Google, the tech titan you probably have an emotional attachment to, is about to dish out a hefty $28 million. Why? Because it’s been accused of playing favorites with salaries based on race. Shocking, right? Normally, we expect our giant tech companies to cook up hot innovations, not scandals. But here we are, once again hitting that snooze button on our collective outrage.

In a lawsuit that feels like it’s been brewing since the dawn of the internet, current and former employees identifying as Latino, Indigenous, and Pacific Islander have claimed that their white and Asian counterparts were taking home fatter paychecks. Yes, in 2025, it appears some tech companies still haven’t mastered equity in the workplace.

Let’s break down what this settlement actually means. It’s a whopping sum, sure, but is it enough to change the systemic issues lurking in the shadows of Silicon Valley’s corporate campuses? Maybe not. Google is not just paying off this lawsuit; they are simultaneously battling similar allegations from Black employees. One can only hope that their next product isn’t a ‘Pay Equity Algorithm’ – talk about missing the point.

Critics argue that this legal settlement may amount to little more than a slap on the wrist. After all, $28 million is just a drop in Google’s massive bucket. For a company that reportedly rakes in billions annually, this felt more like a flex than a real admission of guilt. And while they keep throwing money at the problem, underrepresented employees are still left wondering whether meaningful change will ever really happen.

So here’s a wake-up call: Google’s not the only tech giant caught in this net of inequality. The industry’s pay disparities continue to reveal that discrimination isn’t just a word thrown around in diversity meetings; it’s a practiced art form. And while this settlement is a step in the right direction, we can’t help but wonder if it’s yet another move in the corporate playbook designed more for optics than for change.

As long as tech giants keep being the golden geese that lay our collective golden eggs, it’s up to us, the consumers, the workers, the equity warriors, to keep an eye on the prize: real equality in every workspace.

To wrap it up: congrats Google, you’ve officially made it into the “Problems We Didn’t Know We Had” list. Now, how about doing something about it?

Let’s keep watching, shall we?