Google CLO Kent Walker Discusses Election Shock in Leaked 2016 Video
A video of a 2016 all-hands meeting at Google posted Wednesday on website Breitbart.com shows a number of Google's senior executives addressing employees following the presidential election.
September 12, 2018 at 09:06 PM
4 minute read
The original version of this story was published on The Recorder
Google chief legal officer Kent Walker addressed shock over the election of President Donald Trump, and the rise of nationalism and populism in a recording of a 2016 all-hands meeting made public Wednesday.
The video, posted Wednesday on website Breitbart.com, shows a number of Google's senior executives addressing employees following the 2016 election.
Its release comes at a time of increasing conservative scrutiny of Google and its policies. In August, Trump tweeted allegations that Google suppresses conservative views. The Mountain View, California-based tech company is currently being sued for alleged discrimination against conservatives and white men.
“At a regularly scheduled all hands meeting, some Google employees and executives expressed their own personal views in the aftermath of a long and divisive election season. For over 20 years, everyone at Google has been able to freely express their opinions at these meetings,” a Google representative said in an emailed statement Wednesday.
“Nothing was said at that meeting, or any other meeting, to suggest that any political bias ever influences the way we build or operate our products. To the contrary, our products are built for everyone, and we design them with extraordinary care to be a trustworthy source of information for everyone, without regard to political viewpoint,” the statement continued.
The recorded meeting showed a series of election-related speeches from company leaders, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin, CEO Sundar Pichai and then-general counsel Walker.
“It was a shock to all of us, the results of the election,” Walker said, according to the video. “It was a fair and democratic process, and we honor that. But at the same time, it showed an incredible level of division among Americans, and that's something that gives us pause.”
Walker said the election was reflective of changes happening around the world and a “rising tide of nationalism, populism and concern” driven by globalization and immigration in Europe, Asia and parts of Latin America.
He also said that the creation of technology jobs globally may not be felt by all Americans equally.
“You're seeing this sense of stagnation, that you're not better off than your parents and you're afraid that your kids might not be better off than you are. And what's the path forward?” Walker said, according to the video.
“The forces out there seem well beyond you. Globalization, immigration, trade … and you're afraid and you're trying to look for answers. And that fear, I think, not just in the United States, but around the world, is what's fueling concerns—xenophobia, hatred and a desire for answers that may or may not be there,” he continued.
In the question-and-answer session that followed senior executive's speeches, Walker answered questions on net neutrality and immigration. One employee inquired what Google planned to do to preserve net neutrality under the Trump administration.
Walker said in 2016 it was too soon to know who Trump would appoint as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission or what his or her stance on net neutrality would be, but that the company would “continue to be committed to a free and open internet.”
Trump has since appointed Verizon Communications Inc.'s former associate general counsel Ajit Pai, who repealed net neutrality.
The now-CLO also said Google would continue to educate policymakers on encryption and other emerging technologies, try to increase job creation and fulfillment and relieve tensions over job loss and artificial intelligence. Walker said the company would also “continue to be in favor of comprehensive immigration reform.”
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