It’s been nearly two years since Elon Musk’s social media company, X (formerly known as Twitter), laid off thousands of employees across its trust, safety, and security teams. Despite the massive layoffs, X is now trying to hire new staff members to help moderate content and secure its platform.
The Layoffs: A Look Back
In April 2023, Musk told the BBC that Twitter had reduced its headcount by 6,000 workers in six months, leaving the company’s workforce at around 1,500 employees when layoffs were completed. The reduction included significant cuts to the trust and safety team.
According to an inquiry from Australia’s online safety commissioner, X said that it had laid off 80% of its trust and safety staff since Musk’s takeover. Before Musk’s acquisition, the company had 279 engineers on its trust and safety teams around the world, which were cut down to 55 by the end of May 2023.
Overall, X said it reduced its 4,062-strong trust and safety team by almost a third to 2,849 employees; its full-time content moderation team from 107 to 51 employees; and its contracted moderators from 2,613 to 2,305 employees, according to the Australian eSafety Commissioner’s report at the time.
X Creates New Trust and Safety Center in Austin
In January, X announced that it would create a new Trust and Safety center in Austin, Texas, which will include 100 full-time content moderators. Nine of the two-dozen job openings posted in the last month mention Austin among the possible locations.
When TechCrunch asked X’s press team a series of questions about these new hires, including the size of the company’s safety and cybersecurity teams, the company responded with an automated message: "Busy now, please check back later."
Senior Leadership Departures
The reduction in staff on the trust and safety and cybersecurity teams have not been limited to its staff, but also included senior leadership. Since Musk took over, both the company’s chief cybersecurity officer Lea Kissner and the company’s trust and safety lead Ella Irwin have left.
X’s Safety Team is Still a Concern
The recent job listings appear to confirm that X is trying to further beef up its safety team following the company’s announcement in January. However, the company’s ability to secure itself and its users, as well as deal with complex content moderation issues, remains a concern.
The Importance of a Strong Safety Team
A strong safety team is essential for any social media platform, especially one that has been plagued by issues like hate speech, harassment, and misinformation. The role of the safety team includes moderating content, identifying and removing accounts that break community guidelines, and working with law enforcement to address online threats.
X’s Efforts to Improve Safety
In recent months, X has taken steps to improve its safety features, including introducing new tools for users to report harassment and abuse. However, the company still faces significant challenges in addressing these issues, particularly when it comes to hate speech and misinformation.
The Role of Technology in Improving Safety
Technology can play a critical role in improving safety on social media platforms. X has introduced AI-powered tools to help identify and remove hate speech and misinformation from its platform. However, the effectiveness of these tools depends on their accuracy and ability to keep pace with evolving threats.
Conclusion
While X’s efforts to hire back after layoffs are a positive step towards rebuilding its safety team, the company still faces significant challenges in addressing online safety issues. The importance of a strong safety team cannot be overstated, particularly for social media platforms like X that have a massive user base and influence on public discourse.
Job Openings at X
X is currently hiring for several positions related to trust and safety, including:
- Content Moderator: Responsible for reviewing and moderating content on the platform.
- Safety Specialist: Works with users to identify and remove accounts that break community guidelines.
- Cybersecurity Engineer: Designs and implements security protocols to protect user data and prevent online threats.
If you’re interested in working at X, check out their job openings page for more information.
