SAN FRANCISCO: Meta (Previously Facebook) has banned the use of the word “abortion” on its internal messaging platform called Workplace, citing “increased risk” that the social media platform could be seen as a “hostile work environment”.

According to a report in The Verge, a Meta executive told employees on Thursday that they were prohibited from discussing abortion on Workplace in accordance with their policy.

The policy prohibits employees from discussing “opinions or debates about whether abortion is right or wrong, the availability or right to abortion, and political, religious and humanitarian views on the subject,” says The report.

Janelle GaleMeta’s vice president of human resources, reportedly told employees in a meeting that abortion was “the most controversial and reported topic” by employees on Workplace.

Employees criticized the move, saying the policy contradicted other company policies that allowed discussion of “Black Lives Matter,” immigration and trans rights.

Sheryl Sandbergthe COO of Metacalled abortion “one of our most fundamental rights”.

“Every woman, wherever she lives, should be free to choose if and when she becomes a mother. Few things are more important to women’s health and equality,” she recently wrote on her Facebook page. .

However, one of Meta’s most senior executives, Naomi Gleit, wrote in an internal post that “At work, there are many sensitivities around this topic, which makes it difficult to discuss on Workplace.”

She said employees were only allowed to discuss abortion at work “with a trusted colleague in a private setting (e.g. live, chat, etc.)” and during a ” listening session with a small group of 5 like-minded people to show solidarity”.

The policy against discussing abortion has caused division among Meta employees, the report notes.

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