This year, we had an incredible group of 17 trust and safety practitioners from across the EMEA region come together as a Programme Committee to craft an event for the community, by the community. TSPA’s Programme Committee members volunteer their time and expertise to ensure that the EMEA Summit offers the best possible programming. The committee not only helps to select the overall theme for the summit, but they help prioritize topics that are critical to T&S professionals working in the region to create a strong agenda for everyone in attendance. This year’s committee had the added task of brainstorming the makeup of our first ever professional development day, adding a second day to the agenda to cater to skill building and connection among TSPA members.
We are incredibly grateful to the committee for their hard work, we would not have a strong program without them! Two of our committee members shared their thoughts about this year’s theme and offered advice for maximizing the summit experience.
Ailís Daly
My journey in Trust & Safety began 14 years ago at Google, where I managed sales compliance and risk processes before moving on to enforce advertising policies at Twitter and later leading community policy as the EMEA Lead at Airbnb. Since 2021, I have served as the Global Head of Violence and Aggression Issue Policies at TikTok, addressing critical online challenges like hate speech, violence, and abuse.
Currently, as the Head of Trust & Safety for EMEA at WebPurify, I advise top-tier companies on regulatory requirements, Trust & Safety operations, and policy development across the region. My work has spanned issues like online misogyny, the impact of COVID-19 on marketplace homestays, international conflicts, and elections. I’ve played a pivotal role in preparing for major regulations and building trust with regulators—enhancing both organizational reputation and compliance.
What drives you to pursue continuous learning and growth in the Trust & Safety field?
Both of my parents were science teachers so a passion for education is in the DNA. Much like science, this industry evolves at lightning speed, and staying on top of developments isn’t optional, it’s a necessity. I also deeply value the people in this space. Trust & Safety professionals are some of the smartest, most mission-driven individuals I’ve encountered. Every time I engage with them, I walk away feeling sharper, more informed, and energized.
What inspired you to join the Programme Committee for this year’s summit?
I’ve attended every TSPA summit since they launched and have always gained so much from the sessions. This year, I wanted to be part of shaping that experience for others. You get out what you put in, and I was eager to contribute to creating an enriching and valuable event for my peers in the Trust & Safety community.
Reflecting on the theme for this year’s summit, when unexpected changes disrupt your work, what’s one practical step you take to stay focused and effective in your role?
Making the case for investment in Trust & Safety is never straightforward, it requires constant justification and clear storytelling to demonstrate impact. When resources get pulled back or priorities shift, I dig deep and get even more creative in how I frame the importance of this work. Finding the right narrative can help regain momentum and support in challenging times.
When crafting policies, I think it’s crucial to avoid planning solely through a lens where everything goes according to plan. Circumstances can change quickly: a meticulously crafted policy ready for launch might suddenly get deprioritized. Always have a backup plan ready. If the implementation of your “platinum” policy is suddenly off the table, consider whether there are adjustments that can still be made, perhaps scaling down to a “gold” or “silver” version. Don’t get disheartened when things don’t unfold perfectly—progress is still progress, even if it’s not exactly as you initially envisioned. Adaptability and resilience in policy planning are just as important as the policies themselves. Remember, moving forward in any capacity is better than standing still, and each step, however small, contributes to the broader goal.
What is one key takeaway or experience you hope every attendee has at this year’s summit?
I want attendees to leave with their heads held high and feeling reinforced by the community, energized by reconnecting with former colleagues and meeting new ones, and a little lighter after stepping away from some of the doom and gloom that can weigh down the Trust & Safety space.
Nikhil Bhasin
For over a decade, Nikhil Bhasin has tackled persistent challenges in online governance—measuring the real impact of moderation interventions, improving moderator support at scale, and advocating for stronger multilingual frameworks and organizations in trust & safety. He first encountered these challenges as a volunteer moderator, where he helped scale a community from 16,000 to over 1.5 million members, navigating everything from policy creation, enforcement, to crisis response. The team’s work has been covered in multiple publications, including Time magazine.
At Genpact, he worked as an AVP in the Digital Transformation team, optimizing enforcement workflows across multiple platforms. He focused on driving data-driven solutions and, unhappy with chatbots, he played a key role in developing GenAI frameworks that enhanced moderator training and decision-making. As part of his ongoing work, he advocates for scalable solutions to address the structural challenges of moderating low-resource languages.
What drives you to pursue continuous learning and growth in the Trust & Safety field?
I’d like to say Stockholm Syndrome, but in truth, it started as a simple desire to understand what was best for my users. Today, trust and safety fascinates me—it’s one of the most complex challenges we face.
Early on, there was little coverage, no structured research, and not even a clear name for the problems we were dealing with. I found myself asking questions no one had clear answers to—how do we know if a policy change actually helps users? How do we measure impact? How do we even get the data? There was no rulebook, no guiding framework, and little precedent.
The first academic paper I ever read wasn’t for a degree—it was to figure out how to keep users safe. That pursuit never stopped. The field spans everything from physical safety and mental health to free speech and improving mod tooling, and each challenge presents an opportunity to push our understanding forward. Still, it could be Stockholm Syndrome after all.
What inspired you to join the Programme Committee for this year’s summit?
I’ve been grateful for the opportunities to learn and connect with others in Trust & Safety through TSPA events. This was a chance to contribute and give back to the community that has shaped so much of my understanding of the field. Also, there was the off chance of getting Programme Committee pins.
Reflecting on the theme for this year’s summit, when unexpected changes disrupt your work, what’s one practical step you take to stay focused and effective in your role?
This is something I struggle with. In T&S, disruptions are inevitable, but the real challenge wasn’t switching focus to the crisis—it was switching back to previous tasks and replenishing mental resources. I try to mitigate the switching cost by keeping lists of tasks and as many extensive notes as possible.
This year’s theme includes three subthemes: At the Forefront of Regulation, Innovation as a Threat and a Tool, Misinformation Across Harm Types. Which subtheme are you most excited to see at the summit and why?
Misinformation Across Harm Types. The free, fair, and competitive exchange of ideas is what enables us to collectively understand reality and shape better futures. At their best, moderators act as facilitators of this marketplace, ensuring it functions as intended.
Misinformation is not just falsehood—it is a deliberate effort by resourced actors to manipulate this market, pushing malformed content toward target audiences most vulnerable to its hooks. Keeping up with the evolving techniques, players, and tools behind misinformation is the first step in building solutions that protect the integrity of online discourse.
What is one key takeaway or experience you hope every attendee has at this year’s summit?
I hope attendees experience a sense of community. Working in trust and safety can be oddly isolating. The scenarios you have to triage, questions and tradeoffs you have to consider can be quite different from what people typically consider in day to day life. Being able to meet people who ‘get it,’ are interested in talking about the same things as you is one of the greatest things you can experience at this summit.
What advice would you give to new attendees?
If a session sparks your curiosity, go. There’s so much to learn, and the most unexpected insights can completely shift your perspective. T&S professionals tend to be excellent communicators—and more often than not, they’re eager to connect and talk shop. Take advantage of that.
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Interested in attending this year’s EMEA Summit in May? Learn more and register here.
