Why sex harassment scandals like Uber's are bound to persist in tech

If you thought tech companies were succeeding, even incrementally, at creating more inclusive workplaces, it's not entirely your fault.

Headline after headline suggests that influential Silicon Valley executives understand they have a problem and are working to fix it. But a serious scandal like the one Uber now faces, following damning allegations of sexual harassment and corporate negligence, is all it takes to shatter the optimism. And this one likely won't be the last.

The truth is that while some of the biggest names in tech — Facebook, Yahoo, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Airbnb — at least nominally support inclusivity by releasing annual diversity reports, we don't know much about what they're doing to change their male-dominated cultures. Dozens of other startups and companies stand idly by, perhaps happy to enjoy the glow of perceived progress without publicly working for it. Meanwhile, a female engineer like Susan J. Fowler, who recently documented her jaw-dropping experiences at Uber in a blog post, may find herself in an abusive work environment where sexual harassment goes unpunished and the victim becomes the pariah.  Read more...