Meta plans to lay off around 3,600 employees deemed low performers and replace them with new hires, according to an internal memo reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday.
The parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp confirmed to AFP that CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision will impact about five percent of its workforce. As of September, Meta employed roughly 72,400 people.
“I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,” Zuckerberg stated.
He explained that these performance-based layoffs aim to ensure the company retains “the strongest talent” while creating room to “bring new people in.”
Major U.S. corporations often implement performance-based job cuts. Microsoft recently announced similar layoffs, affecting less than one percent of its staff, according to Business Insider.
Meta’s restructuring comes amid broader organizational changes ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20.
Zuckerberg has shown increased alignment with conservative viewpoints, having attended private dinners with Trump and appointing a Republican to lead Meta’s public affairs division.
Recently, Zuckerberg also ended Meta’s U.S. fact-checking program, which targeted misinformation on its platforms. The program had been criticized by conservatives for allegedly censoring content.
Meta is now introducing a feature allowing users to add context to posts, similar to the system on X (formerly Twitter) promoted by Elon Musk.
Additionally, the company has reduced its diversity programs and eased content moderation policies on Facebook and Instagram, particularly regarding certain types of hostile speech.
