Meta Plans Layoffs in Preparation for an ‘Intense Year’

January 14, 2025 TruthUSA

Meta will cut roughly 5 percent of its workforce, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Employees of Facebook’s and Instagram’s parent company were notified of the performance-based layoffs through an internal memo on Tuesday.

“Meta is working on building some of the most important technologies of the world. AI, glasses as the next computing platform and the future of social media,” Zuckerberg wrote in the memo first reported by Bloomberg.

“This is going to be an intense year, and I want to make sure we have the best people on our teams. I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low performers faster. We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle, with the intention of back filling these roles in 2025,” he continued.

The 5 percent reduction means roughly 3,600 employees will be let go.

He said that affected employees will be given a “generous severance.”

The layoffs follow several major changes for the company.

Last week, Zuckerberg said that Meta would end its third-party fact-checking program and instead use a model similar to Elon Musk’s “Community Notes” on his social media platform X.

“It’s time to get back to our roots around free expression on Facebook and Instagram,” he said in a video message. “The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point towards once again prioritizing speech, so we’re going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms.”

As part of the change, Meta will lift restrictions on some mainstream topics and take a more “personalized approach” to political content.

Earlier this month, the company announced plans to scrap its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program. Meta will instead “focus on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background,” according to a spokesperson.

Last week, Zuckerberg met with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, marking their second meeting since Trump’s November 2024 election victory.

The layoffs will be announced for US-based staff on Feb. 10, and a little later for those outside the country.

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