McRoberts, a long-time Twitter/X staffer, has been appointed as the new Head of Safety at X, formerly known as Twitter. The role was previously called “Trust and Safety” until Elon Musk cut “Trust” from the title, viewing it as a euphemism for censorship. McRoberts will be responsible for maintaining civil interactions on the app while also adhering to Musk’s changing views on moderation, censorship, and content restriction. This challenging position requires navigating Musk’s personal beliefs and whims while ensuring the platform’s rules align with his perspectives.
X had been without a Head of Safety since June of the previous year when the former Trust and Safety chief, Ella Irwin, resigned following disagreements with Musk regarding the handling of a controversial documentary on the platform. The documentary was in alignment with Musk’s anti-trans views, leading to conflict over the platform’s safety standards. Previous Trust and Safety leaders, including Irwin and Yoel Roth, have faced challenges working under Musk’s direction, highlighting the difficulties McRoberts will encounter in her new role.
One of the key challenges McRoberts faces as Head of Safety is the drastic reduction in the Trust and Safety staff at X. Musk terminated 80% of the engineers working on moderation and dissolved the Trust and Safety Council, further complicating the moderation process. Musk has introduced a new moderation approach emphasizing community fact-checking through “Community Notes,” which experts argue is insufficient without additional measures. While Musk believes community moderation will promote truth and reduce harmful content, critics question the effectiveness of this method.
Musk’s approach to moderation prioritizes user-driven fact-checking over corporate oversight, which he believes will promote truth and reduce misinformation on the platform. Despite experts’ reservations, Musk continues to endorse the value of Community Notes as a cost-effective moderation strategy. X has announced plans to establish a safety center in Texas to address moderation challenges, but details remain scarce. McRoberts will be supported by Yale Cohen, a former Publicis Media executive, in her efforts to manage moderation under Musk’s evolving directives.
With Musk’s unpredictable nature and tendency to change his views and beliefs on a whim, McRoberts faces the daunting task of aligning X’s moderation policies with Musk’s shifting stances. Musk’s past actions, including public attacks on Trust and Safety leaders and interference in content moderation decisions, raise concerns about McRoberts’s ability to navigate the challenges of her new role. As Musk continues to prioritize freedom of speech over reach and amplifies controversial content on the platform, McRoberts will likely face ongoing challenges in maintaining a safe and civil online environment on X. Despite the support of Cohen and her familiarity with Musk’s approach, McRoberts may find it challenging to keep up with Musk’s ever-changing expectations and demands.