Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Jerrel Peterson | EP 2

02/13/25 • 29 min

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

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

Previous Episode

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

Next Episode

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

Safe Space - Talking Trust and Safety - Safe Space - Talking Trust & Safety: Jerrel Peterson | EP 2

Transcript

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- So, we're at TrustCon, and I'm here with Jerrel Peterson, the Director of Content Policy at Spotify. Jerrel, welcome to TrustCon. Are you excited for the week? - I really am. TrustCon is a lot, it's a lot of people, so I'm pacing myself. And I did a lot of hugs, a lot of smiles already this morning. And so yeah, I'm looking forward. It's always a good time. - Well, I really appreciate you joining me today. We're gonna t