On Friday, January 10th, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, notified its employees about the decision to dissolve the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team and cancel multiple related initiatives. This move signifies another significant shift in policy for the leading social media company.
According to the initial report by American media Axios, an internal memo sent to employees on Friday by Janelle Gale, Meta’s Vice President of Human Resources, explained that the legal and policy environment surrounding DEI work in the United States is changing, prompting the company to alter its policy direction.
Gale informed employees that the term DEI has become “controversial,” with some people suggesting it implies favoritism towards certain groups.
As per the memo, Meta will no longer have a dedicated team focused on DEI. The company’s Chief Diversity Officer, Maxine Williams, will transition to a new role within Meta focusing on the usability of company products and user engagement.
Meta will also cease using the “diverse slate approach,” a program that ensured consideration of diverse candidates for every position.
Other major companies have recently taken similar actions, including Walmart in November and McDonald’s just this week terminating their DEI initiatives and related products.
In the memo, Gale wrote, “We will stop offering diversity and inclusivity training programs and instead establish plans focused on applying fair and consistent practices to reduce bias, regardless of background.”
On January 7th, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a significant overhaul of the company’s content moderation policies, discontinuing third-party fact-checking programs in favor of the “Community Notes” initiative.
Zuckerberg stated that this move aimed to “return to basics, focus on reducing errors, simplifying policies, and restoring freedom of speech.”
These actions are reportedly aligned with the political and cultural perspectives of former US President Trump and the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.
Last month, Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, and Zuckerberg met with the President-elect at his estate in Florida.
Earlier this month, Meta promoted prominent Republican Joel Kaplan to the position of Chief Global Affairs Officer, replacing Nick Clegg, and appointed Trump’s longtime friend Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), to the company’s board of directors.