--- title: "Tesla Is Hiring an Employee to Defend Elon Musk on Social Media" description: "Tesla is hiring a customer support specialist to \"address social media escalations directed at the CEO.\" Learn why Elon Musk needs support." date: "2021-01-19" modified: "2021-01-27" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-hiring-defend-elon-musk" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "Tesla" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla Is Hiring an Employee to Defend Elon Musk on Social Media ![Tesla is hiring a "customer support specialist" that is meant to "escalate complaints \[...\] and address social media escalations directed at the CEO."]() *\Image: Gage Skidmore/Victor Tangermann\* ## Musk Support Tesla is hiring a full-time "customer support specialist" who will "address social media escalations directed at the CEO," according to a recent [job posting](). In other words, the electric car company is hiring somebody to fend off angry customers and protect its high profile leader, Elon Musk, on social media. It's no secret that Musk has been, to put it mildly, outspoken online. His Twitter presence has ranged from being [divisive and controversial]() to [downright puzzling](). Now, it seems, he's getting some type of handler. ## PR Shop The news is especially surprising as Tesla decided to [ditch its entire public relations department]() in October, highlighting Musk's strained relationship with the media. Instead, Musk decided to take care of engaging with the media [largely through his Twitter presence alone](). That raises the question: is Tesla now regretting the decision to dissolve its PR department? The customer support specialist will certainly have their hands full. Tesla has garnered a reputation among its customers for a distinct lack of quality control with reports of fit and finish issues, [badly installed seatbelts](), and even [roofs being ripped off on highways](). Even Ford has chosen to [take potshots]() at the carmaker recently. Without a PR department, Tesla has effectively concentrated customer backlash and media relations on Musk's own Twitter presence. A cool head in the room could certainly do wonders in controlling escalations on social media, especially considering Musk's largely unpredictable online presence. Leadership at the automaker probably acutely remembers when Musk and the US Securities and Exchange Commission agreed to a [settlement deal]() in April 2019 that required the CEO to get pre-approval of any social media posts. But without a PR team to back them up, the new hire will certainly be facing an uphill battle. **More on Musk's Twitter:** *[Ford VP Throws Serious Shade at Tesla's Lack of Quality Control]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()