In a startling turn of events, X, formerly known as Twitter, has made significant cuts to its election integrity team, including the removal of its leader, Aaron Rodericks. This surprising move comes despite recent pledges by X to bolster the team’s resources ahead of the crucial 2024 US elections. Furthermore, it transpired amid mounting criticism from the European Commission concerning X’s pronounced disinformation problem.
The Information, a respected news outlet, initially reported on the downsizing of the election integrity team, a claim partially confirmed by none other than Elon Musk himself, in a post on X’s platform. Astonishingly, X opted to eliminate all four members of the Dublin, Ireland-based election integrity team, with Aaron Rodericks at the helm. Just yesterday, X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, had publicly stated the company’s intentions to expand both its safety and election teams worldwide, as reported by The Financial Times. Less than a month ago, X had been actively seeking to hire a leader for civic integrity and elections, with a particular focus on combatting disinformation. In a LinkedIn post, Rodericks had even stated, “If you have a passion for protecting the integrity of elections and civic events, X is certainly at the center of the conversation.”
However, Aaron Rodericks found himself suspended from the platform shortly after liking posts that criticized X, Musk, and Yaccarino. In response to The Information’s report, Musk offered a dismissive comment, saying, “Oh, you mean the ‘Election Integrity’ Team that was undermining election integrity? Yeah, they’re gone.”
Adding to the controversy, the European Union (EU) recently released its inaugural report on the handling of disinformation by social media platforms under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The report pointed out that X exhibited significantly higher levels of misinformation and disinformation compared to its industry peers. In response, X posted a series of statements challenging the “framing” of the data while simultaneously expressing its commitment to complying with the DSA, even though it had withdrawn from a voluntary Code of Practice on disinformation. European Vice President Vera Jourova underscored the EU’s vigilance, stating, “My message for Twitter/X is you have to comply. We will be watching what you do.”
Notably, since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X (formerly Twitter) in October of the previous year, the company has experienced a drastic reduction in its workforce, amounting to over 80 percent of its staff. It is worth mentioning that X was grappling with disinformation issues even before Musk’s tenure. Under the stringent provisions of the DSA, X is obligated to adhere to stricter regulations or face fines amounting to as much as 6 percent of its annual global revenue. Nevertheless, Musk has faced minimal resistance or consequences for the tumultuous changes that have transpired within X.
