Alphabet Inc’s Google fired staff scientist Margaret Mitchell, , that Google said in a statement that Mitchell had violated the company’s code of conduct and safety policies by moving electronic files outside the company. Mitchell, who announced her on Twitter, did not respond to a request for comment.
Google’s code of conduct for artificial intelligence has been under scrutiny since the sacking of Gebru, a scientist who received exposure to bias in face analysis programs. The strike has prompted thousands of Google employees to strike.
Gebru said that Google fired her after she doubted the order not to publish a study that AI imitating language could harm marginalized people. A newspaper columnist, publicly criticized the company for firing Gebru and undermining his work.
The company said Mitchell’s followed recommendations for disciplinary action by investigators and a review committee. It said her violations of the law “included the release of confidential documents relating to the business and the personal information of other employees”. The investigation began on January 19th.
Google has hired top scientists with promises of freedom of research, but the limits are being explored as researchers continue to write about the negative effects of technology and offer negative feedback on their employer’s products.
Reuters specifically reported in 2020 that Google launched a new review of “critical topics” last year to ensure that papers on topics such as the oil industry and content recommendation programs will not put the company in legal or regulatory trouble. Mitchell has expressed his concern that the policy could lead to a ban.
Google reaffirmed its commitment to investigators in a memorandum and meeting on Friday that it was working to improve paper reviews before it was published. It also announced new policies to address sensitive departures and evaluate managers depending on team diversity and inclusion. Google Alphabet Inc has fired labor scientist Margaret Mitchell, , saying, an act that promotes the company’s fragmentation of academic freedom and diversity that has been on display since being fired in by AI ethics researcher Timnit Gebru.
