Two Top Executives Leave Facebook After “Disagreement” Over Merge of App

Two of Facebook’s top-level executives, including the head of WhatsApp messaging service, are exiting the company after disagreements with Mark Zuckerberg over the direction of the social network’s future.

The New York Times is reporting that the differences between the execs seem to stem from Zuckerberg’s assertion of control over his company and its apps which include Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. 

Zuckerberg has been insistent on rolling out a plan to integrate the services into a single privacy-focused program. Inside sources involved told the Times, the change is a “substantial shift” for Facebook, which had traditionally always encouraged users to share their content publicly. 

Now, executives at the company who work for these various platforms are concerned that weaving everything into one will affect the popularity and growth of each product individually. 

With Zuckerberg overruling key executives, people at the company are starting to fear losing autonomy and power as well. 

Since Facebook’s problematic period of bad press and scandals over data privacy and the spreading of disinformation, the company has looked to clean up their image by ridding their platforms of “toxic content” and fake news but with seemingly little success. 

However, Zuckerberg seems to be hellbent on shifting the direction of Facebook from public broadcasting of users sharing pics, videos, and posts to private messaging, even if it costs him some of his best people. 

One of those people is Chris Cox, the chief product officer, who has been with Mark for more than 13 years and is described as a member of his inner circle. 

Cox announced his departure in a public post on his own Facebook page. 

“As Mark has outlined, we are turning a new page in our product direction. It’s a product vision attuned to the subject matter of today a modern communications platform that balances expression, safety, security, and privacy.” 

Chris Daniels, who ran WhatsApp- didn’t post any public announcement. 

Frustrations seem to be rising higher with employees as Facebook continues to experience growing pains. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“Embarking on this new vision represents the start of a new chapter for us,” Mark Zuckerberg said in a note to staff on Thursday. 

“While it is sad to lose such great people this also creates opportunities for more great leaders who are energized about the path ahead to take on new and bigger roles.”