Hootsuite’s CEO said the Vancouver-based social-media-management company decided against proceeding with a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after employee backlash against the deal. (The Logic)

Talking point: A person identifying themselves as a Hootsuite employee tweeted allegations Wednesday night that the firm had signed a three-year deal with ICE Tuesday, and that more than 100 employees had expressed vocal opposition. The person suggested Hootsuite, which earned B Corporation certification in 2015, should not take money from an agency facing allegations of human rights violations. A whistleblower recently alleged six Mexican women being held in a U.S. migrant detention centre had hysterectomies performed on them without proper consent. Hootsuite initially denied to Business in Vancouver that it had entered into a deal, though a link to a roughly US$500,000 contract circulated online. BetaKit obtained documents indicating there was a Department of Homeland Security delivery order for a Hootsuite licence for ICE’s public affairs office. Hootsuite CEO Tom Keiser said in a statement Thursday that it had signed a contract with ICE, but witnessed “a broad and passionate reaction from our people” over the past 24 hours that led to more dialogue. “This decision has created a divided company, and this is not the kind of company I came to lead,” he said, adding he and management shared the same concerns and decided not to proceed with the deal.