Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has appointed a new Head of Safety, Kylie McRoberts, following a period without a dedicated safety chief. The role, previously called “Trust and Safety”, was rebranded after Musk expressed that “Trust” was a euphemism for censorship. McRoberts now faces the challenging task of maintaining civility on the app while adhering to Musk’s views on moderation and censorship, which can change at his discretion.
The previous Trust and Safety chief, Ella Irwin, resigned after disagreements with Musk over restricting the reach of a controversial anti-trans documentary shared on the app. Musk holds anti-trans views and felt that Irwin’s actions were a mistake. Irwin later described working for Musk as the hardest experience in her career. The platform’s previous head of Trust and Safety, Yoel Roth, also resigned shortly after Musk took over, citing personal attacks from Musk and a shift in moderation policies.
Musk has implemented a “freedom of speech, not reach” approach at X, reducing the removal of content while relying on crowd-sourced fact-checking through “Community Notes”. Experts in the field have criticized this approach, viewing it as ineffective without additional measures. X has also reduced its Trust and Safety staff, further complicating McRoberts’ role in managing Musk’s shifting stances on moderation policies.
Despite the flaws in Musk’s moderation approach, he continues to endorse the value of Community Notes as a means to challenge misinformation and promote truth. X has announced plans to establish a new safety center in Texas, but updates on this initiative are pending. McRoberts will have assistance from Yale Cohen, a former Publicis Media executive, in navigating Musk’s expectations and integrating his desires into moderation efforts.
McRoberts will face the challenge of aligning X’s moderation rules with Musk’s personal beliefs, which can change unpredictably. Musk’s emotional decision-making and tendency to contradict previous statements may present difficulties for any Head of Safety. McRoberts may need to adapt to Musk’s shifting views and be prepared for potential clashes in managing moderation policies on the platform. Ultimately, her ability to navigate Musk’s quirks and decision-making processes will determine her longevity in the role.