Pinterest sacks two engineers for creating software to identify fired workers

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Lauren AlmeidaFebruary 4, 2026 at 10:48 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Pinterest fired two engineers for creating and sharing a software tool that identified employees affected by recent layoffs, which impacted approximately 15% of the workforce (around 700 employees). The engineers' script improperly accessed confidential company information to determine the names and locations of dismissed employees. Pinterest cited a clear violation of company policy and privacy as the reason for the termination. The tool reportedly created alerts when employee names were removed or deactivated from internal communication systems. The firings occurred amidst a broader context of job cuts in the tech sector, including at Pinterest, as companies increasingly invest in AI.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

London 40% Amazon 40% Meta 40% BBC ×250% San Francisco 50% CNBC ×250% Bill Ready ×270% Pinterest ×9100%

Keywords

pinterest 100% job cuts 90% engineers fired 80% ai 70% software tool 70% confidential information 60% company policy violation 50% data privacy 50% bill ready 40%