Meta's Layoff Wave: How WhatsApp, Instagram, and Other Brands Are Affected

Meta has begun a fresh round of layoffs, impacting key divisions such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs. Insiders familiar with the situation suggest that these job cuts are not part of a widespread layoff across the entire company. Instead, they seem to be more focused on specific team reorganizations as Meta continues to align its workforce with its current business objectives. This selective downsizing highlights Meta’s effort to streamline and become more efficient in an increasingly competitive tech market.

Many employees who have been affected by this wave of layoffs have taken to social platforms to share their stories. Among them is Jane Manchun Wong, a prominent tech figure who became known for discovering unreleased app features before joining Meta’s Threads team in 2023. Despite her contributions, Wong was not immune to this restructuring and has confirmed her departure from the company.

Still trying to process this but my role at Meta has been impacted. Thank you to everyone for my wild journey at Meta

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If anyone is interested in working together on software/security, please reach out via my email / LinkedIn noted on my website

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— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) October 16, 2024

Earlier in 2023, Meta already made cuts within its Reality Labs division. These layoffs follow a broader trend that started in 2022 when Meta slashed 11,000 jobs after the company miscalculated its post-pandemic growth. As a result, Meta was forced to scale back its workforce as part of its adjustment to the changing business landscape. Financial pressures and the need to stay agile led to tough decisions from Meta.

In 2023, CEO Mark Zuckerberg launched the “year of efficiency,” an initiative aimed at optimizing performance and reducing costs. As part of this, Meta announced another 10,000 layoffs, with the goal of refocusing its resources on priority areas.

While these changes are intended to make Meta more competitive, they have brought uncertainty for many employees. Meta is balancing between staying lean and thriving in a fast-changing tech environment