Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is set to lay off approximately 3,600 employees, representing five percent of its workforce.
The decision, announced in an internal memo and confirmed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, comes as part of a strategy to improve performance management and address low performance within the company.
Zuckerberg explained that the move is aimed at ensuring Meta maintains the “strongest talent” while also allowing for new hires to join the company.
“I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low performers faster,” Zuckerberg said.
The announcement follows similar cuts by other major US corporations, including Microsoft, which also implemented performance-based dismissals affecting less than one percent of its staff.
As of September 2024, Meta employed approximately 72,400 people.
This round of layoffs occurs amid broader organizational changes at Meta, as the company shifts its approach toward political engagement and content moderation.
Zuckerberg has aligned more with conservative voices, including meeting with former President Donald Trump and nominating a Republican as Meta’s head of public affairs.
Additionally, the company has discontinued its US fact-checking program and scaled back its diversity initiatives, relaxing content moderation rules on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Meta’s new system will allow users to add context to posts, a feature similar to those found on X (formerly Twitter), which is owned by Elon Musk.
The company’s moves signal a major shift in both its internal operations and its approach to public policy.