Google, following a significant round of layoffs earlier this year, is once again attracting attention due to its downsizing efforts, this time focusing on its news division. As reported by CNBC, Google has reportedly reduced its workforce in the news division by eliminating around 40-45 positions. While the company hasn't officially confirmed the exact number of employees affected by these layoffs, a representative from the Alphabet Workers Union did acknowledge that job cuts have occurred within the news division. This news follows closely on the heels of Google's recent decision to lay off hundreds of employees in its recruiting group last month, according to the same source.
Google, a tech industry giant renowned for its deep involvement in news curation and dissemination, operates the Google News platform. This platform serves as a central hub for presenting top-ranking news articles that are customized based on readers' preferences and geographic locations.
While Google has acknowledged these job cuts, a company spokesperson emphasized their commitment to sustaining a thriving information ecosystem. The spokesperson explained, "We’re deeply committed to a vibrant information ecosystem, and news is a part of that long-term investment. We’ve made some internal changes to streamline our organization. A small number of employees were impacted. We’re supporting everyone with a transition period, outplacement services, and severance as they look for new opportunities at Google and beyond."
The news division at Google has been undergoing substantial restructuring in recent months, and this recent round of layoffs builds on changes initiated earlier this year. Notably, Alphabet, Google's parent company, revealed plans in January to reduce its global workforce by 6 per cent, which resulted in layoffs for approximately 12,000 Google employees and individuals in other Alphabet divisions. The company cited its previous hiring practices, which had been in response to the surge in the digital economy during the pandemic, as a factor that necessitated these downsizing efforts.
It's important to recognize that this recent wave of layoffs is not unique to Google but is part of a broader trend in the tech industry. Many technology companies have announced layoffs as part of strategic restructuring initiatives. For instance, LinkedIn recently laid off about 668 employees, bringing their total layoffs for 2023 to approximately 1,400. In a similar vein, Qualcomm, a major player in the smartphone chipset industry, eliminated 1,258 employees, although this action was confined to two of its California offices.
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