
I got fired from Facebook (for having a YouTube channel) - vfc1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pIJoPkh9IU&t=2s
======
vfc1
The guy was working 80 hour weeks, and got fired overnight by having a Youtube
channel on tech and tech interview tips.

It's amazing how these companies think they can literally buy you and own you,
like a slave.

Not only they expect you to be available around the clock but even tell you
what you can and can't do with the little free time they leave you left.

~~~
nashashmi
I hate unions but it's abuse like this that reminds me why unions exist at
all. Unions basically tell managers that there are rules of engagement they
need to respect. And they tell companies that a level of work needs to be
guaranteed to them for employment, arbitrary rules will not work, and
employment is playing with a life and you need to plan ahead for that.

Sure certain employees abuse it and it attracts other types of employees that
could never work at startups. And a guy with his own YouTube channel would
rather work for a real company than a unionized one. But there has got to be a
balance. Between unbridled employers and managers and systematic ones.

~~~
foepys
Hate is a very strong emotion. What do you "hate" about them? Why don't you
just dislike them?

~~~
diveanon
It's just his American programming speaking.

Americans hate unions because their parents hate unions. Their parents hate
unions because they are "socialist".

~~~
jjulius
I like unions and so do my parents, but keep on keeping on with those blanket
generalizations.

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gilesgate
I feel guilty for laughing when he said "to have a friendly chat with HR".
It's certainly not a good month for him, as apparently his wife recently left
him as well[0]. Bit sad (and perhaps demeaning) to see the video cut mid-way
for a message from the sponsor.

But yeah, as jacquesm also said, there's no reason to expect any better from
Facebook, is there? It's rather a mark of consistency, being unethical both
outwards and inwards.

[0]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fssFXlNk6vw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fssFXlNk6vw)

~~~
grumpopotamus
I think he tries to make his sponsor messages as awkward as possible as a
joke.

------
occitan
No - not for having a YT channel (per se) but for engaging in communications
that FB considered to be a conflict of interest. And probably (as with most
firings), a whole whole bunch of other stuff (besides the nominal "reason").

Nonethelsss - my heart goes out to anyone dragged into a "friendly chat with
HR" under any circumstances.

~~~
alephnan
> No - not for having a YT channel (per se) but for engaging in communications
> that FB considered to be a conflict of interest.

What was the conflict of interest?

> And probably (as with most firings), a whole whole bunch of other stuff
> (besides the nominal "reason").

Probably, but not certainly.

~~~
occitan
_What was the conflict of interest?_

Dunno - whatever was running through the HR people's heads.

The whole point is - it wasn't simply for "having a YouTube channel".

------
lgl
Patrick's channel is pretty awesome and he has an amazing deadpan sense of
humor. For those who don't really know him, I suggest his "What do programmers
actually do?" video [0] which is pretty hilarious.

[0]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQY5udXquOk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQY5udXquOk)

~~~
ZeroCool2u
This is actually hilarious. Huge bummer he got fired, but I did subscribe to
his channel.

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alephnan
The irony of a social media company which encourages people to post and share

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VladimirIvanov
After looking into this more I believe he was fired for a video he made about
women in tech were he advocates traditional gender roles and references Sheryl
Sandberg to support his argument.

------
philjackson
He has an amazing sense of humour, considering.

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n1c
Is this for real? I'm really struggling with Poe's law. Ads, upsells, asking
for comments about if he's hit rock bottom all really feel disingenuous to me.

~~~
vfc1
It's just his style if you watch some of his other videos, he has a very
sarcastic sense of humor.

He has a series of recurring jokes like inserting adds in the middle of
nothing, repeating that he is an ex-Google Tech Lead 50 times, etc. those are
insider jokes for fans of the channel.

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calin2k
why is this flagged?

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VladimirIvanov
Wow, his wife left him too. I hope he's doing okay.

I'm surprised he didn't even get a warning.

~~~
occitan
_Wow, his wife left him too._

Might have had something to do with the 80-hour work weeks.

------
alephnan
The timing is interesting. He recently posted a video about women in tech.

------
meerita
Well, any decent company could hire him no problem.

