Concerns over the potential impact of tech company layoffs on the integrity of the 2024 elections are being raised by three U.S. senators. Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota, Peter Welch from Vermont, and Dick Durbin from Illinois are questioning whether recent workforce reductions at Meta (formerly Facebook), Alphabet (the parent company of Google), and Twitter could compromise the fight against misinformation.
In a Tuesday letter to the three tech giants, the senators highlighted that the reported job cuts in content moderation and other teams could hinder these companies’ ability to uphold their commitments to election integrity. They underscored the risks, particularly in the context of the rising use of artificial intelligence to mislead voters.
Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in October, there has been an over 80% reduction in the company’s headcount, in some cases wiping out entire teams. Alphabet unveiled plans earlier this year to lay off approximately 12,000 employees across product areas and regions. Meta had previously announced its intent to cut about 21,000 positions over two rounds of layoffs, impacting teams involved in policy, user experience, and well-being, among others.
Responding to the senators’ concerns, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated that the company remains committed to advancing its industry-leading integrity efforts. He stressed their continued investment in teams and technologies aimed at protecting their community, including their preparation for worldwide elections.
Alphabet and Twitter have not yet commented on the letter.
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The workforce cuts coincide with a larger industry trend of downsizing amidst economic challenges. Companies like Microsoft and Amazon have also trimmed their workforces, with some announcing hiring freezes. The heightened scrutiny on social media companies arises due to their pivotal role in facilitating the U.S. electoral process.
The senators’ letter inquired into how Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, and Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino are preparing their platforms for the 2024 elections and combating potential mis- and disinformation related to the campaigns. The letter, seeking responses by July 10, also queried if there are plans to hire more content moderation staff or contractors prior to the election, and how the platforms are specifically preparing to counter the rise of AI-generated deepfakes in politics.
The lawmakers referenced recent changes at Alphabet-owned YouTube permitting the sharing of false claims about the 2020 presidential election being stolen, as well as the content moderation “challenges” at Twitter following the layoffs.
With politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis purportedly using AI-generated false images to assail opponents, concerns about how AI could threaten democracy are increasing.
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