California: Elon Musk-owned X has shed more than 1,000 staff globally from teams responsible for stopping abusive content online, according to new figures released Thursday by Australia’s online watchdog.
Australia’s eSafety Commission said these “deep cuts” and the reinstatement of thousands of banned accounts had created a “perfect storm” for the spread of harmful content.
The regulator has in recent months zeroed in on X — formerly known as Twitter — previously saying Elon Musk’s takeover coincided with a spike in “toxicity and hate” on the platform.
Using Australia’s groundbreaking Online Safety Act, the eSafety Commission has obtained a detailed breakdown of software engineers, content moderators and other safety staff working at X.
Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, a former Twitter employee, said it was the first time these figures had been made public.
They showed 1,213 specialist “trust and safety staff”, including contractors, had left X since it was acquired by Elon Musk in October 2022.
This included 80 percent of the software engineers focussed on “trust and safety issues”, said Inman Grant.
“To take 80 percent of these specialist engineers away, it would be like Volvo — known for its safety standards — eradicating all of their designers or engineers,” she told AFP.
“You’ve got a perfect storm. You’re drastically decreasing your defences, and you’re introducing repeat offenders back onto the platform.”
Elon Musk’s 2023 was a whirlwind of layoffs, most notably at Twitter. After acquiring the platform in October 2022, he embarked on a series of cuts, reducing the 7,500-strong workforce by over 80% within seven months. This drastic move, aimed at streamlining operations and boosting profitability, left around 1,500 employees remaining.
While Musk touted increased productivity, the human cost was significant, with thousands facing job losses and legal battles over severance. Critics condemned the rapid pace and alleged ageism, while others saw it as a necessary adjustment in a struggling tech sector. Musk’s audacious approach to workforce reductions left a lasting mark on 2023, sparking debate about the future of employee security in the tech industry.
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