Digital Trust & Safety Partnership Launches Consultation on Trust & Safety Glossary of Terms

Today the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership released a Trust & Safety Glossary of Terms for public consultation.

This is the first industry effort by technology companies, representing various products, sizes, and business models, to develop a common Trust & Safety lexicon.

“Conversations about a safer internet need a common language so we can rely on shared definitions of the challenges we face and the varied approaches to addressing them,” said Glossary Editor-in-Chief and DTSP advisor Alex Feerst. “We’re grateful for everyone’s contributions, and look forward to continuing feedback on where there’s consensus and where there’s still work to do.”

The draft glossary consists of more than 100 terms across four categories: 

• content concepts and policies; 
• common types of abuse; 
• enforcement practices; and 
• Trust & Safety technology. 

An early draft was shared with interested Trust & Safety practitioners at TrustCon, the first global conference dedicated to the field’s professionals, and it has benefited from robust input from DTSP’s membership.

“Our mission is centered on identifying, developing, assessing and implementing Trust & Safety best practices. Without a common lexicon for those best practices, it’s hard – if not impossible – to make measurable progress toward a safer and more trustworthy internet,” said DTSP ED David Sullivan.

The Partnership is seeking input from stakeholders on the glossary terms and welcomes comments from industry, civil society, governments, including policymakers and law enforcement, experts from academia, and other interested parties. Feedback can be provided via online form, or by email to consultation@dtspartnership.org before March 15, 2023.

DTSP Unveils Inaugural Evaluation of Trust & Safety Best Practices

WASHINGTON – Today the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership (DTSP) unveiled its inaugural evaluation of how ten leading technology companies–Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Meta , Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, and Vimeo–are adhering to Trust & Safety best practices. 

The report reveals key findings on Trust & Safety practices that are well-developed across the companies and those areas that are still evolving.  Many companies reported a mature state of development for core content moderation practices, such as building teams responsible for establishing, updating and enforcing the rules of their services. Several of the practices rated as least mature, on the other hand, related to engaging the perspectives of users and external organizations in Trust & Safety, including human rights groups and academic researchers. concern engaging the perspectives of users and external organizations. The area where most improvement is expected in the future is integrating Trust & Safety into product development from the beginning.

“We’re encouraged by the initial results of the Safe Assessments and very interested to see specific documentation of where digital companies have been successful and where they can invest more efforts to combat harmful content and conduct,” said DTSP’s Executive Director David Sullivan. “This is just one step in the cycle, and we’re looking forward to building on this progress within companies and as an industry.”

Last year, DTSP released the Safe Framework for how participating companies’ Trust & Safety practices will be assessed. This inaugural evaluation of the Safe Assessments provides a benchmark for a future independent assessment, along with policymakers, stakeholders, consumers and the companies themselves. DTSP is already working with experts with a deep understanding of both Trust & Safety and assessment frameworks to move forward on an independent, third-party assessment.

“Though Trust & Safety has long been a critical function at digital companies, it has only been in recent years that they have taken steps to mature and organize the field. This includes increased dialogue with external stakeholders on these issues, which DTSP helps to facilitate at an industry-wide level,” said Sullivan.

The inaugural report, based on internal company assessments, synthesizes the results of the Safe Assessments conducted by ten DTSP partners in the first half of 2022. Participating companies that have joined the organization more recently will participate in a future cycle of assessments. 

DTSP continues to engage with global policymakers, subject matter experts and users to review and improve the Best Practices Framework and other areas of Trust & Safety. This year DTSP has engaged extensively with experts from industry, government, and civil society, holding a series of stakeholder conversations with representatives from 27 countries regarding its approach on how to make the internet safer and more trustworthy.

About The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership: The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership is a first-of-its kind initiative focused on promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet. The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership includes Apple, Bitly, Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, Vimeo, and Zoom.  For more information, please visit dtspartnership.org.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership Welcomes Bitly

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership (DTSP), a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet, today welcomed Bitly as its newest partner.

DTSP brings together a diverse range of innovative digital companies, representing various products, sizes and business models. Bitly joins the DTSP’s growing list of participating companies, which now counts 14 leading technology companies, including Apple, Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, Vimeo and Zoom. 

The partnership is committed to developing industry best practices, reviewed through internal and independent third-party assessments, to ensure consumer safety and trust when using digital services. 

“With internet trust and safety being a priority at Bitly, it was a natural fit for us to join our industry peers in this joint effort,” said Kelsey Stevenson, VP of Product at Bitly. “This collaboration is just one way we will keep our community protected and ensure they have a secure experience while using our platform.”

As part of its mission to mature and professionalize the Trust & Safety field, DTSP unveiled the Safe Framework, a flexible yet rigorous methodology for how the Trust & Safety practices of participating companies will be assessed. Since the Safe Framework release, DTSP has engaged extensively with experts from industry, government, and civil society, holding a series of stakeholder conversations with organizations from 27 countries regarding its approach on how to make the internet safe.

About Bitly

Bitly is a leading global SaaS company offering a comprehensive platform designed to enable every piece of information shared online to connect with key audiences and ignite action. Bitly’s all-in-one Connections Platform empowers more than 5 million monthly active users and over 380,000 customers globally – people, influencers, brands, and businesses of every size – to use branded links, custom QR codes, and link-in-bio solutions as a trusted platform for engaging their audience and delivering critical notifications, information, and experiences. Bitly is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place to Work®, the global authority on workplace culture and employee experience proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.  For more on Bitly, visit https://bitly.com/.

About The Digital Trust & Safety PartnershipThe Digital Trust & Safety Partnership is a first-of-its kind initiative focused on promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet. The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership includes Apple, Bitly, Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, Vimeo, and Zoom.  For more information, please visit dtspartnership.org.

Working with the World Economic Forum to Improve Online Trust & Safety

Since we launched last year, the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership has taken significant steps to promote a safer and more trustworthy internet. Engagement with other stakeholders is critical to this mission. Today, we’re proud to build on that progress as DTSP has recently joined the World Economic Forum’s Global Coalition for Digital Safety, an illustrious group of 35 public and private sector stakeholders working to develop innovations and advance collaborations that tackle harmful content and conduct online.

DTSP Executive Director David Sullivan will serve as co-chair of the Digital Safety Risk Assessment Framework, a new focus area in the Coalition that will work on evaluating how platforms should assess digital safety risks and measure the impact of interventions.

In addition to Sullivan, members of the Coalition include leaders from tech companies including Microsoft, Google, and Meta, as well as international organizations such as UNICEF and INTERPOL, as well as academics and civil society groups. The Coalition also includes foreign government officials including Ukraine Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov and United Kingdom Office of Communications Chief Executive Dame Melanie Dawes.

DTSP is thrilled to be part of this global effort and looks forward to sharing with you all more updates as it continues its work on behalf of the Global Coalition for Digital Safety.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership Welcomes Zoom

WASHINGTON — The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet, today welcomed Zoom as its newest partner.

Zoom highlights the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership’s growing list of participating companies, which now counts 12 leading technology companies. One year ago, the Partnership launched after it brought together a diverse range of innovative digital companies, representing various products, sizes and business models. DTSP’s other partners include Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, and Vimeo.

The Partnership is committed to developing industry best practices, reviewed through internal and independent third-party assessments, to ensure consumer safety and trust when using digital services.

A year ago this week, the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership launched to mature and professionalize the Trust and Safety field, in pursuit of a safer and more trustworthy internet. Since then we have: 

• released our first set of common Trust & Safety commitments, articulating the 35 Best Practices our members are using to keep consumers safe;
• built the Safe Framework, a flexible yet rigorous methodology for how the Trust & Safety practices of participating companies will be assessed;
• participated in events with peer organizations, and
• engaged extensively with experts from industry, governments and civil society.

For more information, please visit dtspartnership.org. Members of the press can contact the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership at press@dtspartnership.org.

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The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership is a first-of-its kind initiative focused on promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet. The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership includes Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, Vimeo, and Zoom.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership Unveils Framework for Robust Assessments of Digital Services and Products

WASHINGTON — The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership (DTSP) is a first-of-its-kind industry-driven initiative to promote a safer and more trustworthy internet by establishing best practices for digital Trust & Safety. Today, DTSP unveiled the Safe Framework for how the Trust & Safety practices of participating companies will be assessed, bringing the organization closer to its goal of objective and measurable third-party assessments. The Safe Framework establishes rigor and consistency for the assessment processes, which will take place across a diverse set of the participating companies’ products and services. 

DTSP launched earlier this year with a wide range of leading technology companies, representing various products, sizes, and business models. DTSP’s 11 partners include Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, and Vimeo.

“We’re developing a sustainable framework that will address the urgent needs of today and that can be used to solve the safety challenges of the future. In a world where digital services face unique and constantly evolving risks, there is no single Trust & Safety solution, which is why we’ve developed a model that considers a number of factors to assess company practices,” said DTSP Executive Director David Sullivan. “Having witnessed the collaboration among DTSP members, I’m enthused by our progress and I look forward to sharing more of our learnings in the near future.”

The Safe Framework examines the people, processes, and technology that contribute to managing content- and conduct-related risks for participating companies. Initially, each partner will conduct an internal assessment, which evaluates adherence to the Commitments, documents existing practices, and identifies opportunities to improve them or develop new ones. An objective and measurable third-party assessment will follow. 

The Partnership is seeking input from outside parties on this methodology, and welcomes comments from civil society groups, governments, including policymakers and law enforcement, as well as experts from academia. Feedback should be sent to consultation@dtspartnership.org by February 15, 2022. 

For more information please visit dtspartnership.org. Members of the press can contact the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership at press@dtspartnership.org.

Future of Online Trust & Safety with TSPA and DTSP

Join the Trust & Safety Professional Association and the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership for a virtual event to examine the future of the trust and safety field. The first-of-its-kind forum will feature speakers from tech platforms and civil society who deal with these issues firsthand everyday. We will host two panel sessions.

RSVP on Eventbrite

Thu, September 9, 2021

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EDT

About this event

Building a Trust & Safety Team

What sorts of trust and safety considerations should a company anticipate before they have their first 1000 users? Their first 100,000 users? Their first 1,000,000,000 users? On this panel, we’ll be talking to experts who have learned these lessons firsthand, both from inside and outside tech. From which types of abuse to anticipate first, to how to build a resilient and effective trust and safety team, to how to talk about trust and safety with your users and with the public, our panelists will share thoughts on how the field has grown and how to prepare for the changes the future will bring.

Featured panelists:

Sev Guardado, Pinterest

Lindsay Sovern, Discord

Kaitlin Sullivan, Facebook

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Planning for the Next Global Crisis: Trust & Safety Lessons Learned from COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the entire world to shift online, opening up both new opportunities and risks for society. How did families adapt to children needing to spend far more time online? How did extremist networks react? This panel will explore the silver linings and challenges witnessed online during the pandemic, explaining what digital companies and trust & safety professionals need to know for the next global crisis.

Featured panelists:

Stephen Balkam, Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)

Robert Rakowitz, Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM)

Daniel Rogers, The Global Disinformation Index

Erin Saltman, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT)

Spandana Singh, Open Technology Institute

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Organizers

The Trust & Safety Professional Association (TSPA) is a 501(c)(6) organization supporting the global community of professionals who develop and enforce principles and policies that define acceptable behavior and content online. TSPA is a forum for professionals to connect with a network of peers, find resources for career development, and exchange best practices for navigating challenges unique to the profession.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership is a first-of-its kind initiative focused on promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet. The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership includes Discord, Facebook, Inc., Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, and Vimeo.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership Announces David M. Sullivan As Executive Director

WASHINGTON — The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet, announced today that David M. Sullivan has been hired to serve as Executive Director. Having previously served as Program Director at the Global Network Initiative, a multi-stakeholder forum working to help technology companies protect and advance freedom of expression and privacy, David brings with him extensive experience working with digital services to address online harms while also respecting human rights.

“With the serious consequences of the misuse of digital services in the global spotlight, it has never been more important for companies to come together to improve consumer trust and safety online. By working together, companies can ensure the internet remains an enabler of innovation, activism, entrepreneurship, and expression,” said Sullivan. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with our members to develop best practices and build global understanding among industry, governments, civil society, and the public about rights-respecting ways to curb harmful digital behavior.”

During nearly a decade at GNI, David played a key role growing and globalizing the initiative’s membership, implementing its unique assessment process, and advocating with policymakers for rights-based approaches to issues such as responding to terrorist and extremist content and fighting against Internet shutdowns. He previously led the research and policy team at the Center for American Progress’ Enough Project and worked for international NGOs providing democracy development and humanitarian aid. He holds a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies and a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership is committed to developing industry best practices, reviewed through internal and independent third-party assessments, to ensure consumer safety and trust when using digital services. Founding members include Discord, Facebook, Inc., Google, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, and Vimeo, with LinkedIn and Patreon joining since the launch.

The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership will co-host a virtual event on the future of online trust and safety with the Trust and Safety Professional Association (TSPA) on September 9. RSVP here to attend. 

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The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership Welcomes LinkedIn

WASHINGTON — The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet, today welcomed LinkedIn as its newest partner.

LinkedIn’s addition highlights the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership’s growing list of participating companies, which now counts 11 leading technology companies. Earlier this year, the Partnership launched after it brought together a diverse range of innovative digital companies, representing various products, sizes and business models. DTSP’s other partners include Discord, Facebook Inc., Google, Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, and Vimeo.  

The Partnership is committed to developing industry best practices, reviewed through internal and independent third-party assessments, to ensure consumer safety and trust when using digital services.

As part of its formal launch in February, the Partnership released a set of five key commitments agreed upon by the participating companies to ensure consumer safety and trust when using digital services. Also known as the “Digital Trust & Safety Partnership Best Practices Framework,” the partnership regards the following to be industry best practices: 

Commitment 1: Identify, evaluate, and adjust for content- and conduct-related risks in product development.

Commitment 2: Adopt explainable processes for product governance, including which team is responsible for creating rules, and how rules are evolved.

Commitment 3: Conduct enforcement operations to implement product governance.

Commitment 4: Assess and improve processes associated with content- and conduct-related risks.

Commitment 5: Ensure that relevant trust & safety policies are published to the public, and report periodically to the public and other stakeholders regarding actions taken.

For more information please visit dtspqa.wpengine.com. Members of the press can contact the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership at press@dtspartnership.org.

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The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership is a first-of-its kind initiative focused on promoting a safer and more trustworthy internet. The Digital Trust & Safety Partnership includes Discord, Facebook, Inc., Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Patreon, Pinterest, Reddit, Shopify, Twitter, and Vimeo.