Meta and Amazon End DEI Programs as Apple Defends Diversity Ahead of Trump's Inauguration

Jan 13, 2025, 03:15 PM

Meta Platforms Inc., led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has announced the immediate termination of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, aligning the company with other corporate giants like Amazon, Walmart, McDonald's, and Ford that have recently scaled back similar initiatives. This move comes as Meta overhauls its policies ahead of President-Elect Donald Trump's inauguration, loosening restrictions on how people can discuss contentious social issues such as immigration, gender, and sexuality on its platforms. Mark Zuckerberg has also met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to mediate a lawsuit over the suspension of Trump's Facebook account following the January 6th events, with a potential settlement under discussion. In contrast, Apple Inc. has urged its shareholders to vote against a proposal to eliminate its DEI programs, calling the proposal an inappropriate attempt to micromanage the company's business strategy and unnecessary given its well-established compliance program. Apple's board reaffirmed its commitment to diversity and inclusion, diverging from other tech companies scaling back these initiatives.