Tracing Sheryl’s Footsteps in the Tech Industry

Meta is often in the media for controversial reasons. However, its top executives have typically stuck it out and remained loyal to the business, regardless of the criticism they’ve faced.

But in what has been dubbed “the end of an era”, Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Sheryl Sandberg, is stepping down from her position after more than a decade.

Sandberg has seen Meta, previously Facebook, through noteworthy events—including several controversies. So, let’s take a run-down of her resignation and a brief history of her role at Meta over the years.

Sheryl Sandberg Resigns From Meta

Meta’s second-in-command is stepping down from her position after 14 years at the helm of its operations. She announced her resignation in a lengthy Facebook post on May 2, 2022.

In the post, Sandberg recounted her journey with Facebook and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. She also acknowledged the impact of social media on people’s lives. Since joining the company, Sandberg has become one of the most notable figures in the tech space.

In addition to her role at Meta, she is known for her best-selling book—Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead—which inspired women to take up space in the workplace.

Sandberg will officially step down in the Fall of 2022. She will be replaced by Javier Olivan, Meta’s former chief growth officer, who helped to expand Facebook internationally.

A Brief History of Sheryl Sandberg’s Role at Facebook

Sandberg joined Facebook in its infancy stage back in 2008. That’s four years after the social network was founded by Harvard students Chris Hughes, Dustin Moskovitz, Andrew McCollum, Eduardo Saverin, and Mark Zuckerberg.

Upon joining, she was tasked with giving the business more structure as an experienced member of the group. As a result of her efforts, she is credited with helping to build Meta into the multi-billion-dollar business it has become.

Despite her string of achievements, Sandberg has found herself in the firing line of critics amid the numerous scandals she was involved in as Facebook’s COO.

For instance, there were allegations that Facebook helped Trump win the 2016 US presidential election by allowing his camp to spread fake news on the platform. However, Sandberg denied Facebook’s role in Trump’s win.

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Image Credit: Tia Dufour/Wikimedia Commons

Despite the denial, a whistleblower revealed in 2018 that Cambridge Analytica, a consulting firm working for Trump,obtained the personal data of millions of Facebook users and used it for political ads. Sandberg acknowledged that Facebook had known about the privacy breach for a few years but did not act on it.

At the time, she was in charge of Facebook’s policy division and received a lot of backlash for the scandal. She later took responsibility for the incident and expressed deep regret via a Facebook post for how the company handled it.

But during the US Capitol riots scandal in 2021, Sandberg took a different approach. She minimized Facebook’s role in the chaos and passed the blame to other platforms. However, the Justice Department proved that the organizers of the mob primarily used Facebook to set the stage for the insurrection.

In the same year, she was criticized for her silence following claims made by former Facebook employee Frances Haugen against the platform. These include allegations that Facebook’s algorithms amplify hate, misinformation, and political unrest. Sandberg’s colleague, Nick Clegg, stepped up to put out fires on behalf of the business instead.

If you’re concerned by these reports and how algorithms control what you see,you can disable these algorithmic feeds on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter .

Why Sheryl Sandberg Is Leaving Meta

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While Sandberg didn’t share her reasons for leaving Meta, some speculate that the previous controversial events involving Facebook have driven a wedge between the former COO and Mark Zuckerberg. Even though the two leaders have not shown any signs of tension publicly, it may have played a role in Sandberg eventually leaving the company.

Sandberg told The Washington Post that she informed Zuckerberg of her resignation the weekend before making a public announcement. Considering how sudden her decision seems, we wonder if there may be any truth to the speculations.

Regardless, both Zuckerberg and Sandberg have shown the utmost diplomacy in their public announcements of Sandberg’s departure. The pair sang each other’s praises for the impact they’ve had on each other’s professional and personal lives.

What’s Next for Sheryl Sandberg?

With Mark Zuckerberg’s help, Sheryl Sandberg will hand over her work and transition out of the company. And while she will no longer be involved in the day-to-day running of the business, she will continue to serve on Meta’s board of directors.

Sandberg admitted she does not know what comes next for her in her Facebook post. However, she said she wants to focus on her foundation and philanthropic efforts, marriage, and blended family.