Social media company X, owned by tech mogul Elon Musk, is actively recruiting 100 content moderators for its upcoming office in Austin, Texas. The primary focus of this new office is to combat child abuse content, and the company aims to complete the hiring process by the end of the year, according to X executive Joe Benarroch.
The announcement of the “Trust and Safety Center of Excellence” precedes a US Senate hearing on January 31, addressing online child sexual exploitation. X Chief Executive Linda Yaccarino is scheduled to testify alongside CEOs from Meta Platforms, Snap, TikTok, and Discord.
Joe Benarroch, X’s Head of Business Operations, confirmed that the team for the Austin office is currently in the process of being assembled. The company’s goal is to fill all positions by the end of the year, contingent on finding suitable talent.
Since Elon Musk acquired the company, formerly known as Twitter, in 2022, he has faced criticism for his own controversial posts and his efforts to revamp the platform’s content moderation policies.
In a recent blog post, X disclosed that it suspended 12.4 million accounts in the previous year for violating rules against child sexual exploitation. This represents a substantial increase from the 2.3 million account suspensions in 2022.
The new Austin centre will not only focus on combating child abuse content but will also contribute to the company’s efforts to address various forms of harmful content, as stated by X.
Opinion on the topic:
The announcement of the “Trust and Safety Center of Excellence” and the recruitment of 100 content moderators by X, owned by Elon Musk, to combat child abuse content is a commendable effort in the fight against online exploitation. With the increasing use of social media platforms by individuals of all ages, the responsibility of ensuring a safe and secure online environment falls on the shoulders of the companies themselves. It is heartening to see tech companies like X taking proactive steps to address the issue of harmful content and making it a priority in their operations. This move sets a positive example for other companies in the industry to follow suit and invest in efforts to create a safer online space for all users.