Responsible AI applications in trust and safety operations, child safety, the new regulatory environment and user well-being were notable themes at this year’s recent TrustCon Summit. Underpinning these themes, dignity and worth of people, social justice, service and advocacy and the importance of human relationships have become key priorities in the space.
TaskUs sponsored over 50 people, from frontline content moderators to students, to attend the Summit and our industry-recognized team participated in the dynamic discussions. With nine speaking slots, our experts Rachel Lutz-Guevara, Irene Huang, Siva Raghava, Andrea Ran, Jolguer Perez and Sergio Puentes contributed best practices and new perspectives shaping the future of digital trust and safety. Here’s a summary of their top takeaways.
Top 5 takeaways from the Summit
1. The Trust & Safety industry and careers therein are growing.
From 300+ attendees in 2022 to upwards of 1300+, TrustCon's growth reflects the increased focus on trust and safety services.
This year's attendees were more diverse — across areas of expertise, company types and regions — including law enforcement, government officials, human rights organizations and mental health professionals. The range of practitioners underscores the expanding scope of Trust & Safety roles, extending beyond social platforms to various sectors, offering new professional paths within the field.
2. AI is evolving to help us do more.
Recent advancements in AI and machine learning have further enhanced the capabilities of trust and safety teams. Open-source and startup-developed AI content moderation solutions are helping increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the review process and detection of counterfeit goods, harmful content and AI-generated content like deep fakes to prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation and identity theft.
And as AI continues to evolve, trust and safety teams must stay ahead of emerging threats and leverage the technology's benefits responsibly.
3. Moderator well-being is gaining more importance than ever.
While AI offers scalability and efficiency, people remain at the heart of the trust and safety practice.
Effective policies and procedures must be centered around protecting users and the well-being of moderators. Moderators review a wide range of content, from “less severe” to egregious. The cumulative exposure to even “moderate” content can have a significant impact on their well-being and productivity.
The panel "Building Resilience: Navigating the Impact of 'Less Severe' Content on Moderator Wellbeing & Productivity" highlighted the nuances of what content is considered "severe," other occupational factors that can affect well-being, and practical wellness and resiliency solutions to support moderators in handling "moderate" content.
4. Collaboration fuels innovation.
A more diverse attendee base generated broader perspectives as well, much needed to tackle today’s complex challenges and create unbiased solutions. Cross-collaboration and open-source tools are helping overcome the scarcity of data for many languages, enabling more effective and inclusive content moderation solutions.
We helped support these initiatives by hosting the first-ever luncheon for professionals in the Latin America region to connect, share experiences and work together on innovative approaches to dealing with language-specific and regional issues.
5. A scientific, data-driven approach drives value.
By leveraging data-driven insights, trust and safety teams can demonstrate their value to the organization, make informed decisions, drive continuous improvement and align with broader business goals.
In addition, adopting clinical-based and data-driven wellness programming can help identify specific workforce and organizational needs and measure effectiveness. These programs should incorporate brain-based, psychological workplace interventions and focus on crucial areas such as mental health support, peer support, educational workshops and flexible work arrangements, surpassing traditional corporate wellness initiatives.
TrustCon 2024 was a catalyst for change. And, as the digital landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed, the work of trust and safety professionals becomes increasingly critical.
By building on the momentum generated at the conference, we can further advance the discipline to safeguard users, workers and digital experiences.
