Meta’s right-wing reinvention also includes an end to DEI programs and trans messenger issues
Meta doesn’t stop there Moderation changes. According to both of them Axios And The New York TimesThe company is also pulling the plug on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This includes eliminating diversity hiring goals, eliminating the position of chief diversity officer, and no longer prioritizing minority-owned companies as vendors The times‘ Reporting.
When asked for comment on the demise of DEI initiatives, Meta confirmed that the reporting was accurate.
Internally, the company apparently justifies the decision with a changing “legal and political landscape,” according to a memo to employees Axios acquired.
“The United States Supreme Court recently made decisions that signal a shift in the way courts will approach DEI,” Janelle Gale, vice president of human resources at Meta, said in the memo. “The term ‘DEI’ is also controversial, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment for some groups over others.”
The current Supreme Court is not exactly friendly to systemic attempts to address issues of race, gender, and sexuality, but in the context of Meta’s other recent changes, it seems there’s more going on than the company’s fear of a possible lawsuit.
At the same time that Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta is abandoning third-party fact-checking and changing what kind of speech it allows on its platform, 404 media reports that the company has removed “trans” and “non-binary” topics from Messenger and published posts announcing them. The company also added Trump supporters and UFC CEO Dana White This is an acknowledgment of Zuckerberg’s enduring UFC fanbase, but also a sign that Zuckerberg is willing to listen to conservative voices. Overall, this appears to be less a reaction to the current climate and more about the way those responsible want to do business in the future.
