Ella Irwin was once a behind-the-scenes player in the tech industry, working in loss prevention at banks and then in trust and safety at companies like Google, Amazon, and Twilio. That all changed dramatically in November 2022 when she became the head of trust and safety for Twitter, stepping into one of the most contentious roles in technology. However, her tenure was short-lived, lasting just seven months. It came to an abrupt end after Elon Musk, who had by then purchased the platform and renamed it to X/Twitter, publicly criticized her and the company’s moderation policies.

In a recent interview with NBC News, her first since her departure, Irwin revealed the reasons behind her sudden exit. She stated that there was a lack of alignment between her “nonnegotiable principles” and the company’s direction. Two key issues stood out: the balance between “freedom of speech and freedom of reach” and the principle of user choice. Irwin was committed to ensuring that hate speech and violent content were not amplified, while also giving users the autonomy to make choices that suited them. These principles found themselves at odds with the company’s approach, especially after Musk’s public comments on controversial topics such, as misgendering. [Editor’s note: Don’t misgender, it’s just mean.]

Ella Irwin’s departure occurred amidst a broader backdrop of challenges facing X/Twitter, particularly in relation to misinformation and terrorist content. The company is currently under scrutiny for its handling of misleading information during the Israel-Hamas conflict, and it also faces an investigation from the European Commission. In the NBC interview, Irwin called the situation “extremely upsetting” but noted that X/Twitter is not alone in its struggle to tackle these issues. She believes that the solutions to these problems require a comprehensive approach, far beyond the single-feature remedies Musk has suggested.

Despite her short stint, Irwin’s insights offer a rare look into the inner workings of X/Twitter and Elon Musk’s leadership style. She described Musk as impulsive, driven more by emotion than she had anticipated. Musk’s rapid decisions, such as massive layoffs and controversial tweets, put him at odds with Irwin, especially in terms of public communication strategies. Irwin remains bound by a nondisclosure agreement but has launched a new podcast, “The CryRoom,” where she plans to discuss her professional and personal lessons.

Listen the podcast here: https://www.cryroom.com/