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Silicon Valley's era of open debate fades as companies clamp down on employee dissent

A culture of fear has replaced free speech in the tech industry
Through the looking glass: As the tech industry continues to tighten control over employee speech and activism, a culture once defined by open dialogue and political engagement gives way to one marked by silence and fear of reprisal. "It's different now; employers feel they can get away with stuff," said a former Google employee.
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The reality of today's tech industry: layoffs, long hours, AI threats, and few perks

Silicon Valley's not so hot anymore
In a nutshell: It had long been said that a career in tech was the ultimate dream: high salaries, security, and a huge number of perks made for some very happy workers. But things look quite different today. The tech world has seen the highest number of layoffs of any private sector industry this year; perks have been cut; salaries aren't increasing in line with the extra demands; and there's the constant spectre of AI.
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Meta raises executive bonuses by up to 200% after cutting 5% of its workforce

Isn't that always the way?
A hot potato: Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has described 2025 as "an intense year" as the company looks to streamline its business. Part of that involves laying off 5% of its workforce, close to 4,000 people. The company is also giving its executives more money, having just approved a plan giving them bigger bonuses – up to 200% of their base salary.