Google campus security singled out Black, Latinx employees

Google encouraged employees to check colleagues’ ID badges on campus, and asked security staff to do the same. But some staffers told management that Black and Latinx workers had their badges checked more often than other employees. — Google/TNS

Google’s campus security system subjected Black and Latinx workers to bias and prompted complaints to management, according to people familiar with the situation, leading the company to scrap a key part of the approach.

The Internet giant encouraged employees to check colleagues’ ID badges on campus, and asked security staff to do the same. This went beyond the typical corporate office system where workers swipe badges to enter. The policy was designed to prevent unauthorised visitors and keep Google’s open work areas safe.