Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is scrapping its diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) programs, in the latest sign of the so-called “vibe shift” or “preference cascade” taking place after Donald Trump’s victory on 5 November.
In a memo sent to employees, Janelle Gale, Meta’s vice president of Human Resources, confirmed significant changes to the company’s “hiring, development and procurement practices.”
“The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing. The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling a shift in how courts will approach DEI.
“The term ‘DEI’ has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others.
“Meta has the privilege to serve billions of people every day, It’s important to us that our products are accessible to all, and are useful in promoting economic growth and opportunity around the world.
“We continue to be focused on serving everyone, and building a multi-talented, industry-leading workforce from all walks of life.”
Meta is considering cutting the company’s entire DEI team, bringing to an end all equity and inclusion programs and removing all requirements for suppliers to meet diversity targets in their workforce.
Mark Zuckerberg has taken a very visible turn “towards the right” in recent months since Trump’s election victory, including multiple visits to Mar-a-Lago to speak to Trump.
Zuckerberg has also appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast, where he extolled the benefits of “masculine culture” and MMA, and also described the Biden administration’s Orwellian push for censorship on his platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.