A video-ready scene unfolded at Seattle’s Ballard Locks on Tuesday. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s 387-foot superyacht, Launchpad, glided past onlookers on the same day Meta disclosed plans for nearly 1,400 job cuts in Washington state, as GeekWire detailed.
The timing was apparently a coincidence.
What’s happening?
GeekWire (@GeekWire) shared a YouTube video of the infamous yacht on one of the quieter parts of its journey.
The $300 million yacht made its way from Elliott Bay through the locks and toward Lake Union. The video shows crew members on the vessel with onlookers on both sides of the docks.
GeekWire reported that the superyacht drew a crowd along the walkway, and their reaction was not positive. People booed and heckled as the massive vessel squeezed through the lock, according to the outlet.
“Superyacht-wise, this is the biggest one I’ve had in 14 years,” a lock operator who guided the ship told GeekWire.
While more than a dozen crew members were visible aboard, one indicated to the crowd that Zuckerberg wasn’t on the boat, per GeekWire. Another crew member told people on the docks that the crew planned to “come and go” and did not intend to stay for the FIFA World Cup, according to the outlet.
Why does it matter?
Meta’s layoffs affect about a fifth of the company’s Seattle-area workforce and are part of a broader reduction of roughly 8,000 jobs, per GeekWire.
At the same time, the company is ramping up spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure, with capital expenditures that could reach $145 billion this year, the website noted. That sort of dichotomy can frustrate onlookers, who feel like AI is coming for their jobs.
The yacht also sails under a Marshall Islands flag, which is a common registry for large yachts. At least one onlooker took offense to that move’s usefulness in cutting costs.
“Pay some f****** taxes,” the onlooker yelled, according to GeekWire.
That frustration links to broader complaints about extreme wealth, tax questions, and the gap between executive luxury and worker insecurity.
Superyachts are not just a sign of massive corporate wealth; they are also major polluters. That can add even more annoyance for the masses, as the ultrarich take on a disproportionate role in polluting the planet.
What’s being done?
Ultimately, there’s not much onlookers can do to stop Zuckerberg from using Launchpad and laying off workers when he sees fit.
The megayacht typically gets a frosty reception wherever it goes, just like its owner. On this occasion, the timing and the optics were particularly bad.
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