Twitter has started to lay off some of its 500 Dublin-based employees amid billionaire Elon Musk’s takeover of the company.
The company informed many members of staff via email today that they were being made redundant, and has temporarily closed its offices in Dublin, leading to one employee posting about the “sad news.”
“Woke up to the sad news that I’m no longer a Tweep,” said one now ex-employee in a Tweet.
“I loved every single moment working on the global @TwitterComms team, collaborating with and learning from an outstanding group of talented people. Thank you to everyone who made it so special.”
Woke up to the sad news that I’m no longer a Tweep.
I loved every single moment working on the global @TwitterComms team, collaborating with and learning from an outstanding group of talented people.
Thank you to everyone who made it so special. #OneTeam #LoveWhereYouWorked
— Gareth Field (@GField17) November 4, 2022
To date those who have been let go have been disconnected from the company’s email networks and internal systems, with their passwords changed overnight.
According to a report from RTÉ, one employee lamented the loss of Twitter employees, saying that “the company we knew is dead, and that’s devastating.”
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that his thoughts are with the people are who have lost their jobs.
Earlier this year, free speech blogging site Substack said that it was hiring new staff, but did not want anyone leaving Twitter.
The announcement was made by Substack’s Vice President of Communications, Lulu Cheng Meservey back in April.
“Substack is hiring!” she tweeted.
However, she added: “If you’re a Twitter employee who’s considering resigning because you’re worried about Elon Musk pushing for less regulated speech… please do not come work here.”
Substack is hiring!
If you’re a Twitter employee who’s considering resigning because you’re worried about Elon Musk pushing for less regulated speech… please do not come work here.
— Lulu Cheng Meservey (@lulumeservey) April 5, 2022
New Twitter-owner Elon Musk seemed to justify laying off a large portion of Twitter’s staff, saying that the “most messed up thing” at the company was that “There seem to be 10 people “managing” for everyone one person coding.”
There seem to be 10 people “managing” for every one person coding
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 30, 2022
Musk, who describes himself as a “free speech absolutist,” has previously stated that “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”
He later added: “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means.”
Twitter has long been criticised for its censorious policies, with satire websites such as the Babylon Bee being banned for “misgendering” someone as part of a joke.