In April 2022, Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter led to substantial changes, raising concerns about content moderation and regulatory compliance.
Staffing Controversy:
Following the transition of ownership, investigations by Australian regulators revealed a significant reduction in content moderation specialists at X, Musk’s renamed social network. The aftermath witnessed a surge in “toxic” content, prompting scrutiny under the Online Safety Act.
Regulatory Confrontation:
Australian authorities fined X for inadequate measures against the dissemination of illegal materials involving minors in October. Not only did Elon Musk’s company refuse to pay the $388,000 fine, but it also counterclaimed against Australian regulators, intensifying the ongoing regulatory conflict, notes NIX Solutions.
Impact on Platform Integrity:
The reduction of content moderation specialists by 80% and the dismissal of 1,213 employees, as revealed by the eSafety Commission, have had detrimental effects on the platform. Regulators argue that these actions have facilitated the abuse of X’s information policy by unscrupulous users.