Robert Scoble leaves his AR firm amid sexual harassment claims – CNET


Tech Industry

Robert Scoble leaves his AR firm amid sexual harassment claims

The tech evangelist resigns after three women accused him of actions that include groping and verbal harassment.

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Tech blogger Robert Scoble, one of the earliest Google Glass owners, has resigned from the mixed reality company he founded earlier this year.

James Martin/CNET

Tech evangelist Robert Scoble has resigned from Transformation Group, the “mixed reality” consulting firm he cofounded earlier this year, amid several allegations of sexual harassment.

Scoble’s departure was announced in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon by Shel Israel, a partner at Transformation Group. Scoble plans to cancel all public activities for the rest of the year while he attends support meetings and consults a psychiatrist, Israel said.

“His decision is related to recent revelations that Robert engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior, which he has confirmed are for the most part true,” Israel wrote in a Facebook post. “I hope this leads to him correcting his behavior in a way that is permanent.”

Scoble didn’t immediate respond to a request for comment.

Scoble has been accused by three women — journalist Quinn Norton, ProDay founder Sarah Kunst and former colleague Michelle Greer — of actions that include groping and verbal harassment.

“I did some things that are really, really hurtful to the women and I feel ashamed by that,” Scoble told USA Today in a story published Friday. “I have taken many steps to try to get better because I knew some of this was potentially going to come out.”

Sexual harassment issues come up regularly in the tech industry, but the conversation has been supercharged recently after actress Rose McGowan’s Twitter account was temporarily locked earlier this month when she made sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Since then, Amazon Studios head Roy Price resigned following similar allegations.

Israel said that despite attending hundreds of business and social events during the past 15 years, the revelations took him by surprise.

“Yes, I have seen him drunk and stoned, but not recently. I never personally witnessed him behaving inappropriately toward women. If I did, I would have called him on it,” Israel said. “Personally, I feel hurt and angry toward Robert, as I think you would, if someone close to you was exposed in a similar way. But at the end of the day, I have deep love (and) respect for him. His vision and passion for technology have inspired me and shaped a very significant portion of my career.”

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