SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 30, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Facebook-parent Meta put out word

to employees on Thursday that it will freeze hiring to cut costs as it
endures tough economic times, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg revealed a planned pause in hiring during a weekly
all-hands meeting, the Journal reported, saying the move came as the social
media titan planned to cut expenses by at least 10 percent.

Meta declined to comment on the report, instead referring AFP to remarks
Zuckerberg made in July when the company reported its first quarterly revenue
drop and a plunging profit.

Zuckerberg said during an earnings call that teams would shrink in order to
"reallocate our energy" as it battled a turbulent economy and the rising
phenomenon of TikTok.

Meta had long delivered seemingly endless upward growth, but reported early
this year its first decline in global daily users.

"This is a period that demands more intensity, and I expect us to get more
done with fewer resources," Zuckerberg told analysts during an earnings call.

Big tech platforms have been suffering from the economic climate, which is
forcing advertisers to cut back on marketing budgets, and Apple's data
privacy changes, which have reduced leeway for ad personalization.

Snap and e-commerce colossus Amazon are among tech firms that have announced
workforce cuts this year.