at Google like Gebru and her most vocal supporters. Others organized BLM protests for various fake causes during the summer. It's a new activism fad they primarily use to draw attention to themselves. Not a single one of these people care about objectivity nor reason. They're the religious of the new age. It's disgusting to watch research scientists behave in this way. It calls into question the validity of their research.
      - krageon 6y ago
        You've displayed multiple dogwhistles for extreme-right thinking. That doesn't mean you necessarily are, but you may want to modulate the kind of people you associate with or you might become what they are.
        sam1r 6y ago
        Elegantly put.
        thu2111 6y ago
        What a nasty, horrible reply. You didn't even call out what specific things you object to. Try it on the other way around: the phrase "dog whistle" is a notorious dog whistle for extreme-left collectivist thinking. You might be surrounding yourself with extremists without realising it.
        dekhn 6y ago
        How did you get to extreme-right? They are talking in centrist terms.
        deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
  - malcolmgreaves 6y ago
    > 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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_privilege#History
    - bra-ket 6y ago
      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.
krageon 6y ago
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.

malcolmgreaves 6y ago

> 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 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."

bra-ket 6y ago
>"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.
- amanaplanacanal 6y ago
  By “these activists” you are referring to the Google brain researchers? Or somebody else?
  - bra-ket 6y ago
    I refer to the so-called SJWs ("social justice warriors"), some of them work or worked at Google like Gebru and her most vocal supporters. Others organized BLM protests for various fake causes during the summer. It's a new activism fad they primarily use to draw attention to themselves. Not a single one of these people care about objectivity nor reason. They're the religious of the new age. It's disgusting to watch research scientists behave in this way. It calls into question the validity of their research.
    - krageon 6y ago
      You've displayed multiple dogwhistles for extreme-right thinking. That doesn't mean you necessarily are, but you may want to modulate the kind of people you associate with or you might become what they are.
      - sam1r 6y ago
        Elegantly put.
      - thu2111 6y ago
        What a nasty, horrible reply. You didn't even call out what specific things you object to. Try it on the other way around: the phrase "dog whistle" is a notorious dog whistle for extreme-left collectivist thinking. You might be surrounding yourself with extremists without realising it.
      - dekhn 6y ago
        How did you get to extreme-right? They are talking in centrist terms.
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
- malcolmgreaves 6y ago
  > 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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_privilege#History
  - bra-ket 6y ago
    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.

krageon 6y ago

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.