Tech giants Meta and Google have decided not to renew their partnerships with Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade for the upcoming year. This decision follows significant changes to their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the United States, attributed to the recent political landscape, including the re-election of Donald Trump as President.
Historically, both companies have been involved in Mardi Gras, with Meta participating as a media partner and Google as a supporting partner during the 2024 celebrations, alongside Meta’s engagement in the 2023 World Pride. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is widely recognised for its vibrant celebrations and its commitment to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights. According to the Star Observer, this shift is significant, considering the companies’ previous robust involvement.
Both Meta and Google’s recent policy changes have sparked concerns within the LGBTQ+ community. Meta has removed Pride-themed content and altered its hate speech policies, allowing for derogatory terms to be used against transgender individuals and members of the gay community on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Concurrently, Google has retracted certain DEI initiatives, including the removal of LGBTQ+ holidays from its online calendars.
The decision not to renew contracts appears to stem from the companies’ failure to meet the stringent criteria set forth in Mardi Gras’ Ethical Charter. This framework ensures that prospective partners align with the values of the parade, particularly in relation to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Notably, the Charter evaluates each organisation in key categories, including human rights and sustainability, authenticity and integrity, and collaboration. The Charter explicitly states a desire to partner with organisations that ‘champion DEI as an integral part of their organisation.’
An excerpt from the Ethical Charter emphasises, “For half a decade Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has called upon our Ethical Charter framework during the final stages of prospective partnership opportunities. This ensures we enter into relationships with organisations who share our values and commitment to our communities.” It seems that with the recent rollbacks in DEI programs, both companies might not meet the necessary evaluation standards.
The gay community is being called on to boycott companies such as Meta by deleting Facebook and Instagram accounts and Google by using search engines such as DuckDuckGo.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.starobserver.com.au/ – The Star Observer is mentioned as a source that highlights the significance of Meta and Google’s decision not to renew their partnerships with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, given their previous involvement.
- https://www.sydneygaylesbianmardigras.com.au/ – This is the official website of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which would provide information on their Ethical Charter and partnership criteria.
- https://about.meta.com/ – Meta’s official website would contain information about their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and any changes to these policies.
- https://www.google.com/diversity – Google’s diversity and inclusion page would detail their current initiatives and any recent changes, such as the removal of LGBTQIA+ holidays from their calendars.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative references recent political changes and company policy updates, suggesting it is relatively current. However, the claim about Donald Trump’s re-election as President is incorrect, as he has not been re-elected, which may indicate outdated or incorrect information.
Quotes check
Score:
0
Notes:
There are no direct quotes in the narrative to verify.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Star Observer, a publication focused on LGBTQIA+ issues, but its general reliability compared to major news outlets like BBC or Reuters is less established.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The claims about Meta and Google’s policy changes and their impact on partnerships are plausible but lack specific evidence or confirmation from the companies themselves.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative discusses recent policy changes by Meta and Google affecting their partnerships with the Sydney Mardi Gras, but it contains inaccuracies regarding political events. The lack of direct quotes and specific company confirmations reduces confidence in the narrative’s accuracy.
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