The Tech Policy Press Podcast Considering Trust and Safety's Past, Present, and Future
Nov 30, 2025
Danielle Keats Citron, a law professor and cyberstalking scholar, Ari Ezra Waldman, a socio-legal expert on privacy, and Jeff Allen, former Meta data scientist, delve into the evolution of trust and safety in tech. They explore the shift from ad hoc moderation to formal policies, highlighting significant events like Gamergate. Their discussion touches on the impact of organizational dynamics, the challenges of compliance governance, and a hopeful note about seasoned professionals moving to regulatory roles. An enlightening look into the complex world of digital safety!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
From Ad Hoc Fixes To Policy Work
- Danielle Citron recounts early days when a few individuals like Del Harvey handled abuse informally at Twitter and other platforms.
- Those ad hoc efforts evolved into policy work as researchers and advocates like Citron helped define hate, stalking, and harassment for companies.
Scale Drove Professionalization
- Ari Ezra Waldman distinguishes ad hoc early responses from later professionalized systems and staffing.
- He notes growth forced formal policies, organizational charts, and contracted moderators as scale increased.
Leaks And Crises Pushed Transparency
- Danielle describes leaks (e.g., Facebook employee manual) and events like Gamergate and The Fappening pushing platforms public.
- Advertiser pressure and high-profile coverage around 2014 drove resources toward formal moderation.
