Latest news with #Googley
Black America Web
22-05-2025
- Business
- Black America Web
Google Settles Lawsuit Alleging Anti-Black Bias For $50 Million
Source: picture alliance / Getty Look, I'm not saying all tech bros are racist, but I'm not, not saying it. I mean, the fact that Google recently agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging anti-Black bias at the company for $50 million doesn't help their case. It's not an admission of guilt, but it's certainly not a good look. According to Reuters, the civil suit was filed by April Curley, a former Google employee who was hired specifically to recruit new employees from historically Black colleges. Curley worked at Google for six years, and during her tenure there, she alleged that she and fellow Black employees were underpaid, denied opportunities for advancement, and stagnated doing lower-level work. Curley alleged she was given unfair performance ratings that stereotyped her as an 'angry Black woman' and was fired as she was in the process of reporting Google's alleged anti-Black bias. Curley and the other plaintiffs alleged that Black employees were frequently told they weren't 'Googley' enough and lacked 'Googleyness,' which they perceived as a racist dog whistle. It begs the question: how does one have an abundance of 'Googleyness?' What makes one 'Googley?' Why would one want to be 'Googley?' Personally, I'd rather have the swagger of Ask Jeeves than have some middle-aged white man call me 'Googley' as he sips a $20 smoothie from Erewhon From Reuters: Google, a unit of Mountain View, California-based Alphabet (GOOGL.O), denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle, and said it fully complied with all applicable laws. 'We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly and we remain committed to paying, hiring and leveling all employees consistently,' Google spokeswoman Courtenay Mencini said in an emailed statement on Friday. The lawsuit began in March 2022 after a regulator now known as the California Civil Rights Department started investigating Google's treatment of Black female employees. This isn't entirely surprising from the company that removed Black History Month from the Google Calendar earlier this year and donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. So clearly Google isn't racist, y'all. They just bankroll racists, it's different. Source: Maksym Panchuk / EyeEm / Getty Racism in the tech industry is sadly nothing new. It's been over five years since the #SilliconValleySoWhite trend ignited the conversation around the lack of opportunity and racist attitudes Black tech workers have consistently faced in the industry. One of the anecdotes that emerged during those tweets was several Google employees alleging they faced a bias in badging, where white employees would demand to see their badge even if it was completely visible. Sounds like you have to be good at both coding and Karen-ing to work at Google. The racism in tech has also manifested through the waves of layoffs that have sadly become commonplace throughout the industry over the last three years. Despite making up only 6.05 percent of the tech workforce, Black tech workers represented 7.42 % of the people laid off in the industry. Even before the Trump administration's crackdown on DEI initiatives, departments at tech companies centered on diversifying the workforce were often the first to face cuts. The racism in tech isn't simply limited to alleged workplace interactions, as the algorithms perpetuated by Google generally favor alt-right, anti-woke content. Studies have shown that Google's YouTube platform is one of the leading causes for radicalization, and I totally understand how. I watch YouTube more than any other platform, and it's alarming how often the algorithm recommends alt-right gaming grifters offended at the concept of Black people existing. Especially since I watch a lot of Black and leftist content creators and consistently check the 'don't recommend' box whenever the usual suspects pop up. Yet still they persist. Which begs the question: Are those the folks Google believes are 'Googley?' Judging by how they're moving, it sure feels like it. SEE ALSO: Racial Bias: Audit Finds 36 In-Custody Deaths Should Be Labeled Homicides Trump's DOJ Thinks Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Hired Too Many Black People, So It Launched An Investigation SEE ALSO Google Settles Lawsuit Alleging Anti-Black Bias For $50 Million was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google settles lawsuit alleging bias against Black employees
Google agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the search engine giant was racially biased against Black employees. The settlement, which was reached after mediation and certified by a U.S. District Court judge in Oakland on Friday, covers some 4,000 Google employees in California and New York. The original lawsuit came after a state agency, now known as the California Civil Rights Department, in 2021 began investigating Google's treatment of Black female workers. In 2022, former Google worker April Curley filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Jose alleging that she and other Black workers experienced systemic discrimination. Curley, who worked at Google for six years, had been hired to conduct outreach and design recruiting programs with historically Black colleges. However, her experience at the company quickly soured, she said, alleging that she was stereotyped as an "angry" Black woman, that she and other Black women had not been allowed to present during important meetings and that she was wrongfully terminated in 2020 after challenging internal practices. Black workers were hired to lower-level jobs, paid lower wages, subjected to hostile comments and denied promotions, Curley and other Black workers who joined the proposed class-action alleged in their lawsuit. The complaint said managers disparaged Black employees for not being "Googley" enough, comments the plaintiffs said served as racist dog whistles. Throughout the litigation, the Mountain View-based company has maintained that it did not violate any laws. "We've reached an agreement that involves no admission of wrongdoing. We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly and we remain committed to paying, hiring, and leveling all employees consistently," Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said in a statement Tuesday. In addition to the monetary payout, Google has agreed in the settlement to analyze pay and correct differences based on race for the next three years. The company has also committed to maintaining transparent salary ranges and methods for employees to report concerns about pay or other practices. And through August 2026, the company will not require employees to enter into mandatory arbitration for employment-related disputes, according to the settlement agreement filed last week in federal court. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Google settles lawsuit alleging bias against Black employees
Google agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the search engine giant was racially biased against Black employees. The settlement, which was reached after mediation and certified by a U.S. District Court judge in Oakland on Friday, covers some 4,000 Google employees in California and New York. The original lawsuit came after a state agency, now known as the California Civil Rights Department, in 2021 began investigating Google's treatment of Black female workers. In 2022, former Google worker April Curley filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Jose alleging that she and other Black workers experienced systemic discrimination. Curley, who worked at Google for six years, had been hired to conduct outreach and design recruiting programs with historically Black colleges. However, her experience at the company quickly soured, she said, alleging that she was stereotyped as an 'angry' Black woman, that she and other Black women had not been allowed to present during important meetings and that she was wrongfully terminated in 2020 after challenging internal practices. Black workers were hired to lower-level jobs, paid lower wages, subjected to hostile comments and denied promotions, Curley and other Black workers who joined the proposed class-action alleged in their lawsuit. The complaint said managers disparaged Black employees for not being 'Googley' enough, comments the plaintiffs said served as racist dog whistles. Throughout the litigation, the Mountain View-based company has maintained that it did not violate any laws. 'We've reached an agreement that involves no admission of wrongdoing. We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly and we remain committed to paying, hiring, and leveling all employees consistently,' Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said in a statement Tuesday. In addition to the monetary payout, Google has agreed in the settlement to analyze pay and correct differences based on race for the next three years. The company has also committed to maintaining transparent salary ranges and methods for employees to report concerns about pay or other practices. And through August 2026, the company will not require employees to enter into mandatory arbitration for employment-related disputes, according to the settlement agreement filed last week in federal court.
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Google settles Black employees' racial bias lawsuit for $50 million
Google agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the search engine company of systemic racial bias against Black employees. A preliminary settlement covering more than 4,000 Google employees in California and New York was filed on Thursday evening in the Oakland, California federal court, and requires a judge's approval. Plaintiffs in the proposed class action said Google has a "racially biased corporate culture" where management steers Black employees to lower-level jobs, pays them less, downgrades their performance ratings and denies them opportunities to advance. According to the complaint, Black employees comprised only 4.4% of Google's workforce and 3% of its leadership in 2021. The plaintiff April Curley, hired to expand outreach to historically Black colleges, said Google denied her promotions, stereotyped her as an "angry" Black woman, and fired her after six years as she prepared a report on its alleged racial bias. Managers also allegedly denigrated Black employees by declaring they were not "Googley" enough or lacked "Googleyness," which the plaintiffs called racial dog whistles. Google, a unit of Mountain View, California-based Alphabet , denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle, and said it fully complied with all applicable laws. "We strongly disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone improperly and we remain committed to paying, hiring and leveling all employees consistently," Google spokeswoman Courtenay Mencini said in an emailed statement on Friday. The lawsuit began in March 2022 after a regulator now known as the California Civil Rights Department started investigating Google's treatment of Black female employees. Lawyers for the plaintiffs may seek up to $12.5 million of the settlement fund in fees. On Monday, the lawyers dismissed related claims brought on behalf of job applicants, citing evidence they had gathered and Google's "reasoned arguments." The case is Curley et al v Google LLC, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 22-01735.
Engadget
09-05-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Google settles lawsuit that accused it of fostering systemic bias against Black employees
Google has agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the tech giant of systemic racial bias against Black employees, as reported by Reuters . The preliminary settlement was filed earlier this week, but still requires a judge's approval. The class action suit covers more than 4,000 employees. Plaintiffs involved in the suit said that Google operates a "racially biased corporate culture" that steers Black employees to lower-level jobs. The suit also accuses the company of paying these employees less than other workers. The complaint goes on to say that Black employees comprised just 4.4 percent of its workforce and around three percent of its leadership in 2021. As a reference, Black Americans make up 14 percent of the population . To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. 📢 Google to Pay $50M in Racial Bias Lawsuit Settlement— Google agrees to a $50 million settlement over claims of systemic racial bias against Black employees— Covers 4,000+ workers in California and New York — Allegations include lower job placement, pay disparities, and… — AFV GLOBAL (@afvglobal) May 9, 2025 The initial plaintiff said that Google denied her promotions and stereotyped her as an "angry" Black woman. She was fired while preparing a report on the company's alleged racial bias. The suit also alleges that managers denigrated Black employees, saying they weren't "Googley" enough or lacked "Googleyness." Google still denies any wrongdoing, despite agreeing to settle. It has offered no additional comment. This lawsuit began all the way back in 2022 when the California Civil Rights Department started looking into Google's treatment of Black female employees. At that time, the plaintiff said that the company claimed to be in favor of increasing diversity, all the while "they were actually undervaluing, underpaying and mistreating their Black employees."
