Glossary of Trust & Safety Terms

As the Trust & Safety discipline grows — in significance, complexity, and number of practitioners — there is a corresponding need to ensure a common understanding of key terms used by the people who work to keep digital services safe. Although companies have used combinations of people, processes, and technology to address content- and conduct-related risks for years, this field, following the trajectory of other technology specialty areas like cybersecurity and privacy, has reached a critical point where it has begun to formalize, mature, and achieve self-awareness. 

Important discussions are happening all around the world, in homes, schools, and businesses, and at all levels of government, about what Trust & Safety should look like to best serve society and its particular relationship to the internet. But meaningful discussion is difficult without a shared vocabulary, which has been lacking.

UPDATE (March 16, 2023): After launching the Trust & Safety Glossary of Terms, the Partnership sought input from stakeholders and welcomed comments from industry, civil society, governments, including policymakers and law enforcement, experts from academia, and other interested parties. The public consultation period for such feedback has ended. Thank you to all respondents for your submissions and stay tuned for more information on this project.