Google CEO Sundar Pichai has canceled an internal town hall meant to address gender discrimination after employee questions for management began to leak online. Pichai said in an email to staff that several Google employees became fearful for their safety and grew concerned about being outed for speaking up at the town hall. He said the company will aim to create several other forums "where people can feel comfortable to speak freely." Pichai's email was sent about an hour before the event was to start Thursday afternoon. The town hall was meant to hear out employee grievances over a flare-up that has consumed Google for much of the week.

FILE - In this file photo dated May 17, 2017, file photo, Google CEO Sundar Pichai delivers the keynote address for the Google I/O conference in Mountain View, Calif. Pichai has canceled an internal town hall meant to address gender discrimination on Thursday, Aug. 10, after employee questions for management began to leak online from the company's internal messaging service.