How one Canadian is trying to keep a fast-growing social media platform troll-free
Aaron Rodericks, head of trust and safety for Bluesky Social and former co-lead of election integrity for Twitter, says the threat of foreign election interference online has evolved in recent years and promises to be even more complex in the next federal election. CBC News
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Aaron Rodericks loves his job, even if it isn't for the faint of heart.
"I wouldn't recommend my job to most people," he said, laughing. "That would be the honest response."
As Bluesky Social's head of trust and safety, it's up to Rodericks to keep one of the fastest growing social media platforms from becoming a playground for trolls, misinformation and election interference.
"The best part about working in trust and safety is you have no idea what you're going to be dealing with," Rodericks said in an interview from his home office in Dublin. "The challenges are that there are so many problems that can arise from moment to moment."
Last week, Rodericks himself became a target for attacks on his own platform, including messages from accounts set up with names like "Fire Aaron Rodericks."
"People love to disagree with moderation decisions," he said. "It's a common occurrence."
Overseeing a social media platform that has grown from 5 million users to more than 25 million in 10 months is about as far as you can get from Rodericks' former career as a federal public servant.
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