Activision Blizzard fined $35M by SEC over workplace harassment disclosures

Video game developer Activision Blizzard will pay $35 million to resolve charges laid by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) it violated federal securities laws by failing to adequately disclose how its ineffective response to workplace complaints was harming its ability to hire and retain skilled employees.

The company was further faulted for violating the SEC’s whistleblower protection rule.

Between 2018-21, Activision Blizzard lacked controls and procedures to effectively analyze whether its failure to address numerous workplace sexual harassment complaints was affecting its ability to attract and retain qualified workers. As a result, the company could not properly relay the depth of the problem in its disclosures, the SEC alleged in its order.