Meta faces legal action over claims AI was used to target workers for layoffs

Meta has been named in a groundbreaking federal lawsuit alleging that the company used artificial intelligence and automated systems to target employees who had taken medical or family leave for termination. According to legal filings reported by news outlets, the plaintiffs claim that automated decision-making processes were deployed during Meta's recent rounds of job cuts to isolate and select workers with histories of protected medical leave, rather than relying on human evaluation.

The litigation adds a new dimension to the ongoing scrutiny of how major technology firms manage large-scale workforce reductions. While companies frequently cite performance metrics and organizational restructuring as the basis for layoffs, the lawsuit alleges that Meta's reliance on algorithmic assessments effectively penalized employees for taking legally protected time off. A Meta spokesperson has disputed the allegations, stating that the claims "lack merit and are not based on facts," and emphasizing that organizational and workforce management decisions are made by people, not AI.

At the same time, the company is introducing a series of product updates to its Instagram platform that have drawn criticism from digital rights advocates. Reports indicate that these recent updates modify existing user experiences, including adjustments to direct messaging encryption and the expansion of video formats. Independent privacy researchers have raised concerns that the cumulative effect of these feature rollouts reduces user control over personal data and weakens overall platform privacy.

The simultaneous developments highlight the tension between Meta’s internal operational strategies and its public-facing product management. As the company continues to navigate legal challenges regarding its employment practices, it remains under close observation from both labour regulators and consumer privacy advocates monitoring the deployment of automated systems and platform policy changes.