Elon Musk's tech empire faces a fresh wave of scrutiny as his company, X Corp., formerly known as Twitter, reels from a substantial reduction in its global trust and safety workforce.
ABC News reports that Australia's online safety watchdog, the eSafety Commission, revealed alarming figures indicating a 30% slash in staff dedicated to maintaining online safety standards, prompting concerns about the platform's ability to curb hateful content and ensure user safety.
This photo illustration shows the X logo (formerly Twitter) on a smartphone screen in Los Angeles, California, on July 31, 2023. San Francisco sent the company formerly known as Twitter a warning on July 31, 2023, that it needed proper permits for the giant, flashing new X sign atop its headquarters, after the tech firm twice refused to let building inspectors check it.
Musk's X Corp. Staff Reduction Alarms Watchdog
Since Musk acquired X Corp. in 2022, the company has undergone a dramatic transformation, with a staggering 80% decrease in safety engineers globally and a reduction of 52% in full-time content moderators. These startling figures, unveiled by the eSafety Commission, illustrate a concerning trend that has unfolded under Musk's leadership.
The commission's report sheds light on the company's actions, indicating that from 4,062 employees and contractors dedicated to trust and safety, the numbers dwindled to 2,849 within the reported period.
The repercussions were felt acutely in the Asia-Pacific region, where a striking 45% reduction in trust and safety personnel was recorded.
X Reinstating Banned Accounts
Notably, the revelation of 6,100 reinstated accounts, including 194 previously banned for hateful conduct in Australia, has raised significant concerns.
Despite their history of breaching platform rules, the commission expressed apprehension over the lack of additional scrutiny applied to these reinstated accounts.
Furthermore, the slowdown in responding to user reports of hateful content under Musk's tenure has amplified worries about the platform's ability to maintain a safe online environment.
Perfect Safety Storm
Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, warned that the reduced safety staff and the return of banned accounts could result in a "perfect safety storm," making the platform more toxic and less safe for users.
Inman Grant emphasized the potential consequences of X Corp.'s actions, particularly their impact on the platform's brand reputation and advertising revenue.
She emphasized that advertisers want safe and non-toxic platforms, implying that failure to meet safety standards could result in a mass exodus of users and advertisers.
X Corp.'s hateful conduct policy prohibits attacks based on race, ethnicity, gender, and other personal characteristics. However, the commission's report revealed gaps in enforcing these policies, particularly in handling reinstated accounts.
This revelation comes amidst a backdrop of compliance issues and fines faced by X Corp. The company had previously incurred a fine of 610,500 Australian dollars for failing to adequately explain its approach to tackling child sexual exploitation content. X Corp. has contested the fine in the Australian Federal Court, refusing to comply with the eSafety Commission's requests.
Despite multiple deadlines, the company's delay in providing information to the commission further underscores the ongoing tension between regulatory authorities and X Corp. over compliance and safety measures.
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