What role do trust and safety teams play in platforms? Do we need to change the way they operate? Is governmental interventions in their function necessary? These are some of the questions addressed in this episode where Jhalak and Sachin speak with Mahima Kaul. They look at the function of trust and safety teams, the unequal distribution of resources across regions, the future of content moderation, thoughts on the coming Digital India Bill, and the differences in approach between public and private platforms.

Until recently, Mahima Kaul led Bumble's public policy work in the Asia-Pacific region. She supported research in India to develop a framework to tackle technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including risks posed by AI, by partnering with a think tank. She also worked with the Australian government on voluntary codes for the dating app industry and industry codes under the Online Safety Act. Previously, Kaul established Twitter's public policy presence in India and South Asia over a six-year stint. She managed the public policy efforts ranging from intermediary rules, codes for social media during elections, data protection, and online safety impacting users.

Resources: 

• TikTok controversy in the US - https://www.nytimes.com/article/tiktok-ban.html 
• Australia - Online Safety Act - industry specific codes - https://www.esafety.gov.au/industry/codes 
• DIA to replace IT Act - https://www.livemint.com/news/government-holds-first-consultation-on-digital-india-act-to-replace-it-act-2000-11678440033837.html 
• How children in slums use social media / caste, class etc. - https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9789048559947/childrens-digital-experiences-in-indian-slums 
• Bumble’s proprietary technology to blur pictures in DMs
• https://bumble.com/en-in/the-buzz/privatedetector 
• https://bumble.com/en-in/the-buzz/bumble-open-source-private-detector-ai-cyberflashing-dick-pics 

Hosts: Jhalak Kakkar, Sachin Dhawan

Editor: Gopika P

Fact Checker: Sukriti

This podcast is created by the ⁠Centre for Communication Governance⁠ at NLUD. Reach out for any queries / suggestions at ccgoutreach@nludelhi.ac.in 

(The opinions expressed in the episode are personal to the speaker. The University does not subscribe to the views expressed in the episode and does not take any responsibility for the same.)