Tech Layoffs Continue: Zillow, TikTok, and Etsy Announce Job Cuts
Early August has seen significant layoffs at major tech firms including Zillow, TikTok, and Etsy. The total number of tech job losses for 2026 has already surpassed the entirety of 2025.
The first week of August has brought a wave of significant layoffs across the technology sector. Online real estate platform Zillow announced it is cutting "just over 500" employees, representing approximately 7% of its workforce. CEO Jeremy Wacksman stated the measures are aimed at ensuring a disciplined cost structure and improving efficiency.
Social media giant TikTok is laying off 250 employees from its Nashville office, which focused on content moderation. The company stated the office closure is intended to streamline operations and better align teams for long-term growth. The layoffs are reportedly not connected to a recent incident during a TikTok live stream.
Online marketplace Etsy has also announced approximately 220 job cuts, primarily affecting its Product and Engineering teams. CEO Kruti Patel Goyal cited organizational changes necessary to prepare for 2027 as the reason, emphasizing that the decisions were not driven by AI adoption.
Google has also reduced its workforce in Washington state, with a notice indicating 52 employees will be laid off effective October 5. Reports suggest these are team-level reorganizations rather than part of a broader layoff round.
Data from layoff-tracking site Layoffs.fyi indicates that the total number of tech layoffs in 2026 surpassed the full-year 2025 total as of August 6. In 2025, 278 tech companies laid off 122,606 employees, while 2026 has seen 125,759 layoffs year-to-date. Increased investment in artificial intelligence and the subsequent need to cut costs elsewhere are cited as factors contributing to some of these reductions.