Safe Space - Talking Trust and Safety Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:15:03 -0700 https://safer.io/ en-us © 2026 Safe Space - Talking Trust and Safety yes d76bf1e4-c7d6-598f-9f74-8a9f66ba1334 Safer by Thorn episodic false What does it take to make the Internet a safer place? More importantly, who does it take? Safe Space explores the human side of trust & safety—featuring the leaders, thinkers, and builders working to protect online communities. Hosted by John Starr, VP of Operations and Strategic Impact at Thorn, this podcast dives into the personal journeys of those shaping the future of the digital world—one policy, one decision, and one conversation at a time.


Presented by Safer by Thorn.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) trust and safety Safer by Thorn https://storage.buzzsprout.com/9tpt0q0odeglj3qf3hd7wkohwgfd?.jpg Safe Space - Talking Trust and Safety https://safer.io/ Cassie Coccaro Pailes Halai Marc Leone: Moderation challenges for visual platforms Marc Leone: Moderation challenges for visual platforms In this episode of Safe Space, host Cassie Coccaro sits down with Marc Leone, Head of Trust and Safety at Giphy, for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of trust and safety, the challenge of moderating visual content, and what it takes to build child safety programs at scale.

]]> In this episode of Safe Space, host Cassie Coccaro sits down with Marc Leone, Head of Trust and Safety at Giphy, for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolution of trust and safety, the challenge of moderating visual content, and what it takes to build child safety programs at scale.

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-19428142 Tue, 07 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0700 1777 trust and safety 3 3 full false Alice Hunsberger: The need for checks and balances Alice Hunsberger: The need for checks and balances In this episode of Safe Space, hosts Cassie Coccaro and Pailes Halai talk with Alice Hunsberger, Head of Trust & Safety at Musubi. Alice has spent years working in trust and safety, with experience in online communities, dating apps, vendor operations, and AI safety tools.

]]> In this episode of Safe Space, hosts Cassie Coccaro and Pailes Halai talk with Alice Hunsberger, Head of Trust & Safety at Musubi. Alice has spent years working in trust and safety, with experience in online communities, dating apps, vendor operations, and AI safety tools.

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-19212901 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:00:00 -0700 3784 trust and safety 3 2 full false Dr. Rachel Kowert: Why gaming moderation is different Dr. Rachel Kowert: Why gaming moderation is different In this episode of Safe Space, hosts Cassie Coccaro and Pailes Halai sit down with Dr. Rachel Kowert, research psychologist and one of the leading voices connecting gaming, mental health, and trust and safety.

]]> In this episode of Safe Space, hosts Cassie Coccaro and Pailes Halai sit down with Dr. Rachel Kowert, research psychologist and one of the leading voices connecting gaming, mental health, and trust and safety.

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-19148232 Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:00 -0700 1614 trust and safety 3 1 full false Lauren Jonas: Prioritizing teen well-being in AI safety Lauren Jonas: Prioritizing teen well-being in AI safety In this episode of Safe Space, hosts John Starr and Pailes Halai sit down with Lauren Jonas, Head of Youth Wellbeing at OpenAI, to talk about what it takes to design technology that truly supports and protects young people in the age of AI.


]]> In this episode of Safe Space, hosts John Starr and Pailes Halai sit down with Lauren Jonas, Head of Youth Wellbeing at OpenAI, to talk about what it takes to design technology that truly supports and protects young people in the age of AI.


]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-18065688 Mon, 27 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0700 1644 trust and safety 2 6 full false Ryn Linthicum: Applying data, research, and psychology to AI safety Ryn Linthicum: Applying data, research, and psychology to AI safety Join us for a fascinating conversation with Ryn Linthicum, who brings a unique perspective to AI safety at Anthropic. Ryn shares insights from time spent at TikTok and their current work on Anthropic's safeguards team, where they help build safety into AI models from the ground up. 


]]> Join us for a fascinating conversation with Ryn Linthicum, who brings a unique perspective to AI safety at Anthropic. Ryn shares insights from time spent at TikTok and their current work on Anthropic's safeguards team, where they help build safety into AI models from the ground up. 


]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-17908066 Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0700 2108 trust and safety 2 5 full false David Polgar: Building Community Around Responsible Technology David Polgar: Building Community Around Responsible Technology David Polgar, founder of All Tech is Human, shares how he built a 55,000-member community focused on responsible technology without a tech background. Polgar reveals the motivations driving trust and safety professionals as they seek to reclaim the internet's original promise of global connection. 

]]> David Polgar, founder of All Tech is Human, shares how he built a 55,000-member community focused on responsible technology without a tech background. Polgar reveals the motivations driving trust and safety professionals as they seek to reclaim the internet's original promise of global connection. 

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-17691597 Mon, 25 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0700 2187 trust and safety 2 4 full false Safe Space welcomes a new co-host, Pailes Halai Safe Space welcomes a new co-host, Pailes Halai John Starr sits down with our new host, Pailes Halai, Thorn's Sr. Manager of Key Accounts & Partnerships, to hear how he got here and his interest in uncovering the stories of trust and safety pros in the AI industry.

]]> John Starr sits down with our new host, Pailes Halai, Thorn's Sr. Manager of Key Accounts & Partnerships, to hear how he got here and his interest in uncovering the stories of trust and safety pros in the AI industry.

]]> Buzzsprout-17632603 Mon, 11 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0700 426 trust and safety 2 bonus false Del Harvey: Optimism and Collaboration in Trust & Safety Del Harvey: Optimism and Collaboration in Trust & Safety Del Harvey, a legend in the field, built Twitter's trust and safety organization from the ground up, leading it for over a decade as the platform became a global phenomenon. In this Safe Space episode, the pioneering safety leader shares her unconventional journey from lifeguard to reality TV psychological screener to trust and safety icon. 

Del offers insights into hiring passionate teams, building psychological safety for rapid decision-making, and maintaining optimism while preparing for worst-case scenarios. She discusses the evolution of trust and safety as a field, the importance of collaborative rather than adversarial approaches, and her transition from Twitter to advising the next generation of safety leaders. 

Host John Starr, who worked under Del's leadership for six years, guides this conversation filled with strategic wisdom and practical advice for anyone working to make the internet safer.

]]> Del Harvey, a legend in the field, built Twitter's trust and safety organization from the ground up, leading it for over a decade as the platform became a global phenomenon. In this Safe Space episode, the pioneering safety leader shares her unconventional journey from lifeguard to reality TV psychological screener to trust and safety icon. 

Del offers insights into hiring passionate teams, building psychological safety for rapid decision-making, and maintaining optimism while preparing for worst-case scenarios. She discusses the evolution of trust and safety as a field, the importance of collaborative rather than adversarial approaches, and her transition from Twitter to advising the next generation of safety leaders. 

Host John Starr, who worked under Del's leadership for six years, guides this conversation filled with strategic wisdom and practical advice for anyone working to make the internet safer.

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-17542354 Mon, 28 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0700 2454 trust and safety 2 3 full false John Buckley: The Human Element in Trust & Safety John Buckley: The Human Element in Trust & Safety After a pivotal university lecture digging into the history of child abuse in Ireland, John Buckley found his calling. His career path led him to tech giants Facebook and Google, driven by first-hand observations of how technology was playing a larger and larger role in children's lives.

In this episode, John Starr talks with John Buckley, director and head of child rights & safety with the Lego Group. Buckley shares his remarkable journey, from nonprofit work to leading child safety initiatives in tech.

Buckley gives us a rare insider perspective on trust and safety work inside the tech giants dominating the online landscape. Despite what many think, he emphasizes that the "humans in the loop" advocate passionately for user safety within tech companies. He discusses effective advocacy tactics, the evolution of trust and safety in 2025, and advises aspiring professionals to become a Swiss Army knife of skills while not entirely drinking the Kool-Aid.

The conversation explores generative AI's impact, the vital role of nonprofit partnerships, and why—despite technological challenges—the dedicated community of trust and safety professionals gives Buckley hope for the future.

]]> After a pivotal university lecture digging into the history of child abuse in Ireland, John Buckley found his calling. His career path led him to tech giants Facebook and Google, driven by first-hand observations of how technology was playing a larger and larger role in children's lives.

In this episode, John Starr talks with John Buckley, director and head of child rights & safety with the Lego Group. Buckley shares his remarkable journey, from nonprofit work to leading child safety initiatives in tech.

Buckley gives us a rare insider perspective on trust and safety work inside the tech giants dominating the online landscape. Despite what many think, he emphasizes that the "humans in the loop" advocate passionately for user safety within tech companies. He discusses effective advocacy tactics, the evolution of trust and safety in 2025, and advises aspiring professionals to become a Swiss Army knife of skills while not entirely drinking the Kool-Aid.

The conversation explores generative AI's impact, the vital role of nonprofit partnerships, and why—despite technological challenges—the dedicated community of trust and safety professionals gives Buckley hope for the future.

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-17406347 Mon, 30 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0700 2312 trust and safety 2 2 full false Aaron Rodericks: Scaling Safety During Rapid Growth Aaron Rodericks: Scaling Safety During Rapid Growth In this revealing conversation, John Starr speaks with Aaron Rodericks, Head of Trust and Safety at Bluesky, about his unexpected journey to become the trust and safety leader at one of today's fastest-growing social platforms.

Rodericks candidly discusses the realities of scaling trust and safety at a pre-revenue startup with just 20 employees total while experiencing explosive growth—from 3,500 to one million new users daily. He shares how this growth forced him to "throw the roadmap in the garbage" and practice ruthless prioritization when facing 250,000 user reports in a single day.

The conversation explores Bluesky's revolutionary approach to moderation—a decentralized model where users and organizations can create their own moderation systems rather than relying on gatekeepers. Rodericks explains how this "composable moderation" shifts power dynamics, allowing communities to create specialized labels for niche and specific issues.

As a self-described "extreme generalist" who allocates small percentages of his capacity to everything from GDPR compliance to disinformation campaigns, Rodericks offers personal insights into the human toll of public-facing trust and safety work. He emphasizes the importance of self-care and finding identity outside work through practices like archery and meditation.

]]> In this revealing conversation, John Starr speaks with Aaron Rodericks, Head of Trust and Safety at Bluesky, about his unexpected journey to become the trust and safety leader at one of today's fastest-growing social platforms.

Rodericks candidly discusses the realities of scaling trust and safety at a pre-revenue startup with just 20 employees total while experiencing explosive growth—from 3,500 to one million new users daily. He shares how this growth forced him to "throw the roadmap in the garbage" and practice ruthless prioritization when facing 250,000 user reports in a single day.

The conversation explores Bluesky's revolutionary approach to moderation—a decentralized model where users and organizations can create their own moderation systems rather than relying on gatekeepers. Rodericks explains how this "composable moderation" shifts power dynamics, allowing communities to create specialized labels for niche and specific issues.

As a self-described "extreme generalist" who allocates small percentages of his capacity to everything from GDPR compliance to disinformation campaigns, Rodericks offers personal insights into the human toll of public-facing trust and safety work. He emphasizes the importance of self-care and finding identity outside work through practices like archery and meditation.

]]> Buzzsprout-17205755 Wed, 28 May 2025 06:00:00 -0700 2509 trust and safety 2 1 full false Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Patricia Cartes | EP 3 Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Patricia Cartes | EP 3 From aspiring United Nations interpreter to Trust & Safety leader, Patricia Cartes, Head of Trust & Safety at Cantina AI, takes us on her global journey into online safety. Thorn's VP of Strategic Impact, John Starr, explores Cartes' journey from translating spam websites to shaping content policies at tech giants.

Patricia reflects on the early days of T&S under "online sales and operations" to its current status as a flourishing field critical to business success. She offers a robust perspective on balancing free speech with user protection, drawing from her extensive experience in public policy and global perspectives. Her vision for the future of the field is full of determined hope, where growing professionalization and dynamic cross-industry collaboration pave the way to diligently address complex online safety issues such as child sexual exploitation.

Learn more about Thorn’s technology for good at safer.io

]]> From aspiring United Nations interpreter to Trust & Safety leader, Patricia Cartes, Head of Trust & Safety at Cantina AI, takes us on her global journey into online safety. Thorn's VP of Strategic Impact, John Starr, explores Cartes' journey from translating spam websites to shaping content policies at tech giants.

Patricia reflects on the early days of T&S under "online sales and operations" to its current status as a flourishing field critical to business success. She offers a robust perspective on balancing free speech with user protection, drawing from her extensive experience in public policy and global perspectives. Her vision for the future of the field is full of determined hope, where growing professionalization and dynamic cross-industry collaboration pave the way to diligently address complex online safety issues such as child sexual exploitation.

Learn more about Thorn’s technology for good at safer.io

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-16612576 Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0800 2136 trust and safety 1 3 full false Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Jerrel Peterson | EP 2 Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Jerrel Peterson | EP 2 From social work to social networks online, Jerrel Peterson, Director of Content Policy at Spotify and former Twitter alum, takes us on his unexpected journey into Trust & Safety. Thorn's VP of Strategic Impact, John Starr, talks with Peterson about his fascinating transition from aspiring plastic surgeon to social worker, and ultimately to a content policy expert bringing a unique perspective to online safety. 

Jerrel explores the crucial role of "soft skills" in Trust & Safety and how he approaches leading teams through complex decision-making processes, balancing objectivity with organizational values in content moderation. He tackles the misconception that Trust & Safety operates in isolation and offers valuable insights into making it an essential requirement for platform success. 

Learn more about Thorn’s technology for good at safer.io

Access more child safety resources for Trust and Safety professionals: https://get.safer.io/resources-trust-safety

]]> From social work to social networks online, Jerrel Peterson, Director of Content Policy at Spotify and former Twitter alum, takes us on his unexpected journey into Trust & Safety. Thorn's VP of Strategic Impact, John Starr, talks with Peterson about his fascinating transition from aspiring plastic surgeon to social worker, and ultimately to a content policy expert bringing a unique perspective to online safety. 

Jerrel explores the crucial role of "soft skills" in Trust & Safety and how he approaches leading teams through complex decision-making processes, balancing objectivity with organizational values in content moderation. He tackles the misconception that Trust & Safety operates in isolation and offers valuable insights into making it an essential requirement for platform success. 

Learn more about Thorn’s technology for good at safer.io

Access more child safety resources for Trust and Safety professionals: https://get.safer.io/resources-trust-safety

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-16612313 Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:00:00 -0800 1789 trust and safety 1 2 full false Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Yoel Roth | EP 1 Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Yoel Roth | EP 1 In this candid conversation, Yoel Roth, VP at Match Group and Twitter alum, shares his personal and professional evolution in Trust & Safety. Host John Starr, Thorn’s VP of Strategic Impact, asks Roth to reflect on his interests in the early internet days and lessons learned while shaping the safety landscape of today's biggest platforms. Discover how a curious grad student became a pivotal figure in online protection, and learn why Roth believes we need to shift from reactive moderation to proactive safety by design. 

Yoel brings a fresh perspective to hard questions about what we can do better as a field and gives his take on why the perception of T&S as the "internet janitors" just cleaning up the bad stuff needs a serious update.

Learn more about Thorn's technology for good at safer.io

]]> In this candid conversation, Yoel Roth, VP at Match Group and Twitter alum, shares his personal and professional evolution in Trust & Safety. Host John Starr, Thorn’s VP of Strategic Impact, asks Roth to reflect on his interests in the early internet days and lessons learned while shaping the safety landscape of today's biggest platforms. Discover how a curious grad student became a pivotal figure in online protection, and learn why Roth believes we need to shift from reactive moderation to proactive safety by design. 

Yoel brings a fresh perspective to hard questions about what we can do better as a field and gives his take on why the perception of T&S as the "internet janitors" just cleaning up the bad stuff needs a serious update.

Learn more about Thorn's technology for good at safer.io

]]> Safer by Thorn Buzzsprout-16612233 Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:00:00 -0800 1782 joel roth, trust and safety 1 1 full false