Meta Platforms has initiated layoffs affecting approximately 8,000 employees, or nearly 10% of its global workforce. The company did not organize town halls, send warnings, or wait for daylight. According to a Bloomberg report, workers in Singapore received their termination notices as early as 4 AM local time on Wednesday. Employees in Europe and the US are expected to receive similar messages in their respective time zones.
Work-from-Home Request Preceded Layoffs
Interestingly, ahead of the 20 May layoffs, employees were asked to work from home, adding to the surprise factor. The internet quickly reacted, with many criticizing Meta's approach.
Social Media Reactions
An X user documented the scale of recent layoffs: 'Every day I wake up to a new layoff wave. Meta: 8k, Amazon: 16k, Oracle: up to 30k, UPS: 30k, Cisco: 4k, LinkedIn: 875, Atlassian: 1.6k. 300k+ jobs already gone in 2026.' Another user called the strategy 'toxic,' stating, 'The environment Meta created with this layoff is toxic.' The sentiment highlights that Meta not only fired 8,000 people but also sent a chilling message to remaining employees: 'You could be next. At 4 am. Without warning.'
Timing Condemned
Netizens discussed how tech companies are ending careers at inhumane hours. '6 am Oracle layoff. 4 am Meta layoffs,' one wrote. Another remarked, 'Meta Singapore, which was an oasis for returnee kids, is finally facing layoffs, huh~. I have acquaintances working there, but moving to Google seems tough right now too.' A third user sarcastically commented on corporate compassion: 'Meta sending layoff notices at 4 am really adds that extra touch of corporate compassion.'
Alleged AI Training Before Layoffs
Another X user referred to an allegedly leaked audio from Mark Zuckerberg, claiming the company tracked 'really smart' staff to train AI before the layoffs. The user wrote: 'Intelligent managers hire intelligent workers to train intelligent systems. Intelligent systems will replace intelligent workers. Cycle of life in new AI era!!!'
Words of Encouragement
One X user who had previously been laid off offered advice: 'If you're at Meta rn and waiting for that 4 am layoff email, my thoughts are with you. Don't worry. I've been there too, and quitting these soulless corpos can lead to finally taking a step towards building something yourself. Take a deep breath; it'll only get better from here. To new beginnings!'
