Content Moderation / Guide
Trust & Safety changelog
This changelog is in Beta. As we iterate to make it as useful as possible, let us know if you have feedback.
Stay on top of the latest changes affecting your Trust & Safety operations.
This changelog is crowdsourced, feel free to suggest missing items.
Adult contentChild SafetyExtremismHarassmentHateMisinformationPrivacySelf-HarmSubstancesViolence
March 2023 | ||
| Yubo and the AFNOR Group are forming a working group to create a new safety standard on the prevention of risks and protection of minors on social networks. Read more or even more | WorldAFNORYubo | ProductChild Safety |
| Snapchat is publishing guidelines in its Family Center, detailing how content gets algorithmically recommended to minors. Read more | WorldSnapchat | ProductChild Safety |
| UNESCO is launching a National Coalition on Freedom of Expression and Content Moderation in Kenya. Read more | Kenya | RegulatoryHateMisinformation |
| The House of Representatives is passing a bill to protect online speech from federal officials. Read more | US | RegulatoryPrivacy |
| Meta is introducing a new way for users to authenticate their account with a missed call. Read more | WorldMeta | ProductPrivacy |
| Texas is proposing a bill requiring platforms to protect minors from harmful content and to get parental consent before data collection. Read more | US | RegulatoryChild SafetyPrivacy |
| Meta's oversight board is reviewing the moderation of the Arabic word "shaheed", meaning "martyr" in English, the word associated with most content removals. Read more | WorldMeta | ProductExtremism |
| Wisconsin is joining other states requesting court order for TikTok to comply with investigation into its communication practices. Read more | USTikTik | ProductChild SafetyPrivacy |
| Meta's oversight board is planning to scrutinize the social network’s policies surrounding election content in Brazil and other “high-risk” areas. Read more | BrazilMeta | ProductMisinformation |
| Amazon Prime Video is signing an agreement with the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to produce age ratings for content. Read more | UKAmazon | ProductChild Safety |
| Whatsapp is agreeing to be more transparent on changes to its terms of service according to the European Commission. Read more or even more | WorldMeta | Product |
| Facebook is revamping its "cross-check" moderation system after facing criticism for applying different review processes for VIP vs regular users. Read more | WorldMeta | Product |
| Twitter is now prohibiting "wishes of harm" in its new violent speech policy, banning users expressing desire for harm. Read more | WorldTwitter | ProductHateViolence |
| TikTok is setting a new default 60-minute daily screen time limit for minors. Read more | WorldTikTok | ProductChild Safety |
February 2023 | ||
| Singapore is examining a new Code of Practice seeking to remove harmful content from app stores. Read more | Singapore | RegulatoryAdultChild SafetyViolence |
| Signal is threatening to shut down in the UK if the Online Safety Bill forces the platform to violate users privacy. Read more | UKSignal | ProductPrivacy |
| Australian e-safety commissioner is asking TikTok, Twitter and Google to hand over information on handling online child abuse. Read more or even more | AustraliaGoogleTikTokTwitter | RegulatoryChild Safety |
| Meta is reforming its penalty system "Facebook Jail", saying users will now be receiving a warning first for most violations. Read more | WorldMeta | Product |
| TikTok is announcing the creation of new European data centers to stay in compliance with EU DSA rules. Read more | EUTikTok | ProductPrivacy |
| The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is launching a new short-code aiming at combating fake news. Read more | Nigeria | RegulatoryMisinformation |
| Meta is launching Meta Verified in Australia and New Zealand, a new paid verification service. Read more | AustraliaNew ZealandMeta | Product |
| UK is announcing that content generated by AI chatbots will fall within the Online Safety Bill's scope. Read more | UK | RegulatoryChild SafetyMisinformationSelf-harm |
| Tennessee is examining a bill asking phone manufacturers to track and block harmful content from minors. Read more | US | RegulatoryAdultChild SafetyViolence |
| Meta's oversight board is announcing it will now review more types of content moderation cases and publish some decisions on an expedited basis. Read more | WorldMeta | Product |
| Meta is rolling out a new version of its ad-matching tool, providing more information about how users activities are feeding ML models. Read more | WorldMeta | ProductPrivacy |
| Arkansas is proposing a new bill requiring ID to access pornographic websites. Read more | US | RegulatoryAdultChild Safety |
| Google is expanding its misinformation "prebunking" initiative to Germany. Read more | GermanyGoogle | ProductMisinformation |
| British peers are proposing an amendment to the Online Safety Bill, requiring a greater protection for women online. Read more | UK | RegulatoryHarassment |
| California is attempting for the second time to hold social media liable for addicting child users to their product. Read more | US | RegulatoryChild Safety |
| Meta is launching new comment moderation tools allowing creators on Facebook to view moderation statistics and manage conversations. Read more | WorldMeta | Product |
| Google is introducing a blur feature helping users avoiding explicit images while using the search engine. Read more | WorldGoogle | ProductAdultViolence |
| France is imposing age verification to block access to pornographic websites for minors from next September. Read more | France | RegulatoryAdultChild Safety |
| California is examining a bill targeting fentanyl and firearms sale and harm promotion to children on social media. Read more | US | RegulatoryChild SafetySubstancesViolence |
| TikTok is opening transparency and accountability centers to visitors. Read more | WorldTikTok | Product |
| TikTok is rolling out a revamped account enforcement system, including a new strike system and features dealing with recommendations. Read more | WorldTikTok | Product |
January 2023 | ||
| The Supreme Court is taking up Section 230 for two cases to be heard in February, involving social media's relationship to terrorist activity. Read more | US | RegulatoryExtremism |
| Japan is creating a new agency to counter fake news and online disinformation. Read more | Japan | RegulatoryMisinformation |
| Twitter is planning to limit permanent suspensions of accounts breaking its rules, adding that any user will be able to appeal an account suspension. Read more | WorldTwitter | Product |
| India is forming three Grievance Appellate Committees to oversee social media content moderation. Read more | India | Regulatory |
| The National Police Agency is adding murder, guns and explosives to contents that can be requested for removal by internet service providers in March. Read more | Japan | RegulatoryViolence |
| Rights groups are asking Meta to improve content moderation in Africa after its main outsourcing partner stopped providing services. Read more | AfricaMeta | Product |
| Tinder and WESNET are releasing a Dating Safety Guide including the ability to block abusive users, report offensive messages instantly and access to the Australian Safety Centre. Read more or even more | AustraliaTinder | Product |
| TikTok is launching its offline Safety Ambassadors Programme in Bangladesh as part of the #SaferTogether campaign to make the platform safer. Read more | BangladeshTikTok | Product |
| Meta's oversight board is announcing the removal of the Ukrainian far-right military group Azov Regiment from its list of dangerous individuals and organizations. Read more | WorldMeta | ProductExtremism |
| EU regulators are warning TikTok must comply with the Digital Services Act rules by next September. Read more | EUTikTok | Regulatory |
| CNIL is warning that some age verification methods requiring face scans to access pornographic websites could be used for blackmail. Read more | US | RegulatoryAdultChild Safety |
| The Supreme Court is asking The Biden administration to weigh in on two content moderation cases. Read more or even more | US | Regulatory |
| Meta's oversight board is sharing their decision to redefine Facebook and Instagram's community rules regarding nudity in a less discriminatory way. Read more or even more | WorldMeta | ProductAdult |
| An amendment to the Online Safety Bill is calling for tech company executives to be liable for prosecution if failing to protect children online. Read more or even more | UK | RegulatoryChild Safety |
| Louisiana is passing a new law requiring residents to provide proof of their age with an official ID to access pornographic websites. Read more | US | RegulatoryAdultChild Safety |
| China is implementing new rules on generative AI and deepfakes, requiring specific labeling and banning their use for fake news generation. Read more | China | RegulatoryMisinformation |
| The United Nation’s 2022 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is discussing internet fragmentation among democracies vs. driven by authoritarian states. Read more | World | Regulatory |
| TikTok is announcing creators are now able to restrict their videos to adult viewers. Read more | WorldTikTok | ProductChild Safety |
| Google is developing a free moderation tool for terrorist material identification and removal for smaller platforms. Read more | WorldGoogle | ProductExtremism |
December 2022 | ||
| In Thailand, a new law is forcing online service providers and social media platforms to take down content within 24 hours without a court order. Read more | Thailand | Regulatory |
| Wikipedia Foundation executives are arguing that the UK's Online Safety Bill would require platforms to monitor all content, which is prohibited in the EU's DSA. Read more | UK | RegulatoryPrivacy |
| Meta is launching HMA, a new free tool helping platforms identify and remove violating content. Read more or even more | WorldMeta | ProductExtremism |
| Ireland is signing its Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022. Read more | Ireland | Regulatory |
| Apple is cancelling its plan to scan photos stored in iCloud to detect CSAM. Read more | WorldApple | ProductChild Safety |
| Meta's oversight board is suggesting that Meta's cross check programme is more commercially driven than commited to human rights. Read more | WorldMeta | Product |
| The UK government is dropping the "legal but harmful" provisions of the Online Safety Bill and adding new duties boosting free speech and increasing accountability of tech firms. Read more or even more | UK | Regulatory |
| TikTok and Bumble are joining Meta to stop revenge porn by blocking images from StopNCII.org's bank of hashes. Read more or even more | WorldTikTokBumbleMeta | ProductAdult |
November 2022 | ||
| Naver Z is introducing its Safety Advisory Council providing expertise on their policy and features. Read more or even more | WorldNaver | Product |
| Singapore is passing an Online Safety Bill requiring social media sites to block "harmful content" within hours. Read more | Singapore | Regulatory |
| Twitter is announcing its Covid misinformation policy is no longer enforced. Read more or even more | WorldTwitter | ProductMisinformation |
| Teleperformance is announcing it will no longer accept any new highly egregious content moderation work. Read more | WorldTeleperformance | Product |
| The EU Digital Services Act (DSA) is coming into force, creating new rules to ensure transparency and users protection and rights on online platforms. Read more or even more | EU | Regulatory |
| Australia, Fiji, Ireland and the UK are launching a Global Online Safety Regulators Network paving the way for a coherent international approach to online safety regulation. Read more | AustraliaFijiIrelandUK | Regulatory |
| The French government is creating a Laboratory for Childhood protection Online Charter encouraging knowledge sharing and new initiatives development. Read more | France | RegulatoryChild Safety |
| Instagram is rolling out age verification using Yoti, a platform conducting facial feature analysis to estimate a user's age, but dropping social vouching. Read more | UKMeta | ProductChild Safety |
| Vietnam is tightening regulations regarding "false" content on social media platforms so that it is taken down within 24 hours instead of 48 hours. Read more | Vietnam | RegulatoryMisinformation |
October 2022 | ||
| The EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) is entering into force, putting an end to unfair practices by companies acting as gatekeepers in the online platform economy. Read more or even more | EU | Regulatory |
| The Indian government is forming a government panel to hear complaints from users about content moderation decisions by social media platforms. Read more | India | Regulatory |
| TikTok is introducing new and updated features and policies for its LIVE community. Read more | WorldTikTok | ProductChild Safety |
| Twitter is reviewing its policies around permanently banning users. Read more | WorldTwitter | Product |
| Spotify is acquiring Kinzen, a firm specialized in identifying harmul audio content. Read more | WorldSpotify | ProductHateMisinformation |
| The EU Council is giving final approval to the Digital Services Act (DSA). Read more | EU | Regulatory |
| Singapore is introducing a bill into Parliament to fight egregious and harmful online content. Read more | Singapore | RegulatoryAdultChild SafetyExtremismSelf-harm |
September 2022 | ||
| Tumblr is creating community labels allowing users to avoid seeing unwanted content. Read more | WorldTumblr | ProductAdultSubstancesViolence |
| Twitter is opening the Twitter Moderation Research Consortium (TMRC) to researchers. Read more | WorldTwitter | Product |
| Instagram is developing a feature protecting users from receiving unsolicited nude photos. Read more | WorldMeta | ProductAdult |
| Facebook is experimenting with asking 250 users to help moderate climate speech. Read more | WorldMeta | ProductMisinformation |
| YouTube is announcing updated content moderation policies to prohibit violent extremist content. Read more | WorldYouTube | ProductExtremism |
| California is requiring platforms to report how they moderate hate speech, extremism, harassment and other objectionable behaviors. Read more | US | RegulatoryExtremismHarassmentHate |
| Twitter is expanding its fact-checking feature Birdwatch, allowing users to add additional context to tweets. Read more | WorldTwitter | ProductMisinformation |
August 2022 | ||
| OpenAI is introducing a content moderation endpoint assessing whether the content is sexual, hateful or promoting self-harm. Read more | WorldOpenAI | ProductAdultHateSelf-harm |
| TikTok is said to be training its moderators to detect CSAM using graphic images and videos as a reference guide. Read more | WorldTikTok | ProductChild Safety |
| Indonesia is blocking access to various online platforms such as PayPal, Steam and Yahoo after they failed to comply with a regulatory deadline. Read more | Indonesia | Regulatory |
See missing items? You can add them here.
Want to keep an eye on what's going on? Consider subscribing to Ben Whitelaw's newsletter.
Read more
Self-harm and mental health — Content Moderation
This is a guide to detecting, moderating and handling self-harm, self-injury and suicide-related topics in texts and images.
Towards a fine-grained and contextual approach to Nudity Moderation
Blanket bans on nudity and specifically on bare breasts are coming under increased scrutiny. We hear they clash with cultural expectations and impede right to expression for women, trans and nonbinary people.