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7 min read T&S Insider

A reader asks: What should be on my ‘red line’ list?

Most T&S professionals—whether they admit it or not—have a line they won’t cross for their company. But when you're in the middle of a major, public failure, it can be hard to know what to do. Here’s my take on what to consider before quitting.

I'm Alice Hunsberger. Trust & Safety Insider is my weekly rundown on the topics, industry trends and workplace strategies that trust and safety professionals need to know about to do their job.

This week, I'm answering a reader question about how to decide to leave an organisation that isn't aligned with your ethics, and what to do next.

Also, I'll be in NYC April 23rd for All Tech is Human's Safety by Design event – let me know if you'll be there and want to say hi!

Get in touch if you'd like your own questions answered (it really helps when I have writer's block!) or just want to share your feedback. Here we go! — Alice

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An ethical framework for uncertain times

Why this matters: One of the things that has been keeping me up at night is the ease with which “Trust & Safety work” can be weaponised. The Triangle of Tradeoffs of safety, privacy, and expression can be used to serve harmful agendas and we've seen both community guidelines and safety bills rewritten to remove protections for marginalised groups and to suppress citizen’s rights. 

That's why it's crucial for T&S professionals to reckon with their own personal set of ethics and morals and to draw the line in the sand that they will not cross. I’ve had to make these decisions myself. While I’m not comfortable talking publicly about my own personal situation, I will talk about the process. 

I recently received the following question from a T&S Insider reader (thank you!). They were framing the question in terms of what to do when a company has a big, public T&S failure:

1. Whilst personally subjective, what are things someone should consider before "jumping ship"?

2. Assuming that person decides they cannot continue with the org, what are steps they can take to leave without causing unnecessary turmoil? What would be helpful to add a 'last minute ' handover doc? 

3. If you have to stay with the org for whatever personal reasons, what are things you can do to push for more action or help steam roll positive changes? 

I’m going to answer below, but I’m broadening the scenario to include what happens when a company’s values stray from your own. Sometimes the failures are quiet and internal, instead of big and public, but are just as much a test of personal ethics. 

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Published by:

Alice Hunsberger

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