Threats which are present on online digital platforms are constantly evolving as a result of technological advancements, user behaviors, new ways of developing, distributing and targeting illegal or harmful content, and ever more sophisticated coordinated efforts by (state) and other actors to spread disinformation to divide our societies and disrupt our democracies. As these threats evolve, so must the assessment and mitigation practices of platforms to ensure the safety of online services and compliance with regulatory standards, whilst protecting the freedom of speech.

In this context, the Digital Services Act and its Risk Management Framework introduce an innovative and adaptive approach to ensure that regulatory safeguards keep pace with the evolution of the threats landscape. Under the DSA, Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Search Engines (VLOSEs) are required to regularly assess and mitigate the actual or foreseeable risks their systems pose to various factors, including the infringement of fundamental rights, the dissemination of illegal content and hate speech, the protection of minors, gender-based violence, freedom and pluralism of the media, consumer protection, public health and security.

What are the most pressing emerging threats in platform governance today and what new threats may be coming down the pike? Are the threats mainly evolving around the nature of content, its creation and/or do they rather concern its dissemination and the activities of organization behind the threats? How do GenerativeAI affect the threat landscape and the work of Trust & Safety professionals (for example in content moderation)? Are platforms internally well organized to anticipate new and emerging threats? Do they share essential threat analysis with each other? How can DSA implementation provide an effective policy response to manage and mitigate these risks?

On Tuesday July 23rd, the European Union Office in San Francisco will host, in partnership with Tremau, a leading Trust & Safety service provider, a #BrusselsToTheBay event to address these questions.

Within TrustCon2024, the event will give the floor to Trust & Safety experts to discuss how to assess and prevent emerging threats in platform governance (such as in content moderation and online advertisement), whilst also focusing on existing and emerging mitigation practices and T&S tooling in the framework of the Digital Services Act implementation and compliance.

The discussion will be held under Chatham House Rule.

Refreshments and food will be offered.

AGENDA

5:00 - 5.30 | Registration, networking and food
5:30 – 6:30 | Panel discussion with Gerard de Graaf (Senior EU Envoy for Digital to the U.S. & Head of the EU Office in San Francisco), Louis-Victor de Franssu (CEO & Co-Founder of Tremau), Alice Goguen Hunsberger (VP of Trust & Safety and Content Moderation at PartnerHero) and Patricia Cartes Andrés (Sr Director of Trust & Safety of Cantina). Moderated by Ben Whitelaw (Founder and Editor of Everything in Moderation).
6:30 - 6:45 | Q&A
6:45 - 7:30 | Networking

MEET OUT SPEAKERS

Gerard de Graaf, Senior EU Envoy for Digital to the U.S. & Head of the EU Office in San Francisco

Senior EU Envoy for Digital and Head of the new EU Office in San Francisco, Gerard de Graaf has worked for more than 30 years in the European Commission across a wide range of policy areas. Until his recent appointment, he was director in DG CNECT, responsible for the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts (DSA/DMA), two landmark pieces of legislation which have been recently adopted in the European Union to keep the Internet safe, protect fundamental rights and enhance competition in digital markets.

Louis-Victor de Franssu, CEO and Co-Founder of Tremau

Louis-Victor de Franssu is CEO and Co-Founder of Tremau, Trust & Safety service provider.Before founding Tremau, Louis-Victor was deputy to the French Ambassador for Digital Affairs, where he led France’s work on the Christchurch Call to Action and participated to the French Digital Services Act. Prior to joining the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Louis-Victor worked for a leading non-financial risk management consulting firm within the financial industry.

Alice Hunsberger, VP of Trust & Safety and Content Moderation at PartnerHero

Alice Hunsberger is VP of Trust & Safety and Content Moderation at PartnerHero, where she heads up the global T&S line of business. Alice founded and hosts the Trust in Tech podcast with the Integrity Institute, and writes the T&S Insider newsletter with Everything in Moderation. She has been working in Trust & Safety since 2010, and was previously VP of CX (T&S and customer support) at Grindr, and head of CX at OkCupid.

Patricia Cartes Andrés, Sr Director of Trust & Safety of Cantina

Patricia Cartes Andrés started working in the technology industry in 2006 when she joined Google's Webspam team. After building an expertise in site integrity, she joined Facebook as one of the founding members of the company’s Trust & Safety operations in EMEA to combat harassment, child sexual exploitation, human rights violations and other types of harmful content. In 2013 she started working at Twitter where she led the company’s global safety outreach efforts creating Twitter’s Trust & Safety Council and engaging with online safety organizations, academics, policy-makers and regulators. She heads up Trust & Safety at Cantina, a social AI platform.

Ben Whitelaw, Founder and Editor of Everything in Moderation [MODERATOR]

Ben Whitelaw is the founder and editor of Everything in Moderation, an independent media outlet focused on content moderation and the policies, products, platforms
and people shaping its future. Ben's weekly newsletter has over 3,000 high-profile subscribers, including those in trust and safety at Meta, Twitter, Google, Linkedin, Bytedance,
Spotify and Hinge as well as leading experts working in academia, media, government and civil society. He is also a strategy consultant for FT Strategies, the consulting arm of the Financial Times and is based in London.

Navigating Emerging Threats in the age of the DSA