Former Google activist Claire Stapleton launches Tech Support, a new advice newsletter for frustrated tech workers

Claire Stapleton, a former Google activist and one of the organizers of the mass Google Walkout protest, is starting a new advice column/newsletter for frustrated tech workers. Stapleton made the announcement about a year since she left Google, claiming she was unfairly pushed out. Over 20,000 Google employees participated in yesterday’s mass walkout back in November 2018.

Called Tech Support, she said the newsletter will offer “practical” advice from her years at Google. Stapleton wants to take the experience and what she learned in her 12 years at Google and provide “existential advice for today’s tech worker.” The first edition of her newsletter, which comes out Friday, will focus on the topic of marketing employees grappling with the nature of their work at major tech platforms, she said. Another will be about handling bad managers, she said in her interview with CNBC.

Stapleton also went on to social media to pitch the newsletter to her followers. “introducing TECH SUPPORT™, a new advice column/newsletter for tech workers borne of the many many DMs i’ve gotten since self-immolating my google career. first “issue” drops soon pls subscribe at,” Stapleton said in a tweet.

introducing TECH SUPPORT™, a new advice column/newsletter for tech workers borne of the many many DMs i've gotten since self-immolating my google career. first "issue" drops soon pls subscribe at https://t.co/By6uPsQiEO

— claire stapleton (@clairewaves) May 27, 2020

Stapleton told CNBC she started Tech Support due to an onslaught of questions she received from Google and non-Google employees since she left the company last June. “After the walkout happened, I would constantly get messages from Googlers and it was so strange. I did a lot of coffees and hangouts with people. I was like ‘what you looking for?’ Turned out, a lot of issues could be boiled down to bad managers and toxic environments.”

In a November 2018 press release calling for “Google employees and contractors participate in global walkout for real change,” Claire Stapleton said:

“Google is famous for its culture, but in reality, we’re not even meeting the basics of respect, justice and fairness for every single person here.”

Stapleton said she’s also received questions from non-Google employees such as an employee at Uber dealing with layoffs. “I have no answers, really, but I have years of experience with management and trauma to riff on the questions” she said. “I feel like ‘put me back in coach’ a little bit. I feel called to try and contribute in some way.”

Claire Stapleton is a writer and marketer known for her involvement in the 2018 Google walkouts. She had worked for the company for over a decade, working on its internal communications team before moving to YouTube marketing. She resigned in June 2019 after what she alleges as retaliation for her participation in organizing the walkout.