Meta has fired about 20 employees for leaking internal company information, reinforcing its strict rules against sharing confidential data. The company has made it clear that more terminations could follow as investigations continue.
A Meta spokesperson, Dave Arnold, confirmed the news to The Verge, saying, “We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders, that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent.
We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees being terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we expect there will be more. We take this seriously and will continue to take action when we identify leaks.”
This shows how serious Meta is about protecting its internal information, especially at a time when the company is facing many changes.
Adding to employee frustration, Meta recently ended its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and scaled back content moderation policies. According to reports from The New York Post, these changes have raised concerns that Meta is aligning itself with the new administration under Donald Trump. Many employees see this as a shift in the company’s direction, causing further dissatisfaction.
Meta’s struggle with leaks has taken a strange turn. Last month, during a company-wide meeting, CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed his frustration about the ongoing leaks. He reportedly told employees, “We try to be really open, and then everything I say leaks. It sucks.” As a result, he refused to answer certain questions, worrying that his responses would be made public.
Shortly after that meeting, Meta sent out an internal memo warning employees that leaking information would result in “appropriate action, including termination.” Ironically, that memo was also leaked to the public.
The firings show Meta’s effort to control its internal operations and prevent further leaks. The company is also shifting its focus toward artificial intelligence (AI). Mark Zuckerberg recently announced a $65 billion investment in AI technology, to make Meta AI the top AI assistant on the market. This AI push is part of Meta’s plan to strengthen its position in the tech world despite ongoing internal challenges.
While Meta works to stop leaks, the tension within the company continues to grow. Employees are worried about job security, and many feel uncertain about Meta’s future. The sudden end of the DEI programs and changes in content moderation have only added to the sense of instability.
Meta’s actions show a clear attempt to regain control of its internal environment. However, the fact that even warnings about leaks have been leaked shows just how difficult this battle is for the company.
As the investigations move forward, more employees could face termination. The tech community is closely watching to see if Meta’s strict measures will stop the leaks or deepen the divide between leadership and staff.
With more layoffs, policy changes, and a strong focus on AI, Meta is at a critical point. The company must balance protecting its internal information while maintaining trust and transparency with its workforce.
Meta’s internal leak crackdown is not new. In 2021, former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen leaked company files to The Wall Street Journal, leading to “The Facebook Files” series. Haugen testified before Congress, accusing Facebook of prioritizing profit over user safety.
With the latest wave of dismissals, Meta is sending a clear message: breaches of internal security will not be tolerated. However, the question remains — will this hardline approach restore internal order, or will it deepen the growing rift within the company?
