Pinterest CEO fires employees behind layoff tracking tool

Pinterest CEO Bill Ready has criticised employees who made an internal tool to track company layoffs and dismissed those involved.

"Healthy debate and dissent are expected, that's how we make our decisions," Ready said at a companywide meeting last week, according to audio obtained by CNBC. "But there's a clear line between constructive debate and behavior that's obstructionist."

Pinterest shared on January 27 that it would reduce less than 15% of its team and minimize office space as part of a larger restructuring effort to channel resources towards artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives. The aim is to complete these layoffs by the end of September.

After the announcement, the chief technology officer of Pinterest addressed the staff reductions in a meeting. 

Some team members inquired about which departments were affected and if additional layoffs were expected, according to someone familiar with the meeting who requested anonymity due to the meeting's private nature.

A few Pinterest developers then built a software tool internally to analyse the layoffs. 

Pinterest let go of the developers on Friday, the source indicated. It's unknown exactly how many individuals were dismissed.

Ready supported these decisions during a company-wide meeting on Friday, expressing that Pinterest is at a "crucial period" in the industry. 

Employees who oppose the company's direction and mission should consider exploring opportunities elsewhere.

Ready stated Pinterest won't release detailed information about the layoffs due to employee privacy considerations.

"I understand the natural curiosity around such events," Ready explained. "We have shared significant changes already. The smaller adjustments will be notified at the team level."

Pinterest has significantly invested in AI to deliver more tailored and relevant content, ensuring users keep returning to the platform.