Not Quite the Wild West, Not Entirely Black Boxes: The Governance of Online Platforms and the Evolving Field of Trust and Safety

Policymakers struggle to craft effective strategies for governing online platforms. Their efforts are often referred to as attempts to regulate “black-boxed” tech in a sector that has long been described as the “Wild West.” But historical perspectives from practitioners in the trust and safety field offer a more nuanced understanding. Data from the History of Trust and Safety Project reveal that governance precedents and cross-sectoral initiatives date back at least two decades and address issues including fraud, spam, child sexual abuse material, and extremist content. This collaborative work occurred in and among government agencies, media, civil society organizations, academia, and the platforms themselves. The Wild West and black-box metaphors are not helpful points of departure for regulatory debates with decades-old precedents. Governance should be informed by what has been tried before and by a clearer understanding of the technical and social forces that have shaped the present state of play.