Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), recently appeared on stage to address comments made by Yoel Roth, the former head of trust and safety at Twitter. Roth had described his negative experiences at the company and the threats he faced, which Yaccarino responded to by highlighting the differences between the old Twitter and the new X. She emphasised that X is now built on the principles of free expression and freedom of speech, contrasting it with Twitter’s previous approach, which Roth described as censorious.
Yaccarino assured the audience of her personal safety and expressed her commitment to addressing threats on the platform, inviting Roth to contact her directly for assistance. She noted that while Roth’s tenure post-acquisition was brief, X has seen a significant increase in content despite aggressive efforts to combat spam and bots, countering Roth’s claims of a content decline.
Shifting focus to business metrics, Yaccarino addressed concerns about user engagement and app downloads. She cited over 540 million global users and improvements in key engagement metrics, attributing these to new brand safety and content moderation tools introduced during her first 100 days. She highlighted the company’s progress, including infrastructure changes and new advertiser products, and noted that 90 of the top 100 advertisers have returned to the platform in the past 12 weeks.
Regarding profitability, Yaccarino stated that X is nearing break-even on an operating cash flow basis and expects to turn a profit by early 2024. She corrected a previous statement about a 60% drop in advertising revenue, clarifying that it referred to revenue, not the number of advertisers. She emphasised the return of major brands and small businesses to the platform, underscoring X’s significance in the digital landscape.
Yaccarino also addressed the recent announcement by Elon Musk about potentially moving to a subscription-based model to combat bots. She clarified that while discussions are ongoing, no final decision has been made. She reiterated her role in delivering the best user experience and highlighted the importance of adapting to consumer behaviour.
On the topic of trust and safety, Yaccarino responded to concerns about layoffs within the election integrity team. She assured that a robust and growing team is in place to address election integrity and platform manipulation. She noted the addition of new team members and emphasised the company’s commitment to protecting the platform.
Yaccarino also discussed her approach to partnerships and transparency, addressing the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) call for advertisers to pause their spending on the platform. She expressed disappointment that the ADL had not acknowledged the progress made at X and highlighted ongoing efforts to address anti-Semitism and other issues.
Throughout the conversation, Yaccarino maintained a focus on the transformative changes at X, the company’s commitment to free expression, and the progress made in a short period. She expressed confidence in the platform’s future and its ability to adapt and innovate in response to user needs and industry challenges.