Meta reduces its workforce in WhatsApp, Instagram, and other areas.
The layoffs come after CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that 2023 would be the "year of efficiency."
Meta has begun to lay off employees in several of its areas, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs, according to sources familiar with the situation. Unlike a corporate-wide mass layoff, these cuts are smaller and appear to be related to restructuring specific teams. Some former Meta employees have started to share on social media that they have been laid off, including Jane Manchun Wong, known for her insights on unannounced app features, who joined the Threads team in 2023.
Dave Arnold, a company spokesperson, explained that "today, some teams at Meta are making changes to ensure that resources are aligned with their long-term strategic objectives and location strategy." He also mentioned that this involves relocating certain teams and changing roles for some employees. If a position is eliminated, the company strives to find other opportunities for those affected.
This new round of layoffs follows a series of staff reductions in the company's Reality Labs division earlier this year. In 2022, Meta laid off 11,000 employees after an excess of optimism about the company's post-pandemic growth. Subsequently, an additional 10,000 employee cuts were announced as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s "year of efficiency" approach in 2023.