X begins hiring security staff after major layoffs in safety team

After significant layoffs in its trust and safety teams, X, previously known as Twitter, is now seeking to hire new staff to enhance content moderation and platform security. The company has posted around two dozen job openings in the last month, focusing on roles within its safety and cybersecurity teams. Positions include a director of strategic response and various security engineering roles, indicating a strategic shift towards rebuilding its workforce in these critical areas. The layoffs, which occurred after Elon Musk's acquisition in late 2022, saw a drastic reduction of the trust and safety team from 279 engineers to just 55 by May 2023. Overall, the company reduced its trust and safety workforce by nearly a third, impacting its ability to manage content moderation effectively. This reduction has raised concerns about the platform's security and its capacity to handle misinformation and harmful content. In January 2023, X announced plans to establish a new Trust and Safety center in Austin, Texas, which will employ 100 full-time content moderators. The recent job postings reflect this initiative, with several positions located in Austin, as well as in other major cities and international offices. However, the company has faced criticism for its handling of misinformation, including a recent Supreme Court ruling in Brazil that effectively banned X due to its inaction against accounts spreading false information. The departure of key leadership figures, including the chief cybersecurity officer and the trust and safety lead, has further complicated the company's efforts to secure its platform. As X attempts to rebuild its teams, the ongoing challenges in content moderation and user safety remain pressing issues that the company must address to regain trust and credibility.