Ella Irwin, Twitter’s head of trust and safety, has unexpectedly left the company, sparking rumors and speculation about the reasons behind her departure. The news comes amid a whirlwind of turmoil at the social media platform, which has been struggling to regain the trust of advertisers and users since Elon Musk took over last year. Irwin’s resignation is significant, given her prominent role in shaping Twitter’s content policies, including its rules against intentional misgendering.
Musk’s recent criticism of Twitter’s handling of posts about a documentary questioning transgender medical treatment for children and teenagers has been at the center of the controversy. The platform has faced an influx of new hires, including incoming CEO Linda Yaccarino, who is expected to bring decades of media and advertising industry experience to the role. Irwin’s departure is the latest in a string of layoffs and voluntary departures since Musk took over, including the departure of the head of trust and safety shortly after his takeover.
Ella Irwin (Via Ella Irwin/Twitter)
The drama surrounding Irwin’s departure has been fueled by a public exchange between Musk and Jeremy Boreing, co-chief executive of the Daily Wire. The two had debated Twitter’s handling of posts about the documentary, with Musk accusing the platform of suppressing the movie by flagging posts about it as hate speech and keeping it off lists of trending topics. Boreing had accused Twitter of cancelling a deal to premiere the movie on the platform “because of two instances of ‘misgendering’.” Musk responded by saying that intentional misgendering is “at most rude” and “certainly breaks no laws.”
In a tweet, Irwin joked about posting 24 tweets to explain her departure, but later clarified that it was all just a joke. She instead confirmed that she had resigned, citing a “once in a lifetime experience” and thanking her colleagues. The turmoil at Twitter has left many wondering about the future of the platform and what changes incoming CEO Yaccarino may bring to the table. As Twitter continues to navigate this uncertain terrain, one thing is clear: the drama surrounding Irwin’s departure is just the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of platform’s attempts to balance free speech with concerns about hate speech and online safety.
