General registration is now open for the fifth annual Trust and Safety Research Conference (TSRC), scheduled to take place on October 1 and 2, 2026, at Stanford University in the United States and will be hosted by the Stanford Tech Impact and Policy Center.
The conference brings together trust and safety researchers and practitioners from academia, industry, civil society, and government to advance research in trust and safety and foster the exchange of ideas across disciplines, including computer science, communication, policy, law, and political science.
As governments and technology companies grapple with the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and large online platforms, the Conference has become a significant forum for shaping evidence-based policy and best practices with its emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, which makes it particularly valuable for those working at the intersection of technology, democracy, and human rights.
Hosted at Stanford University’s Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center, the Conference convenes participants working on trust and safety issues across academia, industry, civil society, and government. It features a variety of formats, including poster sessions, participant-organized panels, workshops, networking, and a happy hour.
The TSRC is one of the leading international forums dedicated to research and policy on creating safer online environments and brings together experts to examine how digital platforms can address online harms while protecting fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and privacy.
Its central objective is to advance interdisciplinary research on trust and safety by fostering collaboration among researchers and practitioners working in computer science, law, public policy, political science, communications, sociology, and related disciplines.
“Trust and Safety” refers to the policies, technologies, and governance mechanisms used by digital platforms to protect users and communities from online harms while maintaining open and inclusive digital spaces. Issues commonly addressed include misinformation and disinformation, hate speech, online harassment, child online protection, violent extremism, election integrity, fraud and scams, AI-generated harmful content, platform accountability, and content moderation.
The conference features a variety of formats, including research presentations, panel discussions, lightning talks, workshops, poster sessions, breakout discussions, and networking events.
It is designed to encourage dialogue between researchers and practitioners working on real-world trust and safety challenges. It attracts participants from universities, technology companies, civil society organizations, regulatory agencies, governments, and international organizations.
The multidisciplinary approach of the conference enables discussions that combine technical innovation with legal, ethical, and policy perspectives. The themes which the conference typically explores sit at the intersection of technology, governance, and human rights.
A distinctive feature of the conference is its connection with the Journal of Online Trust and Safety, an open-access scholarly journal. Researchers can submit papers or commentaries for peer review, and accepted work may be presented at the conference and published in the journal.
