Pinterest has dismissed two engineers after they created and circulated a software tool that identified colleagues affected by the company’s recent job cuts, according to reports.
Earlier this month, the social media platform announced plans to reduce roughly 15 percent of its workforce, amounting to around 700 roles. Chief executive Bill Ready framed the cuts as part of a move to “double down on an AI-forward approach.” The company did not specify which departments would be affected.
Following the layoffs, the engineers developed custom scripts that accessed internal systems to flag when employee accounts were deactivated. This effectively revealed the names and locations of staff who had lost their jobs, and the information was shared more broadly, prompting Pinterest to take disciplinary action.
A company spokesperson said the engineers had “improperly accessed confidential company information” and described the actions as a breach of internal policy and a violation of employee privacy. It remains unclear whether the data was shared solely within Pinterest or beyond the company.
According to the BBC, citing a source familiar with the matter, the scripts targeted internal communication and access tools. The code reportedly triggered alerts whenever employee names were removed from internal systems, exposing sensitive staffing information.
Pinterest has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence, aiming to enhance personalisation for users and automate tools for advertisers. Despite these efforts, investor confidence has been unsettled, with the company’s shares down more than 20 percent this year as markets weigh the competitive threat posed by newer AI platforms.
In an internal meeting, Ready reportedly told staff that while debate and dissent are welcome, employees who fundamentally disagree with the company’s strategic direction should consider their future elsewhere, according to CNBC, which first reported the dismissals.
The incident at Pinterest comes amid a wider wave of layoffs across the tech sector as companies restructure to focus on AI. Last week, Amazon announced 16,000 job cuts globally, while Meta confirmed it would reduce more than 1,000 roles in its Reality Labs division. Autodesk also revealed plans to shed approximately 1,000 positions this month.
Observers say the firings at Pinterest highlight the tensions companies face when balancing transparency, employee activism, and the protection of sensitive information. The case also underscores the cultural and operational challenges tech firms encounter as they pivot to AI-driven strategies while managing workforce reductions.
Pinterest’s decision to terminate the engineers marks one of the first high-profile disciplinary actions linked to employee access to sensitive data during AI-era restructuring, raising questions about workplace ethics and data security in the industry.
