After fact-check, Meta rolls back DEI programs, Zuckerberg orders removal of tampons from men's bathrooms

Ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th US President, Facebook's parent company, Meta, is rolling back some of its much-touted liberal policies to align with the views of the upcoming conservative administration. Meta has announced that it is terminating major Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs with immediate effect.

CREDIT: AP

In line with changing US

In a memo to Meta employees, Janelle Gale, Vice President of Human Resources, said the changes, including those for hiring, training, and picking suppliers, are in line with the "legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States, which is changing."

No team focused on DEI

The memo also noted that Meta will no longer have a team focused on DEI, and instead of equity and inclusion training programs, the company will build programs that focus on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all.

CREDIT: REUTERS

No tampons in men's bathrooms

According to a New York Times report, the changes also include the removal of tampons from men’s bathrooms in Meta's offices, which the company had provided for nonbinary and transgender employees who use the men’s room.

Meta is also reportedly removing transgender and nonbinary customisation themes on its Messenger app and changing its "Hateful Conduct" policy to allow criticism of gender identity.

Trump's war on DEI

DEI has been a controversial topic in the US, with many conservatives criticising the policies as biased and favouring those from racial, sexual, and religious minorities.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Following his election win, President-elect Trump had promised to crack down on DEI initiatives. Several companies, including Amazon, Walmart, McDonald's, JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, and more, have also rolled back their DEI policies ahead of Trump assuming office.

Meta ends fact-checking?

Earlier this week, Meta had also ended its fact-checking programme in the US and announced that it will be replaced by an X-style community note.

Announcing the decision, Zuckerberg said Meta’s “fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created.”

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