Meta looking to trim Instagram staff in London

Bloomberg News reports Instagram will cut or relocate its 100-person London staff as part of an overall staff reduction at parent company Meta Platforms Inc.

Reporter Sarah Frier, citing “a person familiar with the matter,” said the London office, which opened in 2013, recently became an important hub for the app when its CEO, Adam Mosseri, relocate there last year. Mosseri, however, plans to move back to the United States. The move won’t be final until the completion of a required consultation period with the UK government, the article noted.

Mosseri has faced criticism from users for Instagram’s strong pivot to short-form video, to better compete with TikTok and Snapchat. As we have observed, this has led to the rise of more photo-focused apps like Hipstamatic, Glass, etc.

In March, Menlo Park-based Meta announced plans to reduce its headcount by 10,000 positions.

The Menlo Park, California-based social media company in March announced plans to eliminate 10,000 positions, as part of an efficiency campaign pushed by Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg. As part of that reduction, Meta is rolling out widespread cuts Wednesday. According to a memo the company sent on Tuesday, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs. A further round of cuts is set to follow in May.