SoylentNews

takyon writes:

Mark Zuckerberg's Biggest Problem: Internal Tensions At Facebook Are Boiling Over

In a year teeming with scandals and missteps, Facebook's latest fiasco has inspired a clutter of leaks, finger pointing, and internal conversations about the future of the company and its leadership. And after more than a year of bad press, internal tensions are reaching a boiling point and are now spilling out into public view.

The tumult is surprising given Facebook's history as a tight-lipped organization where employees had little incentive to leak information or voice dissent outside the company's walls. Throughout the crises, Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who maintains majority shareholder control, has proven remarkably immune to outside pressure and criticism — from politicians, investors, and the press — leaving his employees as perhaps his most important stakeholders. Now, as its stock price declines and the company's mission of connecting the world is challenged, the voices inside are growing louder and public comments, as well as private conversations shared with BuzzFeed News, suggest newfound uncertainty about Facebook's future direction.

Internally, the conflict seems to have divided Facebook into three camps: those loyal to Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg; those who see the current scandals as proof of a larger corporate meltdown; and a group who see the entire narrative — including the portrayal of the company's hiring of communications consulting firm Definers Public Affairs — as examples of biased media attacks.

[...] [A] former senior employee noted a growing sense of paranoia among current employees. "Now, people now have burner phones to talk shit about the company — not even to reporters, just to other employees," they told BuzzFeed News. [...] On Blind, a semi-public app that allows current and former employees with a company email to post anonymously, Facebook employees on Facebook-related message boards are openly speculating about and arguing over Sandberg's fate. "The board is being questioned for not taking action, but Zuck will side with her like he is spellbound," one user wrote, asking if the company could find a solution to its leadership struggles. "Shall we have a walkout to let her go like what Google employees did?" another countered, referencing the worker action taken at the search giant in which thousands of employees marched to protest the company's policies around sexual harassment.

Others argued that bad optics would prevent the company from removing Sandberg, a noted feminist author. "One does not simply fire the author of 'Lean In' and pretty much the sole female executive in top leadership," one Blind user wrote. Another remarked that Sandberg's personal image was politically polarizing. "Her left-leaning brand has hurt us considerably, we need to mend fences and be seen to be a platform for the left and the right going forward." Discussions across Facebook's Blind page quickly turn tense at the mention of Sandberg. A user with the username "SherylS" expressed frustration at those in the company revering Sandberg as a women's icon and leader. "It's time to stand up to these fake opportunist feminist champions though," they wrote. "'Give me opportunities to succeed!! I'm a victim!! Lean in!!" the post read. Some of the disagreement centers on social justice–minded individuals inside the company, pointing to an internal Facebook Workplace group called "Let's Fix Facebook": "Just go read 'let's fix Facebook' for a bit and see all the sjw complainers." Indeed, some inside Blind's current and former Facebook employee group debated whether Sandberg was insulated from legitimate criticism due to her defenders "playing the woman card."

Short version at NYMag.

Previously: Amid Calls to "Police" Social Media, Facebook Announces Independent Body to Handle User Appeals
More Calls to Regulate Facebook After Soros-Related Opposition Research Scandal

Original Submission