- Snap sent employees a memo regarding the recent increase in leaked company information, according to a report from Cheddar.
- The memo – sent by Snap’s chief lawyer and general counsel Michael O’Sullivan – states that employees caught leaking information will be fired and could face jail time.
Snap has issued a threatening memo to employees about the recent uptick in leaks.
The memo, which was obtained by Cheddar, was sent to employees on January 8. In it, Snap’s chief lawyer and general counsel Michael O’Sullivan states that employees who are caught leaking information will be fired and could face legal action.
“If you leak Snap Inc. information, you will lose your job and we will pursue any and all legal remedies against you,” O’Sullivan wrote. “And that’s just the start. You can face personal financial liability even if you yourself did not benefit from the leaked information. The government, our investors, and other third parties can also seek their own remedies against you for what you disclosed. The government can even put you in jail.”
A Snap spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the memo.
Snapchat has always been a secretive company. According to a Business Insider report from October 2016, CEO Evan Spiegel navigates Snap's Venice Beach headquarters flanked by a security detail, and new employee orientation includes a list of forbidden topics of discussion. Most Snap employees don't know when a new product is coming - regardless if it would affect their team's long-term metrics or goals.
But as Cheddar points out, the company has been plagued by leaks over the last several months. New features and company news has been reported by the press before the company can announce it, including a recent round of layoffs.
Cheddar has the full memo sent to employees, so head over there for more.