• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

Facebook Axed Anonymous Company Chat Group Over Harassment

By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 17, 2017, 7:18 AM ET

Facebook shut down an internal discussion group at the end of last year, after employees reportedly used the anonymity within the group to make racist and sexist comments.

The closure of the “Facebook Anon” group, less than two years after its formation, was reported Wednesday by Business Insider and then The Wall Street Journal. It took place in December, following the election of Donald Trump to the presidency.

The group was created as an employee side-project and used to discuss various matters without any of the participants having to identify themselves—something that is famously banned on the world’s leading social network.

According to the reports, the forum was increasingly used by right-leaning Facebook employees ahead of the election. Per the WSJ‘s sources, some posts claimed the company “lowers the bar” for female engineers in order to boost its diversity stats. Arguments ensued.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

In a statement given to the publications, Facebook HR chief Lori Goler said the employees-only group violated Facebook’s broader real-names policy. The Journal noted that Facebook Anon wasn’t the only victim of this policy—a anonymous group set up for women and minority employees to air grievances was also shut down.

The news comes after Google fired an employee, James Damore, who circulated a highly controversial memo criticizing that company’s diversity policies. In early 2016, Facebook took a lot of flak for its alleged downplaying of right-leaning stories in its trending news list.

About the Author
By David Meyer
LinkedIn icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.