Google and Meta do not meet the requirements to partner with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the organisation has said, after the two tech giants ended their official involvement and ditched diversity obligations in the US.
At the 47th annual Mardi Gras parade up Oxford Street next Saturday, a notable absence will be the two tech firms, previously event sponsors.
When Sydney hosted the biannual World Pride global event in 2023, Meta sent a float to the parade. It was a media partner for last year’s Mardi Gras; Google was a supporting partner.
The two companies have this year curtailed their spending on Mardi Gras, Guardian Australia has confirmed, and are not sponsoring the event in any capacity.
I wonder if it’s power? Usually people with proper power aren’t in the lime light, because if they are that power is typically short lived (usually by people who start feeling oppressed from it).
If I think of Microsoft having their OS plus their data centre holding OpenAI, many key websites, even OS running on military devices.
I just feel like they can just sit back, and keep raking in the cash.