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Pinterest sacks techies for layoff tracker
CALIFORNIA: Pinterest is currently learning that when you pin your hopes on a quiet restructuring, your engineers might just have other plans. The social media giant has reportedly sacked a group of software developers who decided to take company transparency into their own hands by building an automated layoff tracker.
The drama began in late January when CEO Bill Ready announced a pivot toward AI that necessitated cutting 15 per cent of the workforce. While the bosses kept the specific list of who was getting the chop under lock and key, a few enterprising engineers decided to fill the information void.
They crafted a script that kept a hawk-like eye on internal Slack channels and company directories. The moment an account went dark, the tool logged it, effectively creating a real-time who’s who of the departed. It was a digital map of the company’s shrinking footprint, and leadership was not impressed.
By the following Friday, the creators of the tool found themselves on the wrong side of their own script. In a leaked recording obtained by CNBC, Bill Ready didn’t mince words. He branded the move as “obstructionist” behavior, suggesting that while healthy debate is welcome, actively tracking the exit of your colleagues is a step too far. “If you aren’t on board with the mission, perhaps you’d be happier elsewhere,” was the gist of the message delivered to the remaining staff.
Pinterest remains firm on the dismissals, with a spokesperson telling CNBC that the engineers “improperly accessed confidential company information” to identify the names and locations of those being let go. The company maintains that the tool was a violation of data security protocols rather than a harmless internal project.
However, the tech community sees it differently. Analysis from The Verge suggests this is part of a broader efficiency mandate sweeping through Silicon Valley. It marks a definitive end to the era of corporate transparency, replaced by a top-down leadership style where internal data is strictly guarded and employee-led monitoring is treated as a fireable offense.
As Pinterest works to strengthen its position against AI-driven advertising rivals like Meta, it seems the company is prioritising corporate discipline over employee-led initiatives. It turns out that at Pinterest, the only things leadership wants you to track are the latest home decor trends, not the HR department’s pruning shears.