<p>The US State Department has urged its ally countries not to use Chinese satellite services, cautioning them that it could help Beijing gather sensitive intelligence and military information, a Washington-based defence media outlet has reported, citing a leaked memo.<br><br>The outlet Defence One published an article on Monday stating the information was based on an undated, internal memo obtained from the State Department. The document was mainly used to provide talking points for officials, the report said.<br><br>Countries dealing with the US were asked not to avail satellite services provided by &ldquo;untrusted suppliers, such as those from China&rdquo;. The report did not indicate if the memo was referring to long-term Western allies or all trading partners.<br><br><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imf-slashes-global-growth-forecast-lowers-indias-fy26-outlook-to-62-8990819">IMF slashes global growth forecast citing tariff war, lowers India&rsquo;s FY26 outlook to 6.2%</a></strong><br><br>Governments were asked to &ldquo;take steps to exclude untrusted satellite providers, such as those based in China, and make sure they cannot enter the market and jeopardise national security, business secrets and citizens&rsquo; privacy&rdquo;, it said.<br><br>The memo said that working with China&rsquo;s space providers operating in low Earth orbit could help Beijing to advance its foreign policy goals and risk transfer of sensitive information to the Chinese government.<br><br>Officials were warned that Chinese satellite companies may push out other players, potentially &ldquo;leaving your host country stuck in a monopolistic, Beijing-controlled market&rdquo;, it said.</p>
<p><strong>Also Read |<span>&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/parliament-is-supreme-says-dhankhar-in-fresh-attack-on-judiciary-over-powers-8990154" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Parliament is supreme,&rsquo; says Dhankhar in fresh attack on judiciary over powers</a></strong><br><br>The memo also had advice for officials who were asked about the Starlink satellite communications service, which is owned by Elon Musk&rsquo;s SpaceX. The Defence One article said that some observers found the mention of a specific US company &ldquo;inappropriate&rdquo;.<br><br>Amid growing concerns over cross-Atlantic relations and policy uncertainty of Trump&rsquo;s administration, European Union officials are turning to French satellite company Eutelsat and other alternatives to avoid dependence on Starlink.<br><br><strong>Also Read |<span>&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jd-vance-speaks-on-us-indias-shared-priorities-calls-pm-modi-most-popular-leader-president-trump-wants-india-to-grow-8989489" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Most popular leader': JD Vance praises PM Modi, says 'President Trump wants India to grow'</a></strong><br><br>The US has the largest number of space assets, with more than 8,000 satellites currently in orbit &ndash; 12 times the Chinese total.<br>However, China is nurturing ambitions to become a space power by 2045, and has expanded its cooperation with foreign partners in recent years.<br><br>China&rsquo;s leading commercial company, Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co Ltd, mentions on its website that its latest satellite is available for sale to countries like Egypt and Pakistan.<br><br>The company has been on US sanctions list since 2023 and was accused last week by the State Department of supporting attacks on American interests by Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea.<br>The Chinese foreign ministry responded to the accusation by saying that China had been helping to ease the situation rather than doing the opposite.</p>

World: Officials were warned that Chinese satellite companies may push out other players, potentially “leaving your host country stuck in a monopolistic, Beijing-controlled market”, it said.

The US State Department has urged its ally countries not to use Chinese satellite services, cautioning them that it could help Beijing gather sensitive intelligence and military information, a Washington-based defence media outlet has reported, citing a leaked memo. The outlet Defence One published an article on Monday stating the information was based on an undated, internal memo obtained from the State Department. The document was mainly used to provide talking points for officials, the report said. Countries dealing with the US were asked not to avail satellite services provided by “untrusted suppliers, such as those from China”. The report did not indicate if the memo was referring to long-term Western allies or all trading partners. Also Read | IMF slashes global growth forecast citing tariff war, lowers India’s FY26 outlook to 6.2% Governments were asked to “take steps to exclude untrusted satellite providers, such as those based in China, and make sure they cannot enter the market and jeopardise national security, business secrets and citizens’ privacy”, it said. The memo said that working with China’s space providers operating in low Earth orbit could help Beijing to advance its foreign policy goals and risk transfer of sensitive information to the Chinese government. Officials were warned that Chinese satellite companies may push out other players, potentially “leaving your host country stuck in a monopolistic, Beijing-controlled market”, it said. Also Read | ‘Parliament is supreme,’ says Dhankhar in fresh attack on judiciary over powers The memo also had advice for officials who were asked about the Starlink satellite communications service, which is owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The Defence One article said that some observers found the mention of a specific US company “inappropriate”. Amid growing concerns over cross-Atlantic relations and policy uncertainty of Trump’s administration, European Union officials are turning to French satellite company Eutelsat and other alternatives to avoid dependence on Starlink. Also Read | 'Most popular leader': JD Vance praises PM Modi, says 'President Trump wants India to grow' The US has the largest number of space assets, with more than 8,000 satellites currently in orbit – 12 times the Chinese total. However, China is nurturing ambitions to become a space power by 2045, and has expanded its cooperation with foreign partners in recent years. China’s leading commercial company, Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co Ltd, mentions on its website that its latest satellite is available for sale to countries like Egypt and Pakistan. The company has been on US sanctions list since 2023 and was accused last week by the State Department of supporting attacks on American interests by Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea. The Chinese foreign ministry responded to the accusation by saying that China had been helping to ease the situation rather than doing the opposite.

US urges allies to ‘stay away’ from Chinese satellite services, reveals leaked memo

#Gravitas The United States appears to be shifting its military focus solely towards China. A secret Pentagon memo revealed that the U.S. military is being realigned to counter a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, while reducing its presence in other global hotspots.

Secret Pentagon memo names China number 1 enemy

<p>According to the calculation on a leaked memo of billionaire Elon Musk, the worth of Twitter is less than half of what he spent to buy it six months ago, reflecting that Musk faced a loss of more than $20 billion (£16.4 billion) in value.</p>

<p>In the memo, Musk suggested to the staff of the social media company that it is now valued at less than $20 billion. Comparing this with the hefty amount of $44 billion with which he bought the company in October 2022 clearly shows the loss he is facing.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musk-co-founded-chatgpt-maker-openai-left-before-it-made-fortunes-575664">Elon Musk, who co-founded ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, left before the firm made fortunes</a></p>

<p>The steep devaluation of the company follows the turbulent takeover by Musk. The platform was left by various large advertisers. Investment firm Fidelity which worked as a major source of funds for Musk in purchasing the company has written down its stake's value by 56 per cent.</p>

<p>The measure of Twitter's worth was based on the offer of Musk stock grants, as per the Platformer and the Information which was the first one to report about the memo.</p>

<p>Stock grants, which are normally used as a way to incentivise employees, are an opportunity to purchase shares that cannot be sold till a set point in time, as opposed to the stock options, which – on the basis of the applied conditions – can remain flexible.</p>

<p>It is aimed at encouraging staff to meet a set valuation by a given point in time so that the shares for cash can be sold. The stock grants can be “sold every six months, based on a third party valuation”, read another internal email sent to Twitter staff.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | WION Speed News: Elon Musk once again the richest man in the world</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-speed-news-elon-musk-once-again-the-richest-man-in-the-world-566843/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>An email from Musk said that before many acrimonious, high-profile layoffs the company was running out of money for four months.</p>

<p>In the latest memo, Musk told staff, “I see a clear, but difficult, path to a &gt;$250B valuation,” which would reflect a tenfold increase in share value.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


According to the calculation on a leaked memo of billionaire Elon Musk, the worth of Twitter is less than half of what he spent to buy it six months ago, reflecting that Musk faced a loss of more than $20 billion (£16.

According to the calculation on a leaked memo of billionaire Elon Musk, the worth of Twitter is less than half of what he spent to buy it six months ago, reflecting that Musk faced a loss of more than $20 billion (£16.4 billion) in value. In the memo, Musk suggested to the staff of the social media company that it is now valued at less than $20 billion. Comparing this with the hefty amount of $44 billion with which he bought the company in October 2022 clearly shows the loss he is facing. ALSO READ | Elon Musk, who co-founded ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, left before the firm made fortunes The steep devaluation of the company follows the turbulent takeover by Musk. The platform was left by various large advertisers. Investment firm Fidelity which worked as a major source of funds for Musk in purchasing the company has written down its stake's value by 56 per cent. The measure of Twitter's worth was based on the offer of Musk stock grants, as per the Platformer and the Information which was the first one to report about the memo. Stock grants, which are normally used as a way to incentivise employees, are an opportunity to purchase shares that cannot be sold till a set point in time, as opposed to the stock options, which – on the basis of the applied conditions – can remain flexible. It is aimed at encouraging staff to meet a set valuation by a given point in time so that the shares for cash can be sold. The stock grants can be “sold every six months, based on a third party valuation”, read another internal email sent to Twitter staff. WATCH | WION Speed News: Elon Musk once again the richest man in the world An email from Musk said that before many acrimonious, high-profile layoffs the company was running out of money for four months. In the latest memo, Musk told staff, “I see a clear, but difficult, path to a >$250B valuation,” which would reflect a tenfold increase in share value. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Musk's leaked memo suggests Twitter's value less than half of what he paid

<p>Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Chapek made an announcement on Friday via a memo addressed to all executives at the senior vice president level or above. The company is planning to freeze hiring, and layoffs are likely as part of its cost-cutting measures, stated the internal memo viewed by several publications.</p>

<p>The move is being made to get the Disney+ streaming service to profitability against the backdrop of economic uncertainty. The strict measures come days after Disney reported a $1.5 billion quarterly loss in its streaming business.&nbsp;Shares of the company fell more than 13% on Wednesday following its results.</p>

<p>In the memo, Chapek said a task force has been instituted to review marketing, content and administrative spending across the entire company and recommend cuts. The team is led by finance chief Christine McCarthy and general counsel Horacio Gutierrez.</p>

<p>“I’m fully aware this will be a difficult process for many of you and your teams,” Chapek said in the memo. “We are going to have to make tough and uncomfortable decisions.”</p>

<p>“While certain macroeconomic factors are out of our control, meeting these goals requires all of us to continue doing our part to manage the things we can control – most notably, our costs,” Chapek added.</p>

<p>The streaming service is known for original series including the 'Star Wars'&nbsp;entries 'The Mandalorian',&nbsp;'Andor'&nbsp;and 'Obi-Wan Kenobi',&nbsp;the Marvel entries 'WandaVision',&nbsp;'Hawkeye'&nbsp;and 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law',&nbsp;and content hubs for Disney, Pixar, Marvel and 'Star Wars'&nbsp;films.</p>

<p>Wall Street analysts voiced concern about Disney’s escalating streaming costs. MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson observed in a note this week that “the company has to prove that their pivot to DTC will be worth the investment price that is currently being paid.”</p>

<p>Corporate America is making deep cuts to its employee base to brace for an economic downturn. Meta Platforms said this week it would cut more than 11,000 jobs, or 13% of its workforce to rein in costs.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ranveer-singh-gets-honoured-with-etoile-dor-award-at-marrakech-international-film-festival-533466" hreflang="en">Ranveer Singh gets honoured with Etoile d’Or award at Marrakech International Film Festival</a></p>

<p>One of Disney’s studio peers, Warner Bros Discovery, has undergone dramatic cost-cutting efforts, including layoffs, as the recently merged company restructures its content operations.</p>

<p>Chapek said Disney has established a task force, including Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy and General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez, to help him make “critical big-picture decisions.”</p>

<p>The company already has begun looking at content and marketing spending, but Chapek said the cuts would not sacrifice quality. Hiring will be limited to a small subset of critical positions, and some staff reductions are anticipated, as the company looks to make itself more cost-efficient, he&nbsp;wrote.</p>

<p>Chapek said business travel would be limited and trips would require advance approval, or be conducted virtually as much as possible.</p>

<p>“Our transformation is designed to ensure we thrive not just today, but well into the future,” he&nbsp;wrote. The memo was first reported by CNBC.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Chapek made an announcement on Friday via a memo addressed to all executives at the senior vice president level or above. The company is planning to freeze hiring, and layoffs are likely as part of its cost-cutting measures, stated the internal memo viewed by several publications.

Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Chapek made an announcement on Friday via a memo addressed to all executives at the senior vice president level or above. The company is planning to freeze hiring, and layoffs are likely as part of its cost-cutting measures, stated the internal memo viewed by several publications. The move is being made to get the Disney+ streaming service to profitability against the backdrop of economic uncertainty. The strict measures come days after Disney reported a $1.5 billion quarterly loss in its streaming business. Shares of the company fell more than 13% on Wednesday following its results. In the memo, Chapek said a task force has been instituted to review marketing, content and administrative spending across the entire company and recommend cuts. The team is led by finance chief Christine McCarthy and general counsel Horacio Gutierrez. “I’m fully aware this will be a difficult process for many of you and your teams,” Chapek said in the memo. “We are going to have to make tough and uncomfortable decisions.” “While certain macroeconomic factors are out of our control, meeting these goals requires all of us to continue doing our part to manage the things we can control – most notably, our costs,” Chapek added. The streaming service is known for original series including the 'Star Wars' entries 'The Mandalorian', 'Andor' and 'Obi-Wan Kenobi', the Marvel entries 'WandaVision', 'Hawkeye' and 'She-Hulk: Attorney at Law', and content hubs for Disney, Pixar, Marvel and 'Star Wars' films. Wall Street analysts voiced concern about Disney’s escalating streaming costs. MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson observed in a note this week that “the company has to prove that their pivot to DTC will be worth the investment price that is currently being paid.” Corporate America is making deep cuts to its employee base to brace for an economic downturn. Meta Platforms said this week it would cut more than 11,000 jobs, or 13% of its workforce to rein in costs. Also read: Ranveer Singh gets honoured with Etoile d’Or award at Marrakech International Film Festival One of Disney’s studio peers, Warner Bros Discovery, has undergone dramatic cost-cutting efforts, including layoffs, as the recently merged company restructures its content operations. Chapek said Disney has established a task force, including Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy and General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez, to help him make “critical big-picture decisions.” The company already has begun looking at content and marketing spending, but Chapek said the cuts would not sacrifice quality. Hiring will be limited to a small subset of critical positions, and some staff reductions are anticipated, as the company looks to make itself more cost-efficient, he wrote. Chapek said business travel would be limited and trips would require advance approval, or be conducted virtually as much as possible. “Our transformation is designed to ensure we thrive not just today, but well into the future,” he wrote. The memo was first reported by CNBC. (With inputs from agencies)

Disney freezes hiring, announces layoffs after $1.5bn quarterly loss in streaming business

<p>The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, referred to his employees as “Metamates," while unveiling a list of new principles for work at Meta Platforms Inc. Zuckerberg laid out his vision for internal culture through an employee memo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Meta, Metamates, Me is about being good stewards of our company and mission," he wrote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that it is now “a distributed company” as he said that “we will continue hiring around the world.”</p>

<p>The Move Fast motto remains. However, it is now joined by Build Awesome Things, Live in the Future, Focus on Long-Term Impact and Be Direct and Respect Your Colleagues.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-ceo-parag-to-go-for-parental-leave-decision-appreciated-by-fellow-dads-454074"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Twitter CEO Parag to go for parental leave, decision appreciated by fellow dads</strong></a></p>

<p>He mentioned the employee label in his conclusion and wrote, “It’s about the sense of responsibility we have for our collective success and to each other as teammates."</p>

<p>While some hailed his efforts, others claimed that the slogan put the company first and the worker last.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Focus on long-term impact’ emphasises long-term thinking and encourages us to extend the timeline for the impact we have, rather than optimising for near-term wins,” Zuckerberg wrote.</p>

<p>In the end, he concluded by emphasising that values are not what you write on a website but "what we hold each other accountable for every day."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, referred to his employees as “Metamates," while unveiling a list of new principles for work at Meta Platforms Inc. Zuckerberg laid out his vision for internal culture through an employee memo.

The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, referred to his employees as “Metamates," while unveiling a list of new principles for work at Meta Platforms Inc. Zuckerberg laid out his vision for internal culture through an employee memo. "Meta, Metamates, Me is about being good stewards of our company and mission," he wrote. He said that it is now “a distributed company” as he said that “we will continue hiring around the world.” The Move Fast motto remains. However, it is now joined by Build Awesome Things, Live in the Future, Focus on Long-Term Impact and Be Direct and Respect Your Colleagues. Also read | Twitter CEO Parag to go for parental leave, decision appreciated by fellow dads He mentioned the employee label in his conclusion and wrote, “It’s about the sense of responsibility we have for our collective success and to each other as teammates." While some hailed his efforts, others claimed that the slogan put the company first and the worker last. "Focus on long-term impact’ emphasises long-term thinking and encourages us to extend the timeline for the impact we have, rather than optimising for near-term wins,” Zuckerberg wrote. In the end, he concluded by emphasising that values are not what you write on a website but "what we hold each other accountable for every day." (With inputs from agencies)

Zuckerberg refers to his staff as 'Metamates' in a memo laying out new principles

<p>A leaked health ministry document has prompted calls in Thailand for medical staff inoculated against COVID-19 to be given a booster of an mRNA vaccine, after it included a comment that such a move could dent public confidence in Sinovac Biotech's vaccine.<br />
<br />
The internal memo, which included various opinions, was reported by local media and shared widely on social media. It was confirmed by Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul as being authentic.<br />
<br />
It included a comment from an unnamed official who recommended authorities do not give a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine to frontline health workers, because such a move would be 'admitting that the Sinovac vaccine is not effective'.<br />
<br />
Thailand has administered Sinovac's inactivated virus vaccine to most health workers and its real-world study showed two doses were 95% effective in reducing mortality and severe symptoms. The study showed it was 71% to 91% effective in stopping infection with the Alpha variant.<br />
<br />
Sinovac in China did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the vaccine's efficacy.<br />
<br />
The comment in the leaked document prompted calls from prominent Thai health experts, including a top medical council official, to give health workers a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot.<br />
<br />
The hashtag 'Give Pfizer to medical personnel' was trending on Thai Twitter with more than 624,000 tweets on Monday.<br />
<br />
Senior health official Opas Karnkawinpong told reporters the document was not real, however, contradicting health minister Anutin.<br />
<br />
Anutin said the comment on the booster shot was 'just an opinion' and there was an expert panel to set vaccine policy.<br />
<br />
He said two doses of Sinovac's vaccine were effective and 'deliver results beyond the standard'.<br />
<br />
Thai experts have urged the government to use various types of coronavirus vaccine to better protect the population.<br />
<br />
It is relying mainly on AstraZeneca's locally manufactured viral vector vaccine, while authorities say Moderna's mRNA vaccine will also be available.<br />
<br />
Thailand has procured 20 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for future delivery and will this month receive 1.5 million doses donated by the United States.<br />
<br />
World Health Organization experts found the Sinovac vaccine was efficacious in preventing COVID-19 in adults under 60, but some quality data on the risk of serious adverse effects was lacking.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A leaked health ministry document has prompted calls in Thailand for medical staff inoculated against COVID-19 to be given a booster of an mRNA vaccine, after it included a comment that such a move could dent public confidence in Sinovac Biotech's vaccine.

A leaked health ministry document has prompted calls in Thailand for medical staff inoculated against COVID-19 to be given a booster of an mRNA vaccine, after it included a comment that such a move could dent public confidence in Sinovac Biotech's vaccine. The internal memo, which included various opinions, was reported by local media and shared widely on social media. It was confirmed by Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul as being authentic. It included a comment from an unnamed official who recommended authorities do not give a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine to frontline health workers, because such a move would be 'admitting that the Sinovac vaccine is not effective'. Thailand has administered Sinovac's inactivated virus vaccine to most health workers and its real-world study showed two doses were 95% effective in reducing mortality and severe symptoms. The study showed it was 71% to 91% effective in stopping infection with the Alpha variant. Sinovac in China did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the vaccine's efficacy. The comment in the leaked document prompted calls from prominent Thai health experts, including a top medical council official, to give health workers a Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot. The hashtag 'Give Pfizer to medical personnel' was trending on Thai Twitter with more than 624,000 tweets on Monday. Senior health official Opas Karnkawinpong told reporters the document was not real, however, contradicting health minister Anutin. Anutin said the comment on the booster shot was 'just an opinion' and there was an expert panel to set vaccine policy. He said two doses of Sinovac's vaccine were effective and 'deliver results beyond the standard'. Thai experts have urged the government to use various types of coronavirus vaccine to better protect the population. It is relying mainly on AstraZeneca's locally manufactured viral vector vaccine, while authorities say Moderna's mRNA vaccine will also be available. Thailand has procured 20 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for future delivery and will this month receive 1.5 million doses donated by the United States. World Health Organization experts found the Sinovac vaccine was efficacious in preventing COVID-19 in adults under 60, but some quality data on the risk of serious adverse effects was lacking. (With inputs from agencies)

Leaked memo raises Thai concern about Sinovac vaccine's efficacy

<p>Google&rsquo;s recent <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/8/7/16110696/firing-google-ceo-employee-penned-controversial-memo-on-women-has-violated-its-code-of-conduct">sacking</a> of James Damore for circulating a <a href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3914586/Googles-Ideological-Echo-Chamber.pdf">memo</a> will do the tech giant more harm than good. Not only has the memo been incorrectly dubbed &ldquo;anti-diversity&rdquo;, but a majority of Google employees surveyed in a recent poll <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/many-google-employees-dont-think-james-damore-should-have-been-fired-2017-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">disagreed</a> with the decision to fire Damore.</p>

<p>A more productive response to the memo would have been to setup an official channel for employees to air these kinds of issues. This way employees feel their views are heard and the company can take into account different points of view while formulating policy.</p>

<p>Google&rsquo;s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, <a href="https://www.blog.google/topics/diversity/note-employees-ceo-sundar-pichai/">wrote</a> to all Google employees saying that Damore&rsquo;s memo had crossed the line by &ldquo;advancing harmful gender stereotypes in the workplace&rdquo;. It might have been more advantageous to have a full and frank discussion of Google&rsquo;s diversity policies and what they are intended to achieve.</p>

<p><strong>Is it too dangerous to talk about diversity?</strong></p>

<p>Although painted as &ldquo;<a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/08/06/technology/culture/google-diversity/index.html">anti-diversity</a>&rdquo;, the memo itself raises issues of the alienation of conservative views at Google and the need to be able to discuss diversity more openly. In other words, diversity shouldn&rsquo;t be a concept that people are scared to discuss openly for fear of being vilified or shamed.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Damore&rsquo;s memo suggests that those with differing views on diversity are dismissed and vilified.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Damore?s memo suggests that those with differing views on diversity are dismissed and vilified." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p><a href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3914586/Googles-Ideological-Echo-Chamber.pdf">Damore&rsquo;s memo</a> suggests that those with differing views on diversity are dismissed and vilified. The response to his memo seems to prove his point. This might in fact be the heart of the problem - fear of saying something politically incorrect might in fact be holding people back from understanding the need for diversity measures.</p>

<p>One <a href="http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/2340/">study</a> found that American corporate directors thought board diversity (in racial, ethnic and gender terms) was an important goal worth pursuing. But they seemed unable to substantiate this opinion with examples of how board diversity might help the company. The authors of the study concluded that diversity seemed to be a &ldquo;dangerous&rdquo; subject to talk about.</p>

<p>Shutting down differing views on the matter is antithetical to the idea of diversity. &ldquo;Inner diversity&rdquo;, meaning diversity of viewpoints and opinions, is as important as &ldquo;outer diversity&rdquo;, in terms of gender and ethnicity etc.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>A Canadian report on women on company boards found that boards with more women surpass all male boards in their attention to audit and risk oversight and control.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A Canadian report on women on company boards found that boards with more women surpass all male boards in their attention to audit and risk oversight and control. " target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>A Canadian report on women on company boards <a href="http://utsc.utoronto.ca/%7Ephanira/WebResearchMethods/women-bod&amp;fp-conference%20board.pdf">found</a> that boards with more women surpass all male boards in their attention to audit and risk oversight and control. It also highlights that outer diversity (such as having more women on the board) is a proxy for inner diversity - it is a sign of different &ldquo;gifts, skills, experiences, and perspectives&rdquo;. If a company focuses singularly on outer diversity while discouraging diverse viewpoints it won&rsquo;t realise the real benefits of diversity in the first place.</p>

<p><strong>Rationales for diversity</strong></p>

<p>The rationale for measures promoting diversity is twofold. Women and minority groups have to overcome many barriers including selection bias while being recruited. And diversity, particularly in problem-solving groups, is <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-racism-and-a-lack-of-diversity-can-harm-productivity-in-our-workplaces-73119">ultimately good for business</a>.</p>

<p>Diversity measures seek to reduce (if not eliminate) <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/04/why-is-silicon-valley-so-awful-to-women/517788/">biases</a> by expanding or diversifying the pool of candidates being considered for each position. For example, programs where female candidates are given mentors opens up new opportunities.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Recent neuroscience research shows there is not enough evidence to conclude that there are significant differences in the male and female brain.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Recent neuroscience research shows there is not enough evidence to conclude that there are significant differences in the male and female brain." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p><a href="https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3914586/Googles-Ideological-Echo-Chamber.pdf">Damore&rsquo;s memo</a> argues the biological differences between men and women might be one of the reasons for the low number of women in the tech industry. However, <a href="http://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&amp;context=learning_processes">recent neuroscience research</a> shows there is not enough evidence to conclude that there are significant differences in the male and female brain. So while Damore&rsquo;s view is not unequivocal, this perception could impede the effectiveness of diversity measures.</p>

<p>Other <a href="http://www.aei.org/publication/why-cant-a-woman-be-more-like-a-man-3/">research</a> shows that more men than women study computer science, engineering, physics and mathematics in the US. This could account for some of the gender disparity in tech companies. However, this is not true in all countries.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Women make up nearly half of computer science and computer engineering students in India.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Women make up nearly half of computer science and computer engineering students in India." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>For instance, women make up <a href="https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2015/5/186026-decoding-femininity-in-computer-science-in-india/abstract">nearly half</a> of computer science and computer engineering students in India. It might be interesting to study what factors deter women in the US from studying these subjects.</p>

<p>But in order to address these issues it is necessary to be able to discuss them, and then assess what a diversity policy is intended to fix. To that end, companies must create forums and events to discuss the rationales for diversity policies and also allow employees to voice their views in this regard.</p>

<p><img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/82318/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />A starting point could be to have employees fill out anonymous surveys to gauge perception of diversity policies. Based on this, appropriate discussions can be encouraged. Companies could also consider making the rationale for the diversity policy available along with the policy itself. This process will result in more informed policy choices and perhaps a more inclusive work culture.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-memo-to-google-firing-employees-with-conservative-views-is-anti-diversity-82318">original article</a>.</p>


Damore?s memo argues the biological differences between men and women might be one of the reasons for the low number of women in the tech industry.

Google’s recent sacking of James Damore for circulating a memo will do the tech giant more harm than good. Not only has the memo been incorrectly dubbed “anti-diversity”, but a majority of Google employees surveyed in a recent poll disagreed with the decision to fire Damore. A more productive response to the memo would have been to setup an official channel for employees to air these kinds of issues. This way employees feel their views are heard and the company can take into account different points of view while formulating policy. Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, wrote to all Google employees saying that Damore’s memo had crossed the line by “advancing harmful gender stereotypes in the workplace”. It might have been more advantageous to have a full and frank discussion of Google’s diversity policies and what they are intended to achieve. Is it too dangerous to talk about diversity? Although painted as “anti-diversity”, the memo itself raises issues of the alienation of conservative views at Google and the need to be able to discuss diversity more openly. In other words, diversity shouldn’t be a concept that people are scared to discuss openly for fear of being vilified or shamed. Damore’s memo suggests that those with differing views on diversity are dismissed and vilified. × Damore’s memo suggests that those with differing views on diversity are dismissed and vilified. The response to his memo seems to prove his point. This might in fact be the heart of the problem - fear of saying something politically incorrect might in fact be holding people back from understanding the need for diversity measures. One study found that American corporate directors thought board diversity (in racial, ethnic and gender terms) was an important goal worth pursuing. But they seemed unable to substantiate this opinion with examples of how board diversity might help the company. The authors of the study concluded that diversity seemed to be a “dangerous” subject to talk about. Shutting down differing views on the matter is antithetical to the idea of diversity. “Inner diversity”, meaning diversity of viewpoints and opinions, is as important as “outer diversity”, in terms of gender and ethnicity etc. A Canadian report on women on company boards found that boards with more women surpass all male boards in their attention to audit and risk oversight and control. × A Canadian report on women on company boards found that boards with more women surpass all male boards in their attention to audit and risk oversight and control. It also highlights that outer diversity (such as having more women on the board) is a proxy for inner diversity - it is a sign of different “gifts, skills, experiences, and perspectives”. If a company focuses singularly on outer diversity while discouraging diverse viewpoints it won’t realise the real benefits of diversity in the first place. Rationales for diversity The rationale for measures promoting diversity is twofold. Women and minority groups have to overcome many barriers including selection bias while being recruited. And diversity, particularly in problem-solving groups, is ultimately good for business. Diversity measures seek to reduce (if not eliminate) biases by expanding or diversifying the pool of candidates being considered for each position. For example, programs where female candidates are given mentors opens up new opportunities. Recent neuroscience research shows there is not enough evidence to conclude that there are significant differences in the male and female brain. × Damore’s memo argues the biological differences between men and women might be one of the reasons for the low number of women in the tech industry. However, recent neuroscience research shows there is not enough evidence to conclude that there are significant differences in the male and female brain. So while Damore’s view is not unequivocal, this perception could impede the effectiveness of diversity measures. Other research shows that more men than women study computer science, engineering, physics and mathematics in the US. This could account for some of the gender disparity in tech companies. However, this is not true in all countries. Women make up nearly half of computer science and computer engineering students in India. × For instance, women make up nearly half of computer science and computer engineering students in India. It might be interesting to study what factors deter women in the US from studying these subjects. But in order to address these issues it is necessary to be able to discuss them, and then assess what a diversity policy is intended to fix. To that end, companies must create forums and events to discuss the rationales for diversity policies and also allow employees to voice their views in this regard. A starting point could be to have employees fill out anonymous surveys to gauge perception of diversity policies. Based on this, appropriate discussions can be encouraged. Companies could also consider making the rationale for the diversity policy available along with the policy itself. This process will result in more informed policy choices and perhaps a more inclusive work culture. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Firing workers with conservative views is anti-diversity, says majority of Google employees

memo

Memo, News on Memo, stories on Memo, articles on Memo, Memo stories at Wion, Memo news, Memo latest news