Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg used her power to bury two stories about then-boyfriend Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard CEO, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sandberg, who dated Kotick from 2016 to 2019, is accused of pressuring the digital edition of U.K. tabloid The Daily Mail in both 2016 and 2019 to stop reporting on a restraining order filed against him by an ex-girlfriend. The WSJ reports that Kotick had said behind the scenes that Sandberg threatened The Daily Mail, stating that publishing this report could damage the outlet’s relationship with Facebook.
Speaking to The WSJ, Kotick denied that he said this, while Meta told the publication that Sandberg “never threatened the MailOnline’s business relationship with Facebook in order to influence an editorial decision.”
In any event, The Daily Mail story did not run either in 2016 or 2019, and Facebook now says it’s investigating whether Sandberg’s actions violated company policy. In 2012, Sandberg was the first woman to join Facebook’s board, and she’s since become renowned for her advocacy for women’s rights in the workplace. It’s for this reason — so as to not tarnish this reputation — that Sandberg and Kotick reportedly wanted to kill the Daily Mail piece.
It should also be noted that Sandberg’s leadership role at Facebook has put her at the front of major controversies surrounding the platform’s handling of privacy and fake news, especially following the 2016 U.S. Presidental Election.
Kotick, meanwhile, has had the opposite reputation of Sandberg when it comes to women. Last summer, the state of California filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging that the company fostered a “frat boy” culture in which employees, particularly women, faced sexual harassment and discrimination.
Months later, The WSJ reported that Kotick not only knew about these incidents but actively worked to cover some of them up. He is even said to have sent a voicemail to an assistant threatening to kill her if she didn’t stay quiet. Many in the gaming industry, including current and former Activision Blizzard employees, have since called for Kotick to step down.
Kotick has denied the specific allegations made against him but claimed he’s committed to staying at the company to improve its work culture. While he’s expected to leave once Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is finalized, a recent report indicates that Microsoft hasn’t actually discussed his future.
It remains to be seen what, if anything, will happen with both Sandberg and Kotick at their respective companies.
Image credit: Flickr — Dan Farber
Source: The Wall Street Journal
