Meta is cracking down on internal dissent over CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s overtures to President Donald Trump — telling staffers that criticizing the billionaire or the company could harm their performance evaluations, according to a report.
The Facebook and Instagram parent, which has sought Trump’s help in getting European authorities to ease its regulation of American companies, has been restricting dissent over Zuckerberg’s right-ward shift on its internal Workplace platform, sources told the financial news network CNBC.
Employees who posted comments perceived as negative by management were warned that their remarks could be factored into performance evaluations, potentially impacting their job security, according to the report.
Meta recently implemented another round of layoffs, cutting approximately 5% of its 75,000 workforce, citing performance-based evaluations.
Meta workers who are disillusioned by Zuckerberg’s pivot toward Trump are hesitant to quit due to concerns that prospective employers may perceive their departures as part of the tech company’s efforts to cull “low performers,” according to CNBC.
Many employees believe these cuts are strategically targeting those who oppose the company’s political and policy shifts, the report said.
Meta declined to comment.
The company has a years-long policy of removing posts from its Workplace internal messaging platform that violate “Community Engagement Expectations” — which aim to minimize workplace disruptions by restricting discussions on sensitive topics such as politics, health issues, and weapons.
Meta employees posted messages on Workplace expressing concern after the company welcomed pro-Trump UFC President Dana White to its board of directors earlier this year.
In the wake of Trump’s re-election on Nov. 5, Zuckerberg announced significant changes to Meta’s content moderation policies, shifting toward a more free-speech-focused approach after helping suppress distribution of The Post’s reporting on the Hunter Biden laptop scandal.
The company said it was ending its third-party fact-checking program in the US and replacing it with a “Community Notes” system that allows users to add context to posts.
Content restrictions will also be relaxed, with enforcement primarily targeting illegal activities and high-severity violations rather than a broad range of speech.
Last month, Meta threatened to terminate any employee who leaked to the press — after Zuckerberg’s comments praising Trump’s leadership during an all-hands call were leaked to media outlets.
Reports also indicate that Zuckerberg has taken steps to curb political and social discussions within the company, limiting employee discourse on controversial topics.
Some staff members, however, have resisted certain policy changes — such as the removal of tampons from men’s restrooms. Workers have discreetly restocked the supplies in protest.
Sources within the company told CNBC that one of Zuckerberg’s aims in ingratiating himself with the president is to hopefully train the new administration’s antitrust ire on longtime rival Apple.
There is widespread sentiment within Meta that Apple’s 2021 privacy update of its proprietary iOS system that governs the company’s iPhone and other mobile devices cost the Facebook parent a whopping $10 billion in advertising revenue in fiscal year 2022.
The update restricted Meta’s ability to track users across the internet — a key mechanism that enables the company to better tailor targeted ads, a major driver of revenue.
Apple’s maneuver is viewed by Meta employees as having ushered in what they call “the Tim Cook recession” — a reference to the Apple chief executive officer.
Over the years, Zuckerberg has been vocal about Apple’s restrictive ecosystem, and recent reports suggest his criticisms are partly aimed at deflecting antitrust scrutiny away from Meta.
Despite these challenges, Meta’s business has rebounded, thanks to AI-driven ad advancements, with its 2024 ad revenue reaching $160.6 billion, nearly 40% higher than in 2021.
Meta has also taken legal action, filing a competition complaint against Apple in Brazil, arguing that Apple’s policies unfairly disadvantage third-party apps.
Apple has faced several antitrust allegations and legal actions globally, focusing on its business practices and market dominance.
In March 2024, the Department of Justice, along with 15 states, filed a lawsuit accusing Apple of monopolizing the smartphone market.
The lawsuit alleges that Apple’s practices make it difficult for consumers to switch smartphones, undermine innovation and impose significant costs on developers and consumers.
In 2020, Epic Games, the video gaming company, sued Apple over the removal of Fortnite from the App Store.
The lawsuit centered on Apple’s App Store policies, particularly the 30% commission fee and restrictions on alternative payment methods, which Epic argued were anti-competitive.
Zuckerberg has publicly criticized the 30% commission fee and restrictions on alternative payment methods, arguing that they hinder innovation and unfairly disadvantage developers.
The competition between Meta and Apple has extended into hardware, particularly in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) innovation.
Meta has poured significant resources into its Reality Labs division, creating Quest VR headsets and partnering with Ray-Ban to develop smart glasses.
Apple entered the AR/VR space in 2023 with the launch of its Vision Pro headset, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Meta in this rapidly evolving market.
The Post has sought comment from Meta and Apple about their rivalry.
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