Meta Employees Flock to 'This Platform' Just Before 11,000 Layoffs

Anonymous SNS Blind

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, recently carried out a large-scale restructuring involving 11,000 employees. According to a report by the US economic media Business Insider on the 20th (local time), thousands of Meta employees flocked to Blind, an anonymous review application (app) for workers, just before the company's announcement.

According to the report, 3,000 Meta employees joined Blind one day before Meta announced the large-scale restructuring on the 9th, said Kim Seong-gyeom, Chief Business Officer (CBO) of TeamBlind, to Insider. Kim, the CBO, is a co-founder of Blind and is in charge of US operations.

More than 64,000 Meta employees, about 75% of the company's workforce, are registered on Blind. Over 7,000 Meta employees have joined Blind in the past two weeks. Kim CBO explained, "It is a very shocking event," adding, "We have definitely seen increased usage recently."

Earlier, on the 9th, Meta laid off more than 11,000 employees, a much larger number than initially reported. This was the first large-scale restructuring in Meta's 18-year history. The move came amid rising costs, deteriorating performance, and a plummeting stock price. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, said, "I want to take responsibility," and apologized to those affected.

Kim CBO stated that when layoffs occur, people naturally seek new opportunities, and various debates move to public forums during this process. He added, "Even those who were not laid off have realized that technology is no longer secure, leading many to become interested in finding new jobs," and noted, "Trust in the company has now fallen to an all-time low."

Kim CBO said that Blind's anonymity likely allowed employees to speak out without fear of retaliation, and that various debates are taking place on Blind, with company executives also using the platform. He conveyed the atmosphere, saying, "Personally, I feel very sorry for those who have experienced layoffs. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain they are currently going through."

Technology companies have been conducting massive layoffs this year due to worsening performance, cost-cutting, and falling stock prices.