Former Twitter honcho Yoel Roth recalls death threats "inspired" by Elon Musk and advice for new X CEO

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Former Twitter Trust and Safety Head, Yoel Roth, who resigned last year after a run-in with billionaire owner Elon Musk, has issued a stark warning to X (formerly Twitter) about its precarious position concerning the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA) as well as its safety policies. Speaking at the recent Code Conference 2023, Roth, was interviewed by Kara Swisher. Roth highlighted X's withdrawal from the EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation in May and cited Commissioner Vera Jourova's accusation that the platform is a major disinformation spreader. Roth believes that a confrontation with EU regulators is now inevitable, given the DSA's severe penalties of up to 6% of global annual turnover for breaches. However, while that issue is still simmering, what really caught the eye was the poignant and stark reminder of what happened to Roth after the run-ins with Musk, including death threats that even forced him to sell his house and move in order to stay safe. Roth said these death threats were "inspired by the company's leader".

Roth's cautionary words were not limited to regulatory challenges. He offered advice to X's CEO, Linda Yaccarino, drawing from his own experience after Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter. Roth emphasized the need for vigilance, particularly regarding Musk's actions. He recounted the abrupt change in Musk's stance, from initially defending Roth against allegations of a biased approach at Twitter to later making accusations against him. Roth's ordeal included receiving death threats and being forced to leave his home after Musk's inflammatory comments and the release of the "Twitter Files."

In his warning message to Yaccarino, Roth said, "Look at what your boss did to me. It happened after his