Twitter head of content moderation quits after Elon Musk’s criticism

Twitter

Twitter trust and safety chief Ella Irwin has departed the company, shortly after boss Elon Musk criticised the social media giant’s handling of transgender issues.

Irwin’s departure came after Musk publicly criticized Twitter’s handling of posts related to transgender topics.

Read More: Elon Musk says he found a new CEO for Twitter

The controversy began when Jeremy Boreing, co-chief executive of the conservative media company The Daily Wire, accused Twitter of suppressing a documentary questioning transgender medical treatment for children and teens. 

Boreing alleged Twitter flagged posts about the documentary as hate speech and deliberately excluded it from trending topics. 

He also claimed Twitter canceled a deal to premiere the documentary on its platform due to instances of misgendering, which violates Twitter’s rules.

In response, Musk defended the right to use preferred pronouns and criticized Twitter’s handling of the situation. 

Read More: Elon Musk regains the world’s richest person title

This exchange drew attention to the issues surrounding Twitter’s content policies and led to speculation about the company’s internal dynamics.

Ella Irwin confirmed her resignation through tweets but did not explicitly state why she departed. 

She mentioned the speculation surrounding her exit and hinted at explaining further through a series of 24 tweets, only to later clarify that she was joking about the lengthy narrative.

One tweet said: “In all seriousness, I did resign but this has been a once in a lifetime experience and I’m so thankful to have worked with this amazing team of passionate, creative and hardworking people. Will be cheering you all and Twitter as you go!”

Irwin had been one of the most prominent voices shaping Twitter’s evolving content policies in recent months, alongside Elon Musk. 

Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career

Since Musk acquired Twitter and the subsequent relaxation of hate speech rules, the platform has faced challenges in winning back advertisers. 

Linda Yaccarino, an experienced figure in the media and advertising industry, is set to become the incoming CEO of Twitter, but she has yet to assume the position.

The company has undergone significant upheaval, including mass layoffs and voluntary departures, shortly after Musk bought it for $44 billion last October.

Follow us on YouTubeTwitterLinkedIn, and Facebook.

Leave a Comment