Jesse Jackson Grills Mark Zuckerberg Over Facebook’s Lack of Diversity: ‘Top 15 Employees Are White’
Jackson opens company’s annual shareholder meeting, where COO Sheryl Sandberg announces they will automatically consider minority candidates for its board
Sean Burch | May 31, 2018 @ 12:31 PM
Last Updated: May 31, 2018 @ 12:56 PM
Jesse Jackson pressed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the social network’s perceived lack of diversity, while asking the opening question at the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Palo Alto, California, on Thursday.
“Beyond the board, the C-suites, the top 15 employees are white, and that does not represent a random — it represents some lack of intentionality to be inclusive,” Jackson said during a Q&A. He then followed up his statement with a question on Facebook’s efforts to stop election manipulation.
Zuckerberg thanked Jackson for the question, saying “we appreciate your commitment as a shareholder in always coming to our meetings,” before deferring to COO Sheryl Sandberg on the company’s diversity efforts.
Sandberg announced that Facebook, in partnership with the Service Employees International Union, is officially adopting the “diverse slate approach” for appointing board members moving forward. The company had adopted that approach for its general workforce back in 2015, requiring managers to consider candidates from “underrepresented backgrounds.”
“We agree with you that we need more diversity, it’s something we’re very committed to,” Sandberg told Jackson. “This is really codifying and making a public commitment to something we’re already doing.”
Jackson raised the same question at last year’s shareholder meeting, pointing to the company’s dearth of black, Latino and asian board members. “I hope you’re as disappointed in that lack of progress,” he said at the time.
Facebook’s latest diversity report showed the company’s workforce was 3 percent black and 5 percent Hispanic in 2017. Women made up 35 percent of the company’s employees.
10 Most Shocking Russian Troll Posts on Facebook and Instagram, From Hillary Clinton to Police Brutality (Photos)
The U.S. House Intelligence Committee on Thursday released more than 3,500 advertisements and posts spread by Russian trolls before and after the 2016 U.S. election. Below is a look at 10 of the most shocking examples that stood out from Congress's reveal.
House Intelligence Committee
Many posts pushed the narrative that Hillary Clinton would confiscate guns if she were elected President.
House Intelligence Committee
This graphic meme painted cops as KKK members attacking a young black child.
House Intelligence Committee
Only "sissies" and other undesirables wouldn't support Donald Trump, many of the memes said.
House Intelligence Committee
President Obama was a "pawn" and "traitor" in the hands of "Arabian Sheikhs," said one 2016 ad.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Black Matters US" page touched on hot button issues like police shootings.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Army of Jesus" page shared a bible verse, along with this meme.
House Intelligence Committee
Russian trolls also used Instagram to spread sponsored political memes.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Blacktivist" page routinely shared memes on Colin Kaepernick and other football players kneeling during the national anthem.
House Intelligence Committee
"Heart of Texas" routinely posted on "Killary Rotten Clinton," and threatened to secede from the union if she won the election.
House Intelligence Committee
The "Being Patriotic" page labeled ex-cons as "Obama voters."
House Intelligence Committee
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Congress just released 3,500 posts touching on a myriad of topics
The U.S. House Intelligence Committee on Thursday released more than 3,500 advertisements and posts spread by Russian trolls before and after the 2016 U.S. election. Below is a look at 10 of the most shocking examples that stood out from Congress's reveal.