
Meta Platforms Inc. is trimming its sails, announcing a cut of approximately 3,600 jobs, which represents about 5% of its current workforce. A Meta spokesperson confirmed today that these layoffs are part of the company's larger performance review strategy. CEO Mark Zuckerberg, as reported by The Verge, is raising the bar on performance management to "move out low-performers faster." Managers have been informed that layoffs will begin on February 10.
While focusing on efficiency, Zuckerberg, in an internal memo shared by Bloomberg, has outlined 2025 as the "year of efficiency." According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, this approach includes advancements in artificial intelligence, smart glasses, and pioneering the future of social media. Employees affected by the cuts are expected to receive "generous severance," and U.S. employees will be notified by the set date in February.
This downsizing follows a string of changes and strategic shifts within Meta. The company recently shelved its diversity, equity, and inclusion program and refined its hiring process, adopting practices that aim to counter bias "regardless of background," as the San Francisco Chronicle puts it. With these internal changes, Meta has scaled back its third-party fact-checking program and revised its stance on moderating hate speech and abuse.
In another move underlining these corporate changes, content moderation teams will be relocated from California to Texas. Meta is adopting a more laissez-faire attitude toward discussions around controversial subjects. The company has begun to allow certain statements that would have previously fallen under censorship, such as negative remarks regarding immigration and gender identities. Additionally, Meta appears to be positioning itself alongside the incoming Trump administration, which is evident through actions such as a million-dollar donation to Trump's inauguration fund and the appointment of Dana White to Meta's board, as stated by the San Francisco Chronicle.
The social media landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Despite the recent layoffs and policy shifts, Facebook, owned by Meta, remains a leading platform, with 68% of U.S. adults engaged, even though the platform has seen a decline in teen users to 32%. With the new year, Meta Platforms Inc. is charting a course for a redefined and streamlined corporate future, one focused on "leading technology to enable the future of human connection," Zuckerberg stated according to The Verge.