San Francisco (AFP) – Social media giant Meta announced Friday it is dismantling its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the company, marking another major shift in strategy as it aligns with politically conservative priorities. In an internal memo to employees, the company outlined sweeping changes including the elimination of its diverse slate hiring approach and the disbanding of its DEI team.
The move comes amid what Meta describes as “a changing legal and policy landscape” following recent Supreme Court decisions against programs that allowed for increased diversity priorities at US universities. The memo, first reported by Axios, landed days after Meta abruptly overhauled its content moderation policies, including ending its US fact-checking program on Facebook and Instagram, in a major shift that conforms with the priorities of incoming president Donald Trump. That announcement echoed long-standing complaints made by Trump’s Republican Party and X owner Elon Musk about fact-checking and moderating hate speech on social media.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has been moving aggressively to reconcile with Trump since his election in November, including donating $1 million to his inauguration fund and hiring a Republican as his public affairs chief. On Friday he sat down for an interview with popular podcaster Joe Rogan in which he bitterly criticized the Biden administration for asking that content be censored on Meta platforms during the coronavirus pandemic.
– Threats from Trump – Trump has been a harsh critic of Meta and Zuckerberg for years, accusing the company of bias against him and threatening to retaliate against the tech billionaire once back in office. Republicans are also fiercely against DEI programs in corporate America, many of which were established in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement and the nation’s attempt to reckon with longstanding racial disparities.
In the immediate aftermath of Trump’s election victory in November, Walmart and a string of prestige brands — from Ford, John Deere and Lowe’s to Harley-Davidson and Jack Daniel’s — also scaled back programs aimed at bolstering minority groups. In its memo, Meta said its Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams will transition to a new role focused on accessibility and engagement, as the company phases out its dedicated DEI initiatives. The parent company of Facebook and Instagram will also terminate its supplier diversity program, which previously prioritized sourcing from diverse-owned businesses.
Instead, Meta says it will focus on supporting small and medium-sized businesses more broadly. “We serve everyone,” the memo stated, emphasizing that the company will continue to source candidates from different backgrounds while eliminating specific representation goals for women and ethnic minorities that were previously in place.
© 2024 AFP
