Social media company X, owned by billionaire entrepreneur 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: The efforts of social media companies to combat harmful content, especially related to child abuse, are crucial in creating a safer online environment for users, especially for young people. The proactive approach of X in establishing a dedicated center in Austin to address such issues is commendable, and it sets a positive example for other companies in the industry to prioritize and invest in content moderation and safety measures. The commitment to hiring 100 content moderators specifically for this purpose reflects a strong commitment to addressing the challenges of online safety, and it is a step in the right direction for creating a more responsible and ethical digital space.