Tag Archives: harassment

Three Ubisoft Executives Found Guilty of Fostering a Culture of Sexual Harassment

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Three former executives from the video game company Ubisoft received suspended sentences during the first significant trial linked to the gaming industry’s #MeToo movement, which aimed to address a culture of sexual and psychological harassment in the workplace.

A court in Bobigny, located north of Paris, heard testimonies on how these executives exploited their authority to intimidate and sexually harass employees, creating an atmosphere that left women feeling objectified.

A former employee recounted how, between 2012 and 2020, the Montreuil office, situated east of Paris, was rife with a toxic environment marked by bullying and sexism, which some employees compared to “legal juvenile clubs.”

Ubisoft, a family-owned French enterprise, has grown into one of the largest video game developers worldwide. The company is known for hit franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Just Dance.


State prosecutor Antoine Haushalter stated in court that the gaming world and its subculture are characterized by “systematic” sexism and potential abuse, framing it as a “turning point” for the industry.

Thomas François, a former editorial vice president at Ubisoft, 52, was found guilty of sexual harassment, psychological harassment, and attempted sexual assault. He received a suspended prison sentence of three years and was fined 30,000 euros (£26,000).

The court heard allegations that he once restrained a female colleague with tape, pushed her in a chair into an elevator, and selected a random floor. He was also accused of compelling a woman to wear a skirt and perform a handstand.

She testified, “He was my boss, and I was scared of him. He forced me to do a headstand. I complied out of fear.”

Thomas François has been convicted of sexual harassment, psychological harassment, and attempted sexual assault. Photo: Xavier Galiana/AFP/Getty

At a 2015 office Christmas party themed after Back to the Future, François allegedly approached a female staff member, expressing his admiration for 1950s attire, before attempting to kiss her while her coworkers held her back. She managed to scream and break free.

François defended himself in court by describing the workplace as one filled with a “culture of jokes,” insisting, “I never intended to hurt anyone.”

Serge Hascoët, 59, a former Chief Creative Officer and Deputy Commander at Ubisoft, was convicted of psychological harassment and complicity, although he was acquitted of charges related to sexual harassment. He received an 18-month suspended sentence and a fine of 45,000 euros.

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During the trial, it was disclosed that Hascoët had handed young female employees a tissue used for blowing his nose, remarking, “You can sell it; it’s worth a fortune at Ubisoft.” Witnesses also recounted instances of him bullying his assistant, demanding personal tasks like waiting at his house for package deliveries.

Hascoët asserted in court that he was unaware of any harassment occurring.

Hascoët’s attorney, Jean Guillaume Le Mintier, announced that his client is contemplating an appeal.

Guillaume Patrux, 41, a former game director at Ubisoft, was found guilty of psychological harassment, receiving a 12-month suspension and a fine of 10,000 euros.

The court was informed that he had physically assaulted walls, struck staff, cracked a whip close to a colleague’s face, threatened to fire an employee, and played with a lighter near another worker’s face while offering a man’s beard. He denied the allegations.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Medical Journals Face “Harassment” Allegations from the Department of Justice

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At least three medical journals have received correspondence from the U.S. Department of Justice, raising questions about their editing practices and urging them to maintain their independence.

The Lancet, a prominent British medical journal that did not receive one of these letters, published an editorial condemning the inquiries as “harassment” and threats, stating that American science has been “harshly detached” under the Trump administration.

Recently, Interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin for the District of Columbia contacted the Chest Journal, which focuses on chest medicine, suggesting it has a partisan bias. The letter included inquiries about measures needed to combat misinformation, incorporating various perspectives.

This communication sparked outrage from the First Amendment group and several scientists, who expressed concerns that such law enforcement actions could undermine academic freedom and free speech. The letter encouraged the journal to clarify that its publisher, the American College of Chest Physicians, “supports the journal’s editorial independence.”

This week, the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed to NBC News that it had also received a similar letter from an interim U.S. attorney.

In a response shared with NBC News, the journal’s editor-in-chief, Dr. Eric Rubin, defended its rights as an independent publisher, emphasizing their strict peer review and editing process to ensure the objectivity and reliability of the research published. “We uphold their First Amendment rights to editorial independence and free expression in medical journals,” Rubin stated. “The journal remains committed to fostering academic scientific dialogue and supporting authors, readers, and patients.”

The third journal, Obstetrics and Gynecology, also confirmed receiving a letter from Martin.

“Obstetrics and Gynecology editorially operates independently from ACOG, although we share the mission of improving outcomes for individuals needing obstetric and gynecological care,” a representative from the American University of Obstetrics and Gynecology remarked in an emailed statement. “We take pride in our journal’s focus on scientific data and patient-centered, respectful, evidence-based care.”

MedPage Today, a medical industry news outlet, first reported the existence of a new DOJ letter.

The DC office of the Department of Justice did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

Meanwhile, The Lancet, which has been publishing for over 200 years, adopted a more assertive tone. In a scathing editorial in solidarity with other journals, it described the letter from the Justice Department as “harassment” within the broader context of the Trump administration’s “systematic dismantling of U.S. scientific infrastructure.”

“This is a blatant attempt to intimidate journals and infringe upon their rights to independent editorial oversight. The Lancet and other medical journals are being targeted by the Trump administration,” the editor remarked. “Medical journals should not expect to be spared from the administration’s attacks on science, as institutions like the NIH, CDC, and academic medical centers are also being affected.”

Scientific journals are essential for disseminating new discoveries and insights among colleagues. Some journals are managed by specialized experts, while others are published by organizations with a focus on science. A reputable journal ensures that research undergoes thorough peer review, where external experts appraise it for errors and research quality.

The scrutiny of scientific journals occurs as the Trump administration has faced reductions in funding and staffing.

NBC News inquired with several major scientific and medical journal groups regarding whether they received similar letters from the Department of Justice.

Representatives from Science, Elsevier, Nature, and JAMA, the medical journal of the American Medical Association, did not reply to requests for comment.

Wiley Publishing Company acknowledged receipt of the letter from an interim U.S. attorney but did not provide further details.

“We remain committed to the highest standards of editorial independence, academic rigor, and publication ethics,” a Wiley spokesperson stated. “Our journal evaluates submissions based on their scientific merits and collaborates closely with social partners to ensure a wider perspective contributes to the advancement of knowledge.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Openai responds to Elon Musk’s allegations of “illegal harassment” against the company

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Elon Musk, the billionaire, was rebutted by ChatGpt developer Openai, who accused him of harassing the company. Openai requested a US federal judge to intervene and halt Musk’s “illegal and unfair behavior” towards the company.

Established in 2015 by Musk and CEO Sam Altman, Openai has seen ongoing disputes between the two founders, transitioning from a complex non-profit structure to a more conventional for-profit business.

Musk criticized the restructuring plan about a year ago, alleging that it betrayed the company’s fundamental mission by prioritizing profits over human interests. Although Musk withdrew the lawsuit in June, he filed a new one in August.

In February of this year, Musk led a consortium of investors in a surprising $97.4 billion bid for the company. Altman promptly rejected the offer, mentioning that Musk had acquired Twitter for $44 billion, rebranded as X in 2022.

In a recent filing in California’s district court, Openai accused Musk of using various tactics to harm the company, including press attacks, malicious campaigns to Musk’s large social media following, demands for access to corporate records, legal harassment, fake bids on Openai’s assets, among others.

Openai urged the judge to put a stop to Musk’s attacks and hold him accountable for the damages he has caused. The trial is set to commence in the spring of 2026.

Musk left Openai in 2018 and founded his own company, Xai. This year’s bid for Openai had the backing of Xai and other investment firms, including one led by Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of Spy Technology Company Palantir.

Tesla executives have criticized Openai for deviating from its original charitable mission by creating a for-profit subsidiary to raise funds from investors like Microsoft. Despite its nonprofit beginnings, Openai argues that new models are required to advance the development of superior AI models.

Recently, Openai secured $400 billion in funding rounds from investors like SoftBank, valuing the company at $300 million. The funds will be used to further AI research, enhance computer infrastructure, and provide enhanced tools for the millions of people using ChatGPT weekly.

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Since the viral success of ChatGpt in 2022, Openai has encountered various corporate controversies. In 2023, the board removed Altman, citing issues with his communication transparency. After much internal unrest, Altman was reinstated within a week following threats of resignation from many company members.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Wimbledon Incorporates AI Technology to Safeguard Players Against Online Harassment

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The All England Lawn Tennis Club has become the first to use artificial intelligence to protect Wimbledon players from online abuse.

The AI-driven service monitors players’ public social media profiles and automatically flags death threats, racist and sexist comments in 35 languages.

High-profile athletes who have been targeted online, including former US Open champion Emma Raducanu and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, have previously said they had to delete Instagram and Twitter (now named X) from their phones.

Britain’s number two, Harriet Dart, said she sometimes uses social media just because of the “hate” she sees online.

“I think there’s a lot of positives to take from this match,” Dart said after her win over British number one Katie Boulter on Thursday. [social media] But there was also a lot of negativity. If I opened the app today, I think I’d get a lot of hate, whether I won or not.”

Tournament director Jamie Baker said Wimbledon had deployed social media monitoring service Threat Matrix, developed by AI company Signify Group, which will also be rolled out to the US Open.

Baker said: “This is not something that would be found in the public domain. It’s not something that we would be shouting about, but we basically scroll through social media looking for this type of content and it means we have access to information that we wouldn’t have had access to before.”

“We’re not just going to rely on players to tell us what happened to them, but if there’s anything that we feel is of concern, then essentially our security team will step in and actually help address that.”

He said the AI-driven service is also supported by people monitoring accounts, and players can opt for a more robust service that scans for cheating and blackmail via private direct messages.

Baker, a former British number two, said Wimbledon would discuss the abuse with players and then report it to technology companies for removal or, if necessary, to police.

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Explaining how the service works, Baker said: “If there’s an issue that we feel is of concern or worth reporting, we’ll ultimately communicate with the player and then work through the next steps. The benefit of this service is that it allows us to officially register the situation with the appropriate personnel.”

“But we can’t take those steps without actually engaging with the players and their teams and finding out what’s going on.”

World Rugby also uses the service, and in April an Australian was charged after a referee and his wife received threatening and abusive messages via Facebook during the Rugby World Cup.

Wimbledon said Threat Matrix conducted an investigation, monitoring more than 1.6 million public posts from X and 19,000 Instagram comments sent to 454 players competing in various professional tennis tournaments in 2022, and found that one in four players had been the target of abuse. 546 offensive posts were identified from 438 accounts.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Meta Report Reveals 100,000 Children Experience Daily Sexual Harassment on Online Platforms

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According to an internal document released late Wednesday, Meta estimates that about 100,000 children on Facebook and Instagram are subjected to online sexual harassment every day, including “pictures of adult genitalia.” The unsealed legal filings include several allegations against Meta, based on information the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office learned from presentations and communications between Meta employees. These allegations describe an incident in 2020 in which the 12-year-old daughter of an Apple executive was solicited via Instagram’s messaging product, IG Direct.

In testimony before the US Congress late last year, a senior Meta employee described how his daughter was recruited through Instagram. His efforts to resolve the issue were ignored, he said. This suit is the latest in a series of lawsuits filed by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office on December 5, alleging that Meta’s social network has become a marketplace for child predators. The state’s attorney general, Raul Torrez, accused Meta of allowing adults to find, send messages to, and groom children. Meta released a statement in response to Wednesday’s filing, stating, “We want to provide teens with a safe and age-appropriate online experience, and we have over 30 tools to support them and their parents.”

The lawsuit also referenced a 2021 internal presentation on child safety, in which Meta states that it has “poorly invested in the sexual expression of minors on IG, with significant sexual commentary on content posted by minors.” The complaint also highlights Meta employees’ concerns about the safety of children. Meta’s statement also said the company “has taken significant steps to prevent unwanted contact from teens, especially adults.”

The New Mexico lawsuit follows a Guardian investigation in April that revealed how Meta failed to report or detect the use of its platform for child trafficking. According to documents included in the lawsuit, Meta employees “coordinate human trafficking operations” and ensure that “every step of human exploitation (recruitment, conditioning, and exploitation) is expressed on our platform.” But an internal email from 2017 said executives opposed scanning Facebook Messenger for “harmful content,” citing the service’s desire to “provide more privacy.” In December, Meta received widespread criticism for introducing end-to-end encryption for messages sent via Facebook and Messenger.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Activision executive explores potential countersuit following dismissal of sexual harassment claim

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Activision Blizzard executives are considering a possible countersuit against California regulators who claimed the gaming giant had a toxic “frat boy” workplace, but only dropped the lawsuit last week, On The Money reported.
The California Department of Civil Rights, which had been investigating the developer of “Call of Duty” and “Candy Crush” since 2021, dropped the explosive allegations on Friday.
“Neither the courts nor independent investigations have established systematic or widespread sexual harassment,” authorities acknowledged in court documents last week.
California’s stunning admissions say there is no evidence that “senior executives ignored, condoned, or condoned a culture of systemic harassment, retaliation, or discrimination,” and that neither Activision’s board of directors nor CEO Bobby Kotick responded to complaints of misconduct. He also admitted that he had not handled the matter inappropriately.
Nevertheless, Activision ended up paying a $54 million settlement to resolve the lawsuit ($47 million of which was earmarked for pay disparity claims).

Activision ended up paying a $54 million settlement, with $47 million of that going toward pay disparity claims. Paola Morongello
This has angered some Activision executives, who are drafting defamation lawsuits against the company.
The agency’s former director, Janet Whipper, was fired by Gavin Newson a year after she sued Activision, accusing Tesla of “racial discrimination,” a claim that was also unsubstantiated, according to court documents. It turned out that there was no such thing.
Other Activision insiders want to simply put this chapter on the back burner, concerned that an appeal would be tantamount to returning to the belly of the beast, insiders said.
Accusations that women were “subjected to constant sexual harassment, including groping” and that management fostered a “sexist culture” were enough to wipe the company’s market capitalization by $20 billion in a few months. Ta.
The case helped spur Activision’s partnership with Microsoft, which won full regulatory approval earlier this year.
Microsoft reportedly pursued a $75 billion deal after seeing the Diablo maker’s stock price plummet.
An Activision spokesperson declined to comment.

Source: nypost.com