Meta Cancels DEI Programs, Aligning with Shifting Political Landscape

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has made a dramatic shift in its corporate policies, announcing the cancellation of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The move is part of a broader series of changes implemented by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, sparking widespread debate about the company’s direction.

In a memo obtained by Axios, Janelle Gale, Meta’s Vice President of Human Resources, cited recent Supreme Court decisions and shifting legal standards as reasons for the change. “The term ‘DEI’ has also become charged,” Gale wrote, noting that some perceive the practice as promoting preferential treatment of certain groups.

As part of the overhaul:

• Meta will no longer set representation goals based on race or gender.
• There will no longer be a requirement to include a diverse pool of candidates during hiring processes.
• The supplier diversity program, which focused on engaging underrepresented vendors, will also be discontinued.

This decision comes on the heels of Zuckerberg’s announcement to transfer content moderation duties to users and ease restrictions on hate speech across Meta’s platforms. The move has been seen as an attempt to align with the growing anti-“woke” sentiment popular among some political groups, particularly the MAGA movement and Trump-era policies.

Zuckerberg’s decision to loosen restrictions on hate speech has also drawn sharp criticism from advocacy groups, who warn it could lead to increased harassment and disinformation on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta has not publicly commented on whether it plans to replace the DEI initiatives with alternative programs or strategies to promote workplace fairness.