Yubo's Margaux Liquard discusses the live social discovery app's AI-driven approach to online safety at the InHope Summit.

PARIS, FRANCE / ACCESSWIRE / September 24, 2024 / The InHope Summit, held at the AviaTor Forum in Brussels, brought together key stakeholders in the fight against online child exploitation. Among the notable speakers was Margaux Liquard, head of safety at Yubo, a Paris-based live social discovery app. She discussed how the platform uses artificial intelligence to enhance online safety.

Liquard detailed Yubo's integration of machine learning algorithms in its safety protocols. Yubo utilizes advanced AI to proactively detect and mitigate harmful behaviors among its user base. By incorporating AI into visual, textual, and audio moderation, Yubo strives to create a safer user environment at every interaction point. During the InHope Summit, Liquard emphasized the significant impact of AI in swiftly and accurately identifying harmful content, which helps prevent potential harm before it escalates.

The event included various participants, including law enforcement agents, government officials, and leaders from nongovernmental organizations - discussions centered on the rising incidence of child sexual abuse material. Liquard addressed the changing legislative environment and emphasized the need for joint efforts to improve the efficiency of reporting and intervention procedures.

Addressing CSAM is a complex challenge that requires a coordinated approach. Yubo is committed to working with all stakeholders to enhance the collective ability to protect children online.

"You can't bolt on safety and privacy later. It has to be designed into your product at the very beginning, in the same way that antispam and malware tools are," said Travis Bright, the product director for Thorn and a member of Yubo's safety board. "One positive development in recent years is the introduction of image classifiers and AI models to detect grooming conversations and CSAM. These are already precise and will improve over time."

​​Yubo's safety board is composed of distinguished experts such as Bright, who are dedicated to ensuring the platform remains a secure and positive environment for its users. Among its members is Annie Mullins OBE, an independent safety adviser with a wealth of experience in child online safety.

John Shehan, vice president of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, also serves on the board, contributing his extensive knowledge in protecting children from online exploitation. Alex Holmes, the deputy CEO of The Diana Award, is another crucial member known for his work in anti-bullying initiatives and youth advocacy.

Mick Moran, a garda liaison officer in Paris and former deputy director at Interpol, offers his expertise in international law enforcement and child protection. Dr. Richard Graham, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and clinical director at Good Thinking, provides insights into the mental health aspects of online safety.

The board also includes Anne Collier, founder of Family Net News and executive director of The Net Safety Collaborative. Her work focuses on fostering safe online environments for families and communities. Together, these experts guide Yubo's mission to protect, support, and educate its users.

Yubo: Safety by Design

Yubo recognizes the digital world as a place where young people can stay connected, access information, bond with peers, enjoy entertainment, and seek help. Despite their high levels of connectivity and engagement, many young users experience anxiety and confusion and require support. With the rapid advancement of technology, it's crucial to identify potential risks for young people and determine how social media companies can promote responsible and safe usage of their platforms.

Yubo takes a proactive stance in safeguarding, supporting, and educating its younger users, who form a significant portion of its community. For instance, on the live social discovery app, a pop-up notification appears if users attempt to share personal information in a private chat (e.g., typing "I live in Chicago" or "My phone number is … "), encouraging them to reconsider before disclosing such details.

A key theme of Liquard's presentation at the summit was Yubo's commitment to "Safety by Design." This approach involves embedding safety features into the platform from the ground up rather than as an afterthought. Yubo can create a robust safety ecosystem that evolves with emerging threats by leveraging AI. Yubo's AI technologies are continuously updated to tackle new types of harmful behavior, ensuring users are protected in real time.

Liquard explained that the live social discovery app collaborates with its product teams "to develop safety tools to empower our community to feel safe and listened to."

The summit also included interactive sessions where participants were divided into cross-sectoral groups to discuss their experiences with the AviaTor tool and suggest future enhancements. These discussions focused on improving report handling, identifying useful indicators for prioritization, and expediting the classification and investigation process.

Participants were encouraged to think creatively about solutions beyond AviaTor's current capabilities. The goal was to provide valuable input for the tool's development, ensuring it remains at the forefront of combating online child exploitation.

A Shared Commitment to Online Safety

Yubo frequently collaborates with leading nongovernmental organizations to conduct issue-focused campaigns. Partners include the Cyberbullying Research Center, Good Thinking, Switchboard, The Diana Award, The Trevor Project, e-Enfance, and several others. These initiatives are highlighted in Yubo's blogs, which cover topics such as mental health and Pride Month.

It also engages with various governments to promote online safety. It is part of Australia's eSafety Commissioner's Tier 1 social media scheme. In France, Yubo has signed the Protocol for Child Protection against pornography. Additionally, in the U.K., Yubo has endorsed the Five Country Ministerial Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

As a board member of the Technology Coalition, the live social discovery app works alongside tech giants such as Facebook, Google, and X to enhance online safety. The company is also a member of the Internet Watch Foundation, collaborating with organizations like Kids Helpline in Australia, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the U.S., the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the U.K., Point de Contact - InHope in France, and Thorn in the U.S.

In partnership with Yoti, Yubo became the first major social media platform to implement comprehensive age verification, ensuring a safer environment for its users.

The InHope Summit underscored the shared commitment of various sectors to enhance online safety. The summit served as a platform for exchanging ideas, fostering collaboration, and inspiring further advancements in online safety measures. With contributions from forward-thinking experts like Liquard, the future of online safety looks promising, driven by technology and a united effort to protect the most vulnerable users.

"I'm really proud to be working with passionate people who truly care about making an impact, " said Liquard.

Media Details:
Company name: Yubo
Contact name: Frank Austin
Email: f.austin@evertisedigital.com
Website: https://www.yubo.live/

SOURCE: Yubo