At its most mature, safety is implemented top-down as a strategic priority, with SbD principles influencing all parts of the product development cycle. However, most companies are at different points on the maturity spectrum due to varying levels of development, resourcing, and buy-in. The stages described below range from Informal (ad hoc or opportunistic) to Repeatable (process-driven) to Mature (everyone’s responsibility).
Informal: Ad hoc or Opportunistic
At its most informal, SbD efforts are loosely defined and ad hoc, driven primarily by opportunities and relationships between product teams and those responsible for user trust and safety efforts, all of whom may “live” in different parts of the organization. This could include feature or product-specific efforts that are driven by the effectiveness of the safety team’s collaboration with product owners, rather than required steps in the product lifecycle or other incentives or expectations. This approach often progresses incrementally, but can establish and reinforce cultural awareness and safety norms within companies. SbD initiatives begin to take root with quick wins and strong cross-functional relationships.
Repeatable: Process-driven
As the commitment to SbD grows, it can evolve into a more structured form, becoming codified and repeatable in an organization’s processes. Safety-focused teams may still work in separate parts of the organization at this stage, but there is a defined engagement model between teams focused on safety and teams that build core products and infrastructure. This could include centralized efforts such as templates or sections within product requirements documents (PRDs) to prompt design considerations and the involvement of safety teams in product reviews (although not necessarily with veto power). The input of safety teams are captured regularly, preventive mitigations are cataloged and implemented as baselines, and exercises like red team analyses or other proactive harm identification methods are regularly engaged. In some cases, these may be part of a broader Trust by Design process (e.g., with teams like Legal and Security) or assigned to a specific function within the company. Specific training, fireside chats, or other opportunities to socialize and educate employees on safety are recurring events.
Mature: Integrating SbD into Product and Organizational Design
The most mature approach to SbD involves allocating dedicated safety resources to all major products in a platform’s ecosystem, executive sponsorship of safety at an organizational level, formalized safety risk reviews as a pre-launch requirement, incentives for product teams to implement specific pro-safety design, and a systematic approach to measuring the impact of safety initiatives. SbD becomes a non-negotiable aspect of product development at its earliest stages and safety considerations form part of critical decision-making frameworks.
At this stage, SbD is a priority for the highest levels of the organization, and safety is a stated core value, regularly referenced by senior executives and integrated into the company’s mission or top-level goals. For example, there may be a dedicated Chief Safety Officer who ensures that safety is a key consideration in strategic decision-making and not sacrificed when deciding on trade-offs or other business interests. When elevated to this level, safety strongly influences organizational structure, culture, and priorities.
Ultimately, for SbD to be most effective, it should have demonstrated support from top management, adequate resourcing, a mandate that allows it to influence key aspects of the organization’s operations, and remain responsive to changing user needs and tech advancements by relying on agile development principles.
| Informal | Repeatable | Mature | |
| Sponsorship and accountability | No official owner accountable for safety, progress made through opportunities and relationships | Team-level sponsorship and accountability for safety but lacking in centralized safety vision and priorities | Executive-level sponsorship and integration of safety into organizational mission or OKRs |
| Resourcing | Feature-driven resourcing assignments | Specialized function with defined safety mandates | Dedicated, cross-functional safety resources are allocated to core products and internal services |
| Adherence to standards and practices | Non-standard approach and prioritization; no formalized risk review process or cross-functional engagement | Standardized prioritization and decisional frameworks; formalized, repeatable cross-functional risk review process | Mandatory and auditable processes and workflows for risk reviews; shared safety frameworks are integrated into organizational processes |
| Safety requirements for new features | Approach is primarily remediative; no required safety baselines; no adherence to SbD principles | Approach extends to prevention and mitigation; there are required safety baselines for assessed high-risk products; SbD principles are not consistently or universally applied | Pro-safety innovation and agile safety development; responsible and iterative deployment; SbD principles are demonstrably met in product development. |
| Recognition of vulnerable populations | Safety interventions are not differentiated across populations | Dedicated safety interventions for exist for high-risk groups (minors) but intersectional identities are not accounted for (ex: LGBTQ people of color) | Assessment of risk accounts for impact of harm to vulnerable individuals and groups impacted by intersectionality; regular engagement with vulnerable groups and tailored safety interventions |
| Safety measurement practices | Safety efforts and outcomes are not measured | Some metrics exist; but are non-systematic and inconsistent | Systematic and continuous measurement and iteration of safety initiatives |
| Employee education and training | No safety awareness and training at organizational level | Safety education and training resources exist, but are not mandated | Required, institutionalized safety and privacy onboarding and refreshers for all employees at organizational level. |
Conclusion
Implementing a Safety by Design approach and shifting T&S efforts upstream of product development has demonstrable benefits for business, regulatory compliance efforts, scaling the impact of T&S interventions, and in maintaining the long-term trust of users of online products and services. However, efforts to mainstream SbD within an organization may be challenging, particularly in early-stage, growth-focused companies where safety must compete with other resourcing demands and/or be seen as oppositional to growth goals. Safety champions must be willing to play a long game and strive for steady progress built on strategic influence, strong relationships, and cultivating a vision of safety as a fixed investment with a longer yield horizon and positive externalities. There is no universal guide for safety, but teams can combine safety protocols and interventions into unique packages tailored to their specific needs.
Effective implementation of SbD at a company level requires top-level sponsorship and a multidisciplinary approach, involving collaboration across various departments including product management, data science, engineering, operations, legal, T&S, and other customer-facing teams. This collaborative effort ensures a comprehensive understanding of potential risks and the development of holistic safety measures. Adopting a user-centric perspective and engaging with diverse user groups to understand their specific needs and concerns is critical to building products that deliver real world value. By committing to Safety by Design, companies can supercharge their T&S efforts beyond just reducing and preventing harm, but building digital spaces that promote healthy, pro-social interactions and user well-being.
Acknowledgements
Authors│Jen Weedon, Sasha Mathew, Yu-Lan Scholliers
Contributors│Chanell Daniels, mdy
Special Thanks│James Alexander, Amar Ashar, Dona Bellow, Aaron Berman, Andy Diep, Julia Kamin, Claire Kim, Jonathan Lim, Dominique Moore, Kristen Murdock, Alexandra Popken, Josh Porter, Alexa Sheldon, David Sullivan, Tomomi Tanaka, Shahed Warreth, Jacqueline Zehner, Vincent Courson
