Mark Zuckerberg has dismissed 20 employees from Meta following their alleged leaking of confidential information to the media.
The firings come just weeks after statements made by Zuckerberg and other executives during internal meetings were reported in the news.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the layoffs, stating, “We inform employees upon joining the company and provide regular reminders that leaking internal information, regardless of intent, is against our policies.”
The spokesperson added, “Following an investigation, approximately 20 employees have been terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we anticipate further actions.”
“Taking these leaks seriously, we will continue to act decisively when they occur.”
Meta, the parent company of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, has experienced internal unrest since Zuckerberg implemented policies that critics argue are designed to align more closely with the new Trump administration. These changes included the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the rollback of fact-checking efforts in favor of community notes similar to those applied on X.
In light of the ongoing leaks, Zuckerberg informed employees that he would be less forthcoming with information in the future.
“We try to be really open, but everything I say leaks. It’s frustrating,” he remarked during a meeting first reported by The Verge.
Ironically, these comments were subsequently leaked to the press, prompting Meta to issue a company-wide memo reminding staff that disclosing information to the media could result in termination.
In a memo seen by the New York Post, Meta’s chief information security officer, Guy Rosen, stated, “When information is stolen or leaked, it has repercussions beyond the immediate security impact. Our teams become demoralized, and we waste time that could be better spent on our products and goals.”
Meta’s chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth, later mentioned that the company is “making progress in identifying the individuals responsible for leaks,” a comment that also found its way into the press.
