Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, has taken a hard stance against employee dissent, telling workers who oppose company policies to either accept the changes or leave.
His comments, made in response to criticism on Meta’s internal Workplace forum, underscore a widening divide between leadership and employees over controversial shifts in policy, including the company’s handling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), LGBTQ+ issues, and internal free speech.
The backlash against Meta’s leadership reflects a broader trend in the American tech industry, where major firms have been steadily reversing progressive initiatives under growing political pressure and economic restructuring.
Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 17 (June 9 – Sept 6, 2025) today for early bird discounts. Do annual for access to Blucera.com.
Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations.
Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and co-invest in great global startups.
Register to become a better CEO or Director with Tekedia CEO & Director Program.
However, Meta is not alone. Other tech giants, including Google, have made similar moves, scaling back DEI programs, altering their approach to content moderation, and defying internal dissent.
Bosworth’s Hardline Response to Internal Criticism
Per BI Africa, the controversy erupted on January 30 when Bosworth shared an article from The Verge in a Workplace group called “Let’s Fix Meta,” which has nearly 12,000 members. The article covered CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s comments during an all-hands meeting that day, which had been leaked in full to the press.
Bosworth, addressing the leak, expressed his frustration, writing: “As predicted, the entirety of today’s Q&A leaked. It sounds like someone just gave the entire audio feed to a journalist. I saw all the angry/sad reactions about the change to the format and I share a sense of loss about it, but I think this makes it clear it was the right call.”
His post drew sharp criticism from employees, with one accusing the company of systematically targeting marginalized communities and eroding internal free speech.
“Company changes policies to specifically target the LGBTQ community, cuts its own data-backed DEI programs, leadership goes on a far-right podcast to explain changes instead of addressing employees, limits free speech internally—and there’s surprise?” the employee wrote.
In response, Bosworth dismissed the concerns, asserting that employees should either accept the company’s decisions or leave.
“If your view is ‘everyone has to like all the policies we have and if they don’t it is appropriate to leak,’ then I think you should consider working elsewhere.”
The exchange escalated when another employee pushed back against the company’s increasingly closed-door approach.
“Blaming leaks for why Mark’s policy decisions cannot even be discussed, much less appealed, is a slap in the face. We’re all here because when we were hired, we were the best candidate for the job,” the employee wrote.
Bosworth doubled down: “You should quit if you feel that way, I mean it.”
His remarks have only fueled existing frustrations among employees who believe Meta is becoming a hostile work environment, one where critical discussions are stifled and workers are expected to fall in line or leave.
Much of the internal frustration at Meta stems from the company’s broader retreat from DEI initiatives and its perceived shift toward appeasing conservative critics.
Zuckerberg’s leadership has overseen cuts to key DEI programs that were previously touted as essential for fostering an inclusive workplace. Additionally, changes to content moderation policies have led to concerns among employees about how the company handles discussions around LGBTQ+ issues, racial justice, and other social topics.
Meta has also altered its internal communication policies, restricting employees from freely discussing controversial subjects. Ahead of the January all-hands meeting, the company’s vice president of internal communications announced that Meta would be limiting the types of questions employees could ask in Q&A sessions.
“We will skip questions that we expect might be unproductive if they leak or things like People related questions that have already been answered,” the executive wrote.
To many employees, this move underlined an attempt to curtail open dialogue. Some also accused the company of actively removing internal Workplace posts that were critical of the leadership, with one employee calling it a “free speech issue.”
Tech’s Rightward Shift
Meta’s crackdown on internal dissent is not an isolated case. In recent months, other major tech companies have also moved to dismantle DEI programs, shift their approach to LGBTQ+ policies, and rein in employee speech.
For instance, Google has significantly scaled back its DEI efforts over the past year, quietly disbanding internal initiatives aimed at promoting workplace diversity. Employees at the company have reported a chilling effect on internal discussions about race, gender, and social justice, with management discouraging activism and external political engagement.
The reversal of DEI and LGBTQ+ policies across the tech industry comes at a time when companies are facing mounting political pressure from conservative lawmakers and business leaders. The Republican Party, led by former and now-current President Donald Trump, has been vocal in its opposition to what it calls “woke capitalism.” Right-wing politicians have increasingly targeted tech companies for their progressive policies, accusing them of pushing liberal agendas.
At the same time, economic conditions have forced tech firms to tighten their budgets, with DEI programs among the first to be cut. Companies that once championed diversity efforts are now shifting their focus back to financial performance, innovation, and market dominance.