Working with Elon Musk, the eccentric billionaire and CEO of companies like Tesla and SpaceX, can be a challenging experience, according to Ella Irwin, Twitter’s former Head of Trust & Safety. In an interview with NBC News, Irwin revealed that her time under Musk’s leadership was one of the hardest experiences in her career.
Irwin, who worked for Twitter for just seven months, decided to resign after Musk publicly criticized her moderation policies aimed at protecting transgender and gender-non-conforming users from misgendering. She explained that there was a lack of alignment between her progressive values and the company culture, as she wanted to create a safe space for minorities on the platform.
Irwin aimed to implement policies that would prevent hate speech, violent content, and inflammatory posts from being promoted or amplified on Twitter. She believed in giving users the ability to curate their own timeline and choose what they want to see. However, her attempts were thwarted when Musk announced that he would not censor or remove posts that promote misgendering.
Beyond the issue of misgendering, Irwin also criticized Musk for not effectively controlling the rampant misinformation on Twitter. The platform faced backlash for failing to curb fake news during the Israel-Hamas conflict, which led to increased polarization and hate comments towards Palestinians and Muslims. Although Musk introduced the Community Notes Feature in an attempt to battle misinformation, Irwin argued that it wasn’t enough and more comprehensive solutions were needed.
While acknowledging Musk’s impulsive decision-making based on emotions, Irwin also praised his ability to question everything and drive rapid change. She highlighted his talent for removing constraints and operating on first principles, which can be powerful when driving innovation.
Ella Irwin is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in building products, services, and teams that protect consumers and ensure a positive online experience. Prior to working for Twitter, she held positions at Amazon and Google. Currently, Irwin co-hosts a podcast called The Cryroom with Jess Anderson, the VP of loud foundations at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Overall, the interview with Ella Irwin sheds light on the challenges of working with Elon Musk and the struggles she faced as the former Head of Trust & Safety at Twitter. The clash of values and the inability to effectively address issues such as misgendering and misinformation ultimately led to her decision to resign.
