Talking Tech: Facebook parent Meta leads a new wave of tech layoffs

Happy Thursday, readers! Hard to believe, but we're two weeks away from Thanksgiving. Let's dig into this week's big news in tech.

It has been a challenging year for the tech industry. Layoffs, hiring freezes, and cuts in spending. The latest example: Meta.

The parent company of Facebook announced it will lay off more than 11,000 workers, or roughly 13% of its workforce.

In a message to employees, Zuckerberg said Meta significantly increased investments, believing surges in e-commerce and people shifting online during the pandemic would remain high. That didn't happen. 

"The teammates who will be leaving us are talented and passionate, and have made an important impact on our company and community," Zuckerberg wrote. "Each of you have helped make Meta a success, and I’m grateful for it."

But it wasn't just Meta. Salesforce said it also planned layoffs, reportedly in the hundreds of employees. Meanwhile, real estate website Redfin announced it was cutting 13% of its workers.

What else happened in tech?

Your Elon Musk update. The billionaire has seen his net worth cut nearly in half since last year. And then there's the whole Twitter saga. 

Is Wordle about to get harder? The game is adding a dedicated editor and a new list of words.

Holiday shopping early? Here's how to keep those Amazon purchases private.

Thursday tech tip

Nearly all of us have an old piece of tech lying around the house. Depending on the gadget, that dust-collecting device could turn dangerous. These are five gadgets you should remove from your home for safety or security reasons. 

One more thing

Who said Air Jordans or Air Forces were only for humans? A sneaker designer in Kentucky is creating Nike and New Balance shoes for horses.

That's a wrap. Until next week.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.