On January 12, 2023, the crime-reporting and neighborhood safety app Citizen laid off 33 employees. The company, which operates in the consumer technology and social networking industry, confirmed the staff reduction, noting that impacted employees received a severance package including career support and extended benefits. While the exact percentage of the workforce affected was not disclosed, at least 10 engineers were among those let go. Founded in 2016, the private company had most recently raised a $73 million Series C in early 2021. The layoffs come as Citizen, which has seen over 14 million downloads, has faced ongoing criticism and controversy regarding its approach to crime reporting and user safety.
