Trust in Tech: an Integrity Institute Member Podcast

Join Jeff Allen, Co-founder of the Integrity Institute and former Meta data scientist, as he navigates the complex world of trust and safety in tech. He discusses the vital role of integrity professionals amidst policy changes at Meta and the growing scrutiny of content moderation. Jeff emphasizes the challenges of creating safe online spaces while balancing free speech. Delve into the issues of hate speech policy shifts, the myth of neutrality in speech distribution, and the innovative approaches needed for a trustworthy social internet.

Hey, it’s been a while but we are kicking off 2025 with new Trust in Tech episodes!Trust and safety work is tough, but someone has to do it. In this episode, we’re joined by Cathryn Weems, T&S veteran and fellow II member, and wellness coach and consultant Stefania Pifer, to discuss the daily exposure to toxicity and trauma that workers face. We dive into less generic and more trauma-informed, community-focused approaches to building resilience—not just focusing on how we heal, but also how we think holistically about our working conditions.Further reading- Find out more about Stefania’s work here!

Happy Pride! In this episode we talk to Jenni Olsen, Senior Director of the Social Media Safety Program at GLAAD, about their work in promoting LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression online.We talk about the recently released Social Media Safety Index, which evaluates social media platforms on their LGBTQ-inclusive policies. Some suggestions from their report include training moderators to understand and differentiate legitimate LGBTQ speech and content from harmful content, and creating policies against conversion therapy content and targeted misgendering and deadnaming.Finally, we talk about the challenges of balancing free speech with protecting marginalized communities and offer suggestions for individuals working at social media platforms to advocate for change.Further readingGLAAD’s reports, including the Accelerating Acceptance report we discussTrust in Tech - let’s talk about protecting the LGBTQ+ Community Online (last year’s Pride Podcast)Alice’s practical Guide to Protecting LGBTQ+ Users Online

This episode is a listener Q&A featuring Cathryn Weems, seasoned Trust & Safety leader. We opened up our inbox to any possible question that anyone had aaaaand it was all about careers and job searching. It’s rough out there, and folks need help! We discuss networking as an introvert, how to market yourself on a resume and in an interview, how to job search, and more. Mentioned in this episode:Trust & Safety TycoonLinkedIn people to follow: Alice Hunsberger, Jeff Dunn, Leslie TaylorIntegrity Institute, All Tech is Human, TSPAPrevious job search episode

Episode Description: This episode features a discussion on the importance of trust and safety policies in online platforms, between Alice Hunsbger (VP of Trust & Safety and Content Moderation at PartnerHero) and Matt Soeth (Head of Trust & Safety at All Tech is Human and Senior advisor at Tremau). Alice shares her experiences working on policy enforcement and emphasizes the need for clear communication with users and shares the impacts of policy on community. Additionally, Hunsberger provides insights about engaging with external stakeholders, updating policies for new technologies, and the role of policy in platform differentiation.

Many of us working at tech companies are having to make moral and ethical decisions when it comes to where we work, what we work on, and what we speak up about. In this episode, we have a conversation with Nadah Feteih around how tech workers (specifically folks working in integrity and trust & safety teams) can speak up about ethical issues at their workplace. We discuss activism from within the industry, compelled identity labor, balancing speaking up and staying silent, thinking ethically in tech, and the limitations and harms of technology.TakeawaysBalancing speaking up and staying silent can be difficult for tech workers, as some topics may be divisive or risky to address.Compelled identity labor is a challenge faced by underrepresented and marginalized tech workers, who may feel pressure to speak on behalf of their communities.Thinking ethically in tech is crucial, and there is a growing need for resources and education on tech ethics.Tech employees have the power to take a stand and advocate for change within their companies.Engaging on social issues in the workplace requires a balance between different approaches, including staying within the system and speaking up from the outside.Listening to moderators and incorporating local perspectives is crucial for creating inclusive and equitable tech platforms.Disclaimer: The views stated in this episode are not affiliated with any organization and only represent the views of the individuals.Mentioned in this episode: Breaking the Silence: Marginalized Tech Workers’ Experiences and Community SolidarityBlack in ModerationTech Worker HandbookNo Tech For ApartheidTech Workers CoalitionCreditsToday’s episode was produced, edited, and hosted by Alice Hunsberger.You can reach myself and Talha Baig, the other half of the Trust in Tech team, at podcast@integrityinstitute.org. Our music is by Zhao Shen. Special thanks to all the staff at the Integrity Institute. 

You asked, we answered! It’s a rough time out there in the tech industry as so many people in Trust & Safety are job searching or thinking about their career and what it all means. In this episode, Alice Hunsberger shares her recent job search experience and gives advice on job searching and career development in the Trust and Safety industry. Listener questions that are answered include: How do I figure out what to do next in my career?What helps a resume or cover letter stand out?What are good interviewing tips?What advice do leaders wish they had when they were first starting out?Do T&S Leaders really believe we will have an internet free (or at least drastically) reduced of harm?Resources and links mentioned in this episode:Personal Safety for Integrity workersHiring and growing trust & safety teams at small companiesKatie Harbath’s career advice postsAlice Links Disclaimer: The views stated in this episode are not affiliated with any organization and only represent the views of the individuals.Today’s episode was produced, edited, and hosted by Alice Hunsberger. You can reach myself and Talha Baig, the other half of the Trust in Tech team, at podcast@integrityinstitute.org. Our music is by Zhao Shen. Special thanks to all the staff at the Integrity Institute. 

Integrity workers are missing a shared resource where they can easily point to a taxonomy of harms and specific interventions to mitigate those harms. Enter, Grady Ward, a visiting fellow of the Integrity Institute, who discusses how he is creating a Wikipedia for and by integrity workers.In typical Trust in Tech fashion, we also discuss the tensions and synergies between integrity and privacy, and if you stick around to the end, you can hear about some musings on the interplay of art and nature.Links:The Wikipedia of Trust and SafetyGrady’s personal websiteDisclaimer: The views stated in this episode are not affiliated with any organization and only represent the views of the individuals.Today’s episode was produced, edited, and hosted by  Talha Baig. You can reach myself and Alice Hunsberger, the other half of the Trust in Tech team, at podcast@integrityinstitute.org. Our music is by Zhao Shen. Special thanks to all the staff at the Integrity Institute. 

With the Senate Child Safety Hearing on the horizon, we sit down with Vaishnavi, former head of Youth Policy at Meta and chat about the specific problems and current policy landscape regarding child safety. Now, Vaishnavi now works an as advisor to tech companies and policymakers on youth policy issues!Some of the questions answered on today’s show include: - What are the different buckets of problems for Child Safety? - How we can think about age appropriate designs? - What are common misconceptions in the tension between privacy and child safety? - What is the current regulation for child safety? - What does she expect to hear at the judicial hearing?Disclaimer: The views stated in this episode are not affiliated with any organization and only represent the views of the individuals.

Listen to this episode to learn how to stay safe as an Integrity workerLinks: - Tall Poppy (available through employers only at the moment) - DeleteMe - PEN America Online Harassment Field Manual - Assessing Online Threats - Want a security starter pack? | Surveillance Self-Defense - Yoel Roth on being targeted: Trump Attacked Me. Then Musk Did. It Wasn't an Accident. - Crash override network: What To Do If Your Employee Is Being Targeted By Online AbusePractical tips:If you’re a manager - Train your team on what credible threats looks like - make sure you have a plan in place for dealing with threats to your office or employees  - Allow pseudonyms; don’t require public photos  - Invest in services that can help your employee scrub public data.Individuals- Keep your personal social media private/ friends-only. - Use different photos on LinkedIn than your personal social media. - Consider hiding your location online, not using your full name, etc. Credits:Today’s episode was produced, edited, and hosted by  Alice Hunsberger. You can reach myself and Talha Baig, the other half of the Trust in Tech team, at podcast@integrityinstitute.org. Our music is by Zhao Shen. Special thanks to all the staff at the Integrity Institute.