A viral moment, a false narrative: How an Amazon India office video decame scapegoat for job losses
The video gained traction after being reposted on X, where a user criticised Amazon’s global workforce strategy, alleging the company was cutting American jobs while expanding overseas.
- Feb 19, 2026,
- Updated Feb 19, 2026 6:41 PM IST
A video showing employees dancing during what appeared to be an internal celebration at an Amazon office in India has triggered sharp reactions online, with some social media users in the United States linking the clip to the company’s recent wave of layoffs.
The video gained traction after being reposted on X, where a user criticised Amazon’s global workforce strategy, alleging the company was cutting American jobs while expanding overseas. The post drew a mix of criticism, speculation and satire, quickly turning the clip into a flashpoint in broader debates over offshoring and corporate restructuring.
The backlash comes weeks after Amazon announced plans in January to eliminate at least 16,000 roles globally as part of an ongoing effort to streamline operations. Chief People Officer Beth Galetti said the restructuring was intended to strengthen the organisation by “reducing layers, increasing ownership and removing bureaucracy.” The move followed roughly 14,000 job cuts completed by the end of 2025.
While layoffs were implemented worldwide, a significant portion affected roles in the US. In a regulatory filing, Amazon confirmed it would cut 2,198 employees in Washington as part of the latest round of corporate reductions, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department.
As the dancing video circulated, some users framed it as evidence of a shift in hiring toward lower-cost markets, criticising the company’s labour strategy and, in some cases, announcing boycotts of Amazon services. Others mocked the scene in posts that drew accusations of stereotyping and misinformation.
However, the workforce reductions have not been limited to the US. Hundreds of employees in Amazon’s India operations were also affected during the restructuring, underscoring that the cuts are part of a broader global cost-realignment rather than a shift concentrated in a single geography.
The episode highlights how viral workplace moments—detached from their original context—can become entangled in larger anxieties about automation, globalisation and the future of tech employment.
A video showing employees dancing during what appeared to be an internal celebration at an Amazon office in India has triggered sharp reactions online, with some social media users in the United States linking the clip to the company’s recent wave of layoffs.
The video gained traction after being reposted on X, where a user criticised Amazon’s global workforce strategy, alleging the company was cutting American jobs while expanding overseas. The post drew a mix of criticism, speculation and satire, quickly turning the clip into a flashpoint in broader debates over offshoring and corporate restructuring.
The backlash comes weeks after Amazon announced plans in January to eliminate at least 16,000 roles globally as part of an ongoing effort to streamline operations. Chief People Officer Beth Galetti said the restructuring was intended to strengthen the organisation by “reducing layers, increasing ownership and removing bureaucracy.” The move followed roughly 14,000 job cuts completed by the end of 2025.
While layoffs were implemented worldwide, a significant portion affected roles in the US. In a regulatory filing, Amazon confirmed it would cut 2,198 employees in Washington as part of the latest round of corporate reductions, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department.
As the dancing video circulated, some users framed it as evidence of a shift in hiring toward lower-cost markets, criticising the company’s labour strategy and, in some cases, announcing boycotts of Amazon services. Others mocked the scene in posts that drew accusations of stereotyping and misinformation.
However, the workforce reductions have not been limited to the US. Hundreds of employees in Amazon’s India operations were also affected during the restructuring, underscoring that the cuts are part of a broader global cost-realignment rather than a shift concentrated in a single geography.
The episode highlights how viral workplace moments—detached from their original context—can become entangled in larger anxieties about automation, globalisation and the future of tech employment.