DeepMind staff push to scrap lifetime non-disparagement clauses

The dispute centers on contract language that binds DeepMind employees in Britain for life, forbidding criticism of the company even after they leave. Dozens of staff raised the issue on an internal messaging platform, with some posting a '1984' emoji — a reference to the dystopian novel — signaling the intensity of feeling around the clause.

Google's response on Friday addressed only part of the demand: an executive said the company would not enforce the clause against workers who had already left, and new-hire terms were updated to remove the post-termination aspect. But the organizing staff want the clause dropped entirely from existing contracts, not just for future hires, leaving a gap between what the company offered and what employees are asking for.

The body notes the situation mirrors a 2024 episode at OpenAI, where public pressure led the company to release former staff from a similar perpetual non-disparagement obligation that had been bundled with vested equity. It also remains unclear how many current or former DeepMind employees are bound by the lifetime clause, or whether it would survive scrutiny at a UK employment tribunal if tested — questions the Post does not answer.