Google cancels diversity meeting because of alt-right trolling

Google has canceled its company-wide meeting meant to address the ongoing controversy caused by the anti-diversity "manifesto" written by a former engineer.

The meeting was canceled due to safety concerns, after several employees' names were published in online forums, according to the company.

In an email sent to Google employees Thursday, CEO Sundar Pichai said they had made the decision to cancel the meeting because staffers were "concerned about their safety and worried they may be 'outed' publicly for asking a question in the Town Hall."

Recode first reported the cancellation and Pichai's email to staff.

Prior to the scheduled town hall meeting, employees had been submitting and voting on questions they wanted Pichai to address. But many of those questions -- and the names of the people who asked them — leaked out onto online forums and social media accounts popular within the alt-right community.

We've confirmed that a number of Google employees have been named on social media accounts and forums that cater to the alt-right.

Pichai said the company is working on a way to "step back and create a better set of conditions for us to have the discussion" promising "several forums ... where people can feel comfortable to speak freely," but didn't provide details.

"We’ll find a better way to help our employees connect and discuss these important issues further," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

The meeting was originally called earlier in the week after the firing of James Damore, the software engineer whose 10-page anti-diversity memo went viral. The memo railed against a number of diversity initiatives at Google and alleged that the company's gender gap was due to "biological differences" between men and women.

The firing stirred an almost immediate reaction within the alt-right, who quickly latched onto the controversy. They took to social media and other online alt-right hangouts to denounce Google and hatch various plans aimed at exacting revenge.

As the movement grew, many employees were named on various channels -- sometimes along with "leaked" emails and messages they had posted internally at Google -- which is what ultimately lead to today's cancellation.

You can read the full text of Pichai's note to employees below:

Dear Googlers,

TL;DR Sorry for the late notice but we are going to cancel today’s Town Hall. We had hoped to have a frank, open discussion today as we always do to bring us together and move forward. But our Dory questions appeared externally this afternoon, and on some websites Googlers are now being named personally. Googlers are writing in, concerned about their safety and worried they may be “outed” publicly for asking a question in the Town Hall.

In recognition of Googlers’ concerns, we need to step back and create a better set of conditions for us to have the discussion. So in the coming days we will find several forums to gather and engage with Googlers, where people can feel comfortable to speak freely. We’ll share details soon.

Over the past two days, I have had the chance to meet with so many people here, and I have read each of your emails carefully. The vast majority of you are very supportive of our decision. A smaller percentage of you wish we would do more. And some are worried that you cannot speak out at work freely. All of your voices and opinions matter...and I want to hear them.

In the meantime, let’s not forget what unites us as a company-- our desire to build great products for everyone that make a big difference in their lives. I have been in a few product discussions today and felt energized by the important things we are working on. We can, and will continue, to come together to do the very best for the people we serve.

Stay tuned.