Tech layoffs continue: Meta cuts jobs in WhatsApp, Instagram teams

Since 2022, Meta has been reducing its workforce, beginning with 11,000 layoffs due to overestimated growth following the pandemic. Meta has begun laying off employees across different divisions, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs, as reported by The Verge. Unlike a large-scale company-wide layoff, these cuts seem related to restructuring within specific teams. Some employees, like Jane Manchun Wong—known for uncovering unannounced app features before joining Meta's Threads team in 2023—have publicly shared news of their layoffs.According to Meta spokesperson Dave Arnold, the company is reallocating resources to align with its long-term goals, including moving teams and shifting employees to different roles. In the report, he stated, "When a role is eliminated, we work hard to find other opportunities for impacted employees." These layoffs come after earlier cuts in Meta's Reality Labs division this year. Since 2022, Meta has been reducing its workforce, beginning with 11,000 layoffs due to overestimated growth following the pandemic. In 2023, another 10,000 jobs were cut under CEO Mark Zuckerberg's "year of efficiency" plan.