Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel criticised over “tone-deaf” Coachella kissing photos amid mass layoffs

Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel has come under fire after sharing romantic photos with his wife, supermodel Miranda Kerr, during the Coachella festival weekend — just as the company prepares to lay off around 1,000 employees.

According to reports cited by the New York Post, Spiegel was seen enjoying the festival in California’s desert with Kerr, posting affectionate images of the couple kissing and watching performances, including Sabrina Carpenter. The posts appeared online only days before the company’s planned workforce reduction.

The timing of the images has sparked criticism on social media, with some users describing them as “tone-deaf” given the scale of the impending job cuts.

In one widely circulated set of photos, Spiegel wore a baseball cap, sunglasses and a bandana while embracing Kerr in the crowd. Kerr, a former Victoria’s Secret Angel, also shared her own Instagram posts documenting the festival experience.

Meanwhile, employees at Snap Inc. have reportedly expressed concern and frustration following news of the layoffs, with internal sentiment described in some reports as feeling “abandoned” as the company shifts further toward artificial intelligence-driven operations.

The restructuring includes plans to cut roughly 1,000 jobs and pause hiring for more than 300 open roles. Spiegel has previously apologised for the decision, saying he was “deeply sorry” and describing the cuts as necessary for the company’s long-term strategy.

He has also pointed to rapid advances in artificial intelligence as a key factor, arguing that automation can reduce repetitive work, improve efficiency and support future growth. The company expects cost savings of more than $500 million in the second half of the year as part of the restructuring effort.

Snap Inc., founded in 2015, made Spiegel one of the world’s youngest billionaires at the age of 24. The company’s move reflects a broader wave of layoffs across the tech industry, with firms such as Meta, Oracle and Block also cutting staff amid shifting economic conditions and increased reliance on AI.