Sarah T. Roberts is an associate professor at UCLA (Gender Studies, Information Studies, Labor Studies), specializing in Internet and social media policy and culture, and the intersection of media, technology and society. She is the faculty director and co-founder of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2), co-director of... Read more
#AMIRetreat2018 Keynote Speakers Sessions – Dr Sarah T. Roberts
re:publica 2016 – Sarah T. Roberts: Behind the Screen
S5E1: Content Moderation of Social Media // Sarah T. Roberts
An overview of 13 years researching at-scale moderation of social media, which Sarah refers to as commercial content moderation. Describes origins of phenomenon, key aspects of its human labor, historical roots in colonialism, contemporary challenges of moderation labor and practice.
Sarah gives her professional and personal take as a longtime researcher, power user, and former employee at Twitter of the dangers and disasters of the Musk takeover thus far, as well as those to come, and what avenues of escape might exist.
Sarah T. Roberts is an associate professor at UCLA (Gender Studies, Information Studies, Labor Studies), specializing in Internet and social media policy and culture, and the intersection of media, technology and society. She is the faculty director and co-founder of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2), co-director of the Minderoo Initiative on Technology & Power, and a research associate of the Oxford Internet Institute.
Roberts researches information work and workers, and is a leading global authority on “commercial content moderation,” the term she coined to describe the work of those responsible for making sure media content posted to major commercial social platforms fit within legal, ethical, and the site’s own guidelines and standards. She is frequently consulted on matters of policy, worker welfare, and governance related to content moderation issues and the broader social media landscape. She can be seen and heard in many news reports, interviews, podcasts and programs. Additionally, she has experience in industry as a consultant and researcher, most recently working as a Staff Researcher for Twitter in 2022.
She is a 2018 Carnegie Fellow and winner of the 2018 Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Barlow Pioneer Award in recognition of her work on commercial content moderation. She is a 2023 honoree of the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics.
Her book, Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media, was released in June 2019 and in paperback with a new preface in early 2022 (Yale University Press) and in a French edition, Derrière les écrans (Éditions La Découverte) in October 2020. A Mandarin edition will appear in early 2023.
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Sarah Roberts speaks on Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Digital Trends, Future & Technology, Social Media. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Sarah to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Sarah Roberts for events worldwide, subject to Sarah's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Sarah Roberts is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
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Sarah Roberts delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Sarah Roberts's areas of expertise include Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Digital Trends, Future & Technology, Social Media. To get a clear sense of Sarah's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Sarah Roberts can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Digital Trends, Future & Technology, Social Media is relevant. Details of Sarah's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
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We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Sarah Roberts, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Sarah's current availability for your dates.