Snap Inc chief executive Evan Spiegel has come under fierce public criticism after photographs and videos of him enjoying the Coachella music festival emerged online just days before he announced plans to cut approximately 1,000 jobs at the social media company.
In an internal note dated 15 April, Spiegel informed staff that changes to the company's structure would affect the roles of around 1,000 team members. He described the decision as "incredibly difficult" and said he was "deeply sorry" to those who would be leaving the organisation. The announcement triggered an immediate wave of reaction across social media platforms.
Festival Footage Adds Fuel to Growing Discontent
Before the layoff announcement, Spiegel's wife, supermodel Miranda Kerr, had shared a series of photographs and videos on her social media account on 12 April, captioned "A day in the desert."
The posts showed the couple attending Coachella, with one clip showing Spiegel in a visibly relaxed mood at the event. Once the redundancy announcement followed days later, the images were widely circulated and drew sharp criticism from the public.
Social Media Erupts as Users Question CEO's Priorities
Online reaction was swift and largely hostile. One user wrote that Spiegel was "chilling with money" while his employees faced unemployment. Another described him as the "worst CEO in the history of CEOs." A third called for his removal, while a fourth remarked that his wealth stood in stark contrast to the financial uncertainty now facing his former staff members.
Not everyone joined in the criticism. A number of users argued that attending a music festival had no bearing on the business decisions that followed. One commenter questioned what listening to music at the weekend had to do with the company's strategic direction over the coming year, suggesting that the backlash conflated personal behaviour with professional responsibility.
