Twitter starts ‘task force’ to remove spam bot, toxic content: Report

Twitter is trying to make the platform ‘healthier’ by merging teams that are responsible for lowering spam bots and toxic content in response to claims made by a former executive that the firm did not effectively handle either task, according to a staff letter from August 23 seen by Reuters.

The HPS team will be led by Ella Irwin, Vice President of product for health and Twitter service, who joined the business in June. Because the business is facing numerous obstacles, the development of the HPS team is more important.

Also Read: Elon Musk’s countersuit against Twitter: All you need to know

Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, a well-known hacker and former security chief, claims the business misled federal regulators about its defences against hackers and spam accounts.

"We need teams to focus on specific problems, working together as one team and no longer operating in silos," Irwin wrote in the email to staff, adding the team will "ruthlessly prioritize" its projects.

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The social media company will combine its health experience team, which focuses on minimising misleading information and dangerous content, with its Twitter service team, which is in charge of analysing profiles that users report and eliminating spam accounts. According to the email distributed to staff members, the new department would be called Health Products and Services (HPS).

Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, is suing Twitter in an attempt to back out of a $44 billion purchase agreement for the firm, claiming that Twitter has withheld information on how it determines spam accounts.

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Twitter defended its revelations regarding spam and bot accounts on August 23 and claimed that Zatko's accusations were made in an effort to draw attention to the company and hurt it.

Before the November midterm elections in the United States, Twitter is working to strengthen its defences against the propagation of false information.

According to a Twitter spokesperson, the reorganisation of the spam and poisonous content teams reflects the company's ongoing commitment to set priorities and concentrate its teams on achieving its objectives.

High-ranking executives who controlled consumer products and revenue, such Kayvon Beykpour and Bruce Falck, left the firm recently during the turbulence with Musk, which is another factor in the decision.

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According to two employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity, teams responsible for decreasing hazardous or toxic content have recently been severely impacted by staff departures. Apparently, the reorganisation did not appear to have a substantial influence on the work of at least one present employee.

The origins of the company's issues with spam accounts have historically gone deeper than one team can handle on its own, according to a former employee who worked on security at Twitter. He expressed doubt that the reorganisation would result in improvements. He opted not to give his name for fear of jeopardising potential job chances.

(With Reuters inputs)