Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by jacquesm on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @04:27AM
(#20807377)
It's Facebook we're talking about. Probably one of the most un-ethical entities on the planet. Of course they won't respect their employees, they don't respect their users (or their users' privacy) either.
If you decide to go and work for one of these companies abuse in some form or other should be expected, and you should be well aware that you are in some way acting against the interests of the general public and that when the company decides that you are to be disposed of that it will do so without consideration for your well being.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by nashashmi on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @06:50AM
(#20808150)
I hate unions but it's abuse like this that reminds me why unions exist at all. Unions basically tell managers that there are rules of engagement they need to respect. And they tell companies that a level of work needs to be guaranteed to them for employment, arbitrary rules will not work, and employment is playing with a life and you need to plan ahead for that.
Sure certain employees abuse it and it attracts other types of employees that could never work at startups. And a guy with his own YouTube channel would rather work for a real company than a unionized one. But there has got to be a balance. Between unbridled employers and managers and systematic ones.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by justin66 on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @10:48AM
(#20810114)
Tone policing is the lowest form of criticism.
You are a completely terrible person for posting what you did. (Or is that the appropriate term? What an important question! Let us explore it in depth!)
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by mcv on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @08:17AM
(#20808750)
> "got fired overnight by having a Youtube channel on tech and tech interview tips"
How is that even remotely a valid reason to fire someone? I'm really glad we've got laws for that. Had it happened here, the dismissal would most likely have been rejected.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by mcv on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @11:11AM
(#20810399)
I believe it's also one of only two countries in the world that doesn't have standard paid maternity leave. It's bizarre just how few rights American workers really have.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by gilesgate on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @04:52AM
(#20807495)
I feel guilty for laughing when he said "to have a friendly chat with HR". It's certainly not a good month for him, as apparently his wife recently left him as well[0]. Bit sad (and perhaps demeaning) to see the video cut mid-way for a message from the sponsor.
But yeah, as jacquesm also said, there's no reason to expect any better from Facebook, is there? It's rather a mark of consistency, being unethical both outwards and inwards.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by occitan on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @08:14AM
(#20808736)
No - not for having a YT channel (per se) but for engaging in communications that FB considered to be a conflict of interest. And probably (as with most firings), a whole whole bunch of other stuff (besides the nominal "reason").
Nonethelsss - my heart goes out to anyone dragged into a "friendly chat with HR" under any circumstances.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by vfc1 on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @09:04AM
(#20809098)
He was hilarious as always: he said Facebook wanted him to start presenting himself as an Ex-Facebook Tech Lead and not only an Ex-Google Tech Lead, and the fact that he couldn't because he worked there represented a conflict of interest that benefited Google over Facebook, and so they fired him making it now possible to claim that he is also an ex-Facebook Tech Lead.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by lgl on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @08:48AM
(#20808970)
Patrick's channel is pretty awesome and he has an amazing deadpan sense of humor.
For those who don't really know him, I suggest his "What do programmers actually do?" video [0] which is pretty hilarious.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by VladimirIvanov on Thursday August 29, 2019 @08:39AM
(#20828927)
After looking into this more I believe he was fired for a video he made about women in tech were he advocates traditional gender roles and references Sheryl Sandberg to support his argument.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by n1c on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @06:36AM
(#20808063)
Is this for real? I'm really struggling with Poe's law. Ads, upsells, asking for comments about if he's hit rock bottom all really feel disingenuous to me.
Re:I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel)
by vfc1 on Tuesday August 27, 2019 @07:19AM
(#20808323)
It's just his style if you watch some of his other videos, he has a very sarcastic sense of humor.
He has a series of recurring jokes like inserting adds in the middle of nothing, repeating that he is an ex-Google Tech Lead 50 times, etc. those are insider jokes for fans of the channel.
It's amazing how these companies think they can literally buy you and own you, like a slave.
Not only they expect you to be available around the clock but even tell you what you can and can't do with the little free time they leave you left.
If you decide to go and work for one of these companies abuse in some form or other should be expected, and you should be well aware that you are in some way acting against the interests of the general public and that when the company decides that you are to be disposed of that it will do so without consideration for your well being.
Sure certain employees abuse it and it attracts other types of employees that could never work at startups. And a guy with his own YouTube channel would rather work for a real company than a unionized one. But there has got to be a balance. Between unbridled employers and managers and systematic ones.
You are a completely terrible person for posting what you did. (Or is that the appropriate term? What an important question! Let us explore it in depth!)
Americans hate unions because their parents hate unions. Their parents hate unions because they are "socialist".
How is that even remotely a valid reason to fire someone? I'm really glad we've got laws for that. Had it happened here, the dismissal would most likely have been rejected.
Employers can't just ask anything from their employees, like being available around the clock and that kind of thing I suppose. Or can they?
You may get the odd holiday off, but for the rest you're totally at the mercy of your employer.
But yeah, as jacquesm also said, there's no reason to expect any better from Facebook, is there? It's rather a mark of consistency, being unethical both outwards and inwards.
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fssFXlNk6vw
Nonethelsss - my heart goes out to anyone dragged into a "friendly chat with HR" under any circumstances.
What was the conflict of interest?
> And probably (as with most firings), a whole whole bunch of other stuff (besides the nominal "reason").
Probably, but not certainly.
Dunno - whatever was running through the HR people's heads.
The whole point is - it wasn't simply for "having a YouTube channel".
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQY5udXquOk
He has a series of recurring jokes like inserting adds in the middle of nothing, repeating that he is an ex-Google Tech Lead 50 times, etc. those are insider jokes for fans of the channel.
I'm surprised he didn't even get a warning.
Might have had something to do with the 80-hour work weeks.