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Technology industry 'still has a problem with sexism', survey finds

The technology industry still has a problem with sexism, according to women working in the sector.

Eline van der Velden, the founder of Particle Productions, told Sky News: "I've been asked before to come and look pretty in a meeting, also to wear a bit more makeup.

"I've been asked how old I am, whether I'm married, having kids any time soon.

"As a young girl I started interning at a digital agency and it was the first time I noticed any sexism.

"I grew up thinking this was something from the 1950s and then I started seeing the founder hire people who looked exactly like him continuously."

Sky News worked with The Pool, an online magazine, to survey women working in technology.

Among more than 500 women who said they worked in tech:

:: 39% said they've been denied a significant opportunity at work because of their gender

:: 15% said they have been asked about their marital status in a job interview

:: 14% have been asked about their intention to have children

:: 39% also said their organisation is biased towards hiring men over women for technical or senior roles

Jacqueline de Rojas, president of techUK, a trade body for tech companies, and executive vice-president at tech company Sage, hesitated to say the industry itself was sexist, but said more could be done.

"Sexism's a big word actually," Ms de Rojas told Sky News.

"What I would say is we've got very few women in the tech industry and by definition that means it's male dominated.

"I think it's going to get better, because we're shining a light on it more.

"The tech industry is being proactive in pockets, so I would say there's pinpricks of ecstasy - which is that we are doing quite a lot.

"I would reinforce the small stuff that makes a difference and that means it's personal, and that means it's all of our responsibility to make the 2mm shifts that make a difference."

Sam Baker, cofounder of The Pool, told Sky News: "Tech doesn't get scrutinised like finance does, because baddies work in finance, whereas tech's young, it's cool, it's hip.

"It's still white, it's still male. And that, I don't think we've seen that change. Especially not in development.

"I think there are big structural problems."