Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, has appointed a seasoned executive to lead its safety initiatives, filling a position left vacant for nine months:
Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter, has appointed a seasoned executive to lead its safety initiatives, filling a position left vacant for nine months. Kylie McRoberts, a longstanding member of the company, will now helm the global safety team. Additionally, Yale Cohen, with a background in media from Publicis Media, joins as the head of brand safety and advertiser solutions.
This move follows the departure of Ella Irwin, the previous head of the trust and safety team, in June 2023. While the reasons for Irwin’s departure weren’t specified, it coincided with Musk’s public critique of the platform’s approach to transgender-related content.
Since Musk’s acquisition of the platform in October 2022, X has undergone several leadership changes. These recent appointments demonstrate the company’s commitment to addressing concerns surrounding content moderation, misinformation, and hate speech, which have reportedly increased under Musk’s ownership.
Efforts to regain advertiser trust have faced challenges, with notable brands withdrawing advertising due to concerns about their ads appearing alongside objectionable content. Musk’s vocal responses to these issues have stirred controversy, yet the company continues to strive for improvements in content moderation practices.
Despite legal battles with organizations highlighting hate speech proliferation, such as Media Matters and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, X remains focused on creating a safer and more inclusive platform. A recent ruling dismissing a lawsuit against the Center emphasizes the importance of upholding free speech while combating harmful content online.
Credits: thehill.com