Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is set to lay off approximately 3,000 employees starting February 10, according to an internal memo from Janelle Gale, the company’s Vice President of Human Resources.
Affected employees will be notified via email and will lose access to company systems within an hour of receiving the notice. The layoffs, described as “performance terminations,” primarily target low-performing staff, though some roles are expected to be refilled in the future.
The announcement comes amid growing scrutiny of Meta’s operations, particularly in Nigeria, where human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has filed a $5 million lawsuit against the tech giant. Falana alleges that Meta violated his privacy by publishing motion images and voice recordings captioned “AfriCare Health Center” on its website. The content falsely claimed that Falana had been diagnosed with a disease called ‘Prostatitis,’ a claim he says constitutes a gross invasion of his privacy under the Nigerian Constitution.
In the lawsuit filed before a Lagos High Court, Falana’s lawyer, Olumide Babalola, argued that the publication of such personal and false information violates Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which guarantees the right to privacy. The suit seeks $5 million in damages for the alleged infringement.
Meta, owned by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, has faced increasing legal and regulatory challenges globally, particularly over data privacy and content moderation. The lawsuit in Nigeria adds to the company’s growing list of legal battles, highlighting the need for stricter oversight of tech giants operating in the country.
The layoffs and legal challenges come at a critical time for Meta, which has been grappling with declining revenues and increased competition. The company has previously announced cost-cutting measures, including a hiring freeze and restructuring efforts, as part of its strategy to streamline operations and improve profitability.
As Meta navigates these challenges, the outcome of Falana’s lawsuit could set a significant precedent for privacy rights in Nigeria and potentially influence how global tech companies handle user data in the region. Meanwhile, the layoffs underscore the ongoing volatility in the tech industry, where even the largest players are not immune to economic pressures.
