Google allows employee discussion of anti-trust case

Google has reversed its policy prohibiting employees from discussing the landmark anti-trust case against the company, following a settlement with the Alphabet Workers Union overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). This decision overturns previous directives from Google's top lawyer, Kent Walker, who had repeatedly instructed employees to remain silent about the legal proceedings.

The settlement arose from an unfair labour practices complaint filed by the union regarding Walker's August 2025 memo, which reiterated the company's ban on internal and external discussions of the anti-trust trial's impact on employment conditions. Google's agreement states it will not enforce overly broad rules that restrict employees' rights to comment on such matters.

This change marks a significant shift in Google's corporate culture of secrecy, which has been under scrutiny during the Justice Department's anti-trust case. It also undermines Google's strategy to maintain employee focus by minimizing distractions from the legal battle.

The Justice Department is seeking a breakup of Google, including the divestment of Chrome, to restore competition in search. Employees have expressed concerns about the potential instability resulting from such measures.

Google's previous attempts to control employee discussions were seen as an effort to avoid the pitfalls of Microsoft's antitrust trial, where damaging internal communications played a significant role. Despite this, Google has acknowledged providing numerous internal communications to the Justice Department.

The NLRB's settlement compels Google to acknowledge and respect employees' rights to discuss their employment conditions, even in the context of ongoing legal proceedings.