InsideSources: State Dept. Visa Misstep Will Aid Predators, Scammers, Traffickers
A cable from the State Department reportedly directs diplomats to deny visas to skilled workers in content moderation, fact-checking, and online safety. While intended to defend free speech, this policy risks leaving the most vulnerable users exposed to online abuse.
For InsideSources, DTSP ED David Sullivan and Charlotte Willner of the Trust & Safety Professional Association argue that this approach fundamentally misunderstands the role of Trust & Safety. These professionals aren’t just managing speech, they are on the front lines of combatting online abuse.
In the piece, Willner and Sullivan highlight how these experts are essential for:
Reporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Disrupting the online activity of designated terrorist organizations.
Enforcing Treasury Department sanctions and countering sophisticated financial scams targeting the elderly.
As they write, “Let’s not mistake the people fighting online abuse for the ones who cause it.” Emphasizing how protecting human rights and protecting people from crime are not mutually exclusive.
InsideSources: State Dept. Visa Misstep Will Aid Predators, Scammers, Traffickers
A cable from the State Department reportedly directs diplomats to deny visas to skilled workers in content moderation, fact-checking, and online safety. While intended to defend free speech, this policy risks leaving the most vulnerable users exposed to online abuse.
For InsideSources, DTSP ED David Sullivan and Charlotte Willner of the Trust & Safety Professional Association argue that this approach fundamentally misunderstands the role of Trust & Safety. These professionals aren’t just managing speech, they are on the front lines of combatting online abuse.
In the piece, Willner and Sullivan highlight how these experts are essential for:
As they write, “Let’s not mistake the people fighting online abuse for the ones who cause it.” Emphasizing how protecting human rights and protecting people from crime are not mutually exclusive.
Read the op-ed here.
Also seen in: Boston Herald