PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: Google’s Chelsea office in New York was closed due to a reported bed bug infestation, according to exterminators using a K9 unit.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: Google employees in New York, exterminators, and bed bug-sniffing dogs.
WHEN & WHERE: The closure occurred over the weekend at Google’s Chelsea campus, with investigations ongoing at other Manhattan offices.
IMPACT: The office reopened Monday, but the incident highlights ongoing concerns about workplace hygiene and pest control reliability.
IN FULL
Google employees in New York were advised over the weekend to stay away from the company’s Chelsea office after exterminators found “credible evidence” of bed bugs. A pest control team used a bed bug–sniffing dog to inspect the premises, leading to a temporary closure of the office.
The building reopened on Monday while inspections continue at Google’s three other Manhattan locations. Employees were asked to report any signs of “bed bug exposure” or additional sightings.
Unconfirmed rumors suggested that a collection of large stuffed animals in the Chelsea office may have contributed to the outbreak. Google declined to comment, but this is not the first time Google’s Chelsea campus has dealt with bed bugs. In 2010, the company temporarily closed part of the same office after an infestation, which became public after an employee’s tweet.
The latest incident adds to a chaotic period for the tech giant. In recent months, Google has faced mounting political and legal scrutiny. In August, Google was accused of routing Republican fundraising emails containing WinRed links to spam folders while allowing similar Democratic fundraising emails from ActBlue to reach inboxes. GOP strategists warned the practice could “tilt the playing field in ways that voters never see.”
The company is also the target of a major antitrust effort by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Federal prosecutors are seeking to restructure Google’s advertising business after a Virginia judge found parts of its ad-tech system violated antitrust laws. “The purpose of a remedy is doing what is necessary to restore competition,” DOJ attorney Julia Tarver Wood said.
Image by Tomasz Molina.
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