Meta layoffs: Employees face jobs cuts at WhatsApp, and Instagram, The Verge reports

Employees across Meta’s platforms including WhatsApp, Instagram and Reality Labs are being laid off in small numbers, according to a report by The Verge on October 17.

The Verge report did not specify the exact number of job cuts but mentioned that they were small. Meta did not comment on the numbers.

“Today, a few teams at Meta are making changes to ensure resources are aligned with their long-term strategic goals and location strategy,” company spokesperson Dave Arnold told The Verge, without divulging the number of cuts.

The latest round of job cuts at the Mark Zuckerberg-led firm, in smaller numbers this time instead of mass company-wide layoff, include moving some teams to different locations, and moving some employees to different roles, according to Arnold’s statement to the technology news media outlet.

“In situations like this when a role is eliminated, we work hard to find other opportunities for impacted employees,” he added.

This new round of layoffs follows a small series of job cuts in the company’s Reality Labs division earlier this year, per the report.

The latest development comes more than a year after Zuckerberg called 2023 the ‘year of efficiency’ and said that the management was focused on becoming a stronger and more nimble organisation.

In an earnings announcement in February 2023, Zuckerberg said: “We may incur additional restructuring charges as we progress further in our efficiency efforts. He had also said the firm will cut some layers of middle management amid a companywide effort to reduce costs and increase “efficiency.”

Prior to this, in November 2022, Meta had said it was cutting more than 11,000 roles which is 13% of its staff. Zuckerberg took accountability for the decision and said the firm overhired during the COVID-19 pandemic amid predictions of a continued surge of e-commerce.

“I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that,” he said.

Separately, the Financial Times reported that Meta fired another two dozen staff in Los Angeles for allegedly using their daily $25 meal credits to instead buy household items including acne pads, wine glasses and laundry detergent. These terminations are separate from the team restructurings and took place last week, the FT report said.