Driven by growing security concerns for corporate leadership, major US technology companies led by Meta are significantly expanding their security expenditures.
Recent reports indicate that 10 major US tech company CEOs collectively spent over $45 million on security in 2024, representing a 10% year-over-year increase. Meta allocated $27 million (approximately 194 million yuan) for founder Mark Zuckerberg's protection, marking a 35% increase from the previous year. This amount substantially exceeds the combined security spending of $20 million (approximately 144 million yuan) that Apple, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google invested in their respective CEOs' protection.
Statistical data reveals that Alphabet (Google's parent company), Amazon, and NVIDIA all increased their security budgets by more than 10% compared to the previous year. In 2024, Alphabet provided $6.8 million in security expenses for CEO Sundar Pichai. NVIDIA spent $3.5 million protecting CEO Jensen Huang, up from $2.2 million the previous year. Amazon allocated $1.1 million for current CEO Andy Jassy's security, while former CEO and founder Jeff Bezos continues to receive $1.6 million annually for personal security.
In contrast, Apple spent $1.4 million on Tim Cook's security in 2024, down from $2.4 million in 2023. Tesla disclosed only $500,000 in security expenses for Elon Musk, though this figure represents just a fraction of Musk's actual security costs since he owns his own security company.
Security for Silicon Valley tech giant CEOs is typically managed by private security firms. On December 4 last year, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot outside a New York hotel, an incident that sparked widespread concern among American corporate executives and contributed to increased executive security spending.
Compared to other companies, Meta's security expenditure is highly concentrated on Zuckerberg alone, with a comprehensive protection program covering his residences, family, and travel, extending to digital security protection online. Analysis suggests that Zuckerberg's personal image is deeply intertwined with Meta's corporate identity, making his personal safety closely linked to the company's stability. Due to Meta's high-profile presence in social media and ongoing controversies regarding misinformation and user privacy, Zuckerberg's security needs have correspondingly increased.
Recent reports also revealed that over the past 14 years, Zuckerberg has quietly acquired at least 11 properties in the Crescent Park area of Palo Alto, San Francisco Bay Area, with a total value exceeding $110 million. He has also established a private school in one of the properties. This development has violated US private residence management regulations, prompting local government investigation.
Meta's financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, ending June 30, 2025, showed quarterly revenue of $47.516 billion, a 22% increase compared to the same period last year, with net profit rising 36% year-over-year to $18.337 billion.