Sheryl Sandberg, chief executive officer of Facebook Inc.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | beautiful pictures
Meta Chief executive Sheryl Sandberg is believed to be part of a pressure campaign to prevent the Daily Mail from publishing an adverse report on Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, according to a Story of the Wall Street Journal fifth publication.
Facebook is currently looking into whether Sandberg violated the company’s rules.
Sandberg and Kotick were dating at the time she was said to have contacted the digital edition of the Mail in 2016 and 2019 about shedding the story of the temporary restraining order Kotick’s ex-girlfriend had against. back to him in 2014. The magazine cited unnamed sources in connection with the article and the campaign to stop it.
Sandberg and Kotick are said to have worked with a team that included Facebook and Activision employees to devise a strategy to convince the Mail not to publish the article. Sandberg’s advisers were worried that might reflect badly on her given her reputation as an advocate for women, according to the report.
Kotick was recently fired for reported knowledge of sexual misconduct allegations at Activision.
A spokesperson for Meta said: “Sheryl Sandberg has never threatened MailOnline’s business relationship with Facebook to influence editorial decisions. “This story tries to make connections that don’t exist.”
There have been reports of “conflicting accounts” about Sandberg’s exact language and whether she was “directly calling Facebook” when speaking to the Mail. But the report said Facebook’s massive influence on distribution in the news industry could have a significant impact if no direct threat were present.
Activision’s board of directors said in a statement that it was aware of the reported 2014 incident, which appeared to allude to the ban.
Around the time of the incident in 2014, Mr. Kotick informed the Senior Independent Director of the Board of Directors, then updated the Board in its entirety and was fully transparent with the Board. administration,” it wrote. “The panel, through its advisor Skadden Arps, has thoroughly examined the facts and the circumstances of the events, satisfied itself that there is no benefit to the allegations and noted that they are involved in the relationship The Board of Directors continues to have full confidence in Mr. Kotick’s leadership and his ability to run the Company.”
In January, Microsoft announced that it plans to acquire Activision Blizzard in an all-cash deal worth $68.7 billion.
The Daily Mail did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read the full report at The Wall Street Journal.
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