By Katie Paul and Juby Babu (Reuters) -Facebook owner Meta Platforms and Amazon.com are winding down diversity programs ahead of Republican Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency as conservative opposition to such initiatives grows louder.

Meta Platforms is ending its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, including those for hiring, training and picking suppliers, it said in a memo to employees posted on an internal company forum on Friday.

Meta confirms Axios report that the company is is axing its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, including for hiring and training.

The changes come soon after the platform dropped fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram in the US, and mark a further right-wing shift Social media giant Meta announced Friday it is dismantling its diversity,

A memo from Meta says DEI has become ‘charged’ because such practices are seen as delivering ‘preferential treatment of some groups over others.’

Meta (NASDAQ:META) is ending its major diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, effective immediately, Axios reported Friday, citing an internal memo intended for company employees. The move is among many sweeping changes the Mark Zuckerberg-led company has made within this week ahead of Donald Trump's second term as U.