In an era where online platforms pose both opportunities and risks for young individuals, Yubo takes a proactive approach to creating a secure environment for its users. Generation Z comprises roughly 99% of the live social discovery app’s users, since it makes it easy for them to connect with new friends from around the world.
Gen Z is drawn to the app for its unique approach to social networking. The live social discovery app’s emphasis on livestreaming fosters genuine, real-time connections and aligns with Gen Z’s preference for authentic and immediate communication. The platform lets users showcase their personalities through live video, creating a more engaging and transparent experience.
The company aims to make the app a digital space where anyone can belong and be themselves, and it’s proactive about creating a safe online space. “We take seriously our responsibility to make [the app] as safe as possible, and we have put safety at the core of every decision since our launch to fulfill that responsibility,” stated CEO Sacha Lazimi. “As the online landscape continues to change, we, too, are constantly evolving and upgrading our practices and systems to ensure safety is built in by design.”
The company’s latest transparency report, published in November 2023, provides an overview of trust and safety on the platform between January and July 2023. Yubo’s transparency reports spotlight the steps the company is taking to make the platform as safe as possible for its users, such as updating its policies and continuing to strengthen its proactive moderation practices. The Paris-based company initiated new safety-focused initiatives in collaboration with key organizations.
In June 2023, Yubo became a member of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. Additionally, the live social discovery app is collaborating with the French standardization organization AFNOR. “The goal is to build a toolbox that is useful for all companies by creating working groups that each focus on three individual themes — user trust, content detection and moderation, and prevention and education,” said Sharone Franco, Yubo head of legal and public policy.
The company’s independent safety board, industry-leading tools, expert safety team, and matrix of partners work in synergy to keep the live social discovery app’s community safe. To complement those safety measures, Yubo maintains an open line of communication with its user base. The app actively seeks user feedback and continually uses the input to improve its safety features.
The report stated, “At Yubo, we believe in and follow a safety-by-design approach to developing our platform’s trust and safety infrastructure. That’s why we do more than meet baseline legal obligations, like providing user reporting capabilities and responding to inquiries in a timely manner.”
Industry-Leading Safety Features
The app supports a global community of 80 million users in more than 140 countries. It enables users to connect with people from various backgrounds, cultures, and locations. One of the key features that sets Yubo apart in terms of safety is its live moderation. The app employs automated systems and human moderators to monitor livestreams and user interactions in real-time. This proactive approach enables the swift identification and removal of inappropriate content or behavior.
The human moderation aspect is particularly crucial, as it adds a nuanced understanding to the content review process, recognizing context and intent, which automated systems might struggle with. This live moderation feature significantly reduces the likelihood of users encountering inappropriate material.
The app recognizes the importance of user privacy, especially for young users, and has implemented robust privacy settings. The Transparency Report stated, “Age-assurance is a critical component of our platform’s safety infrastructure because it helps us group users into communities of people who are around their age and combat bad actors and bots, which undercut trust and safety on social media platforms.”
Users can control their visibility on the platform, allowing them to choose who can see their profile and interact with them. This empowers them to customize their experience and only engage with people they feel comfortable connecting with.
It has implemented anti-bullying features, such as the ability to report and block users engaging in such behavior. The company takes a strong stance against any form of harassment. It works actively to create a supportive community environment where users can express themselves without fear of intimidation or mistreatment.
In addition to technological measures, the live social discovery app encourages user education. It provides resources and guidelines to help users navigate the app responsibly. It introduced new user warnings to alert users of any behavior or content that might violate the community guidelines. According to the Transparency Report, 88% of users warned about inappropriate behavior do not reengage in the same behavior.
According to the company, “By adopting education as a primary tool to correct inappropriate behavior, our level of compliance increases. User warning is an additional safety measure. It does not replace sanctions and content removal for serious violations of our rules.”
The app also offers tips on privacy settings, information about reporting features, and guidance on recognizing and avoiding online threats. In the second half of 2022, the live social discovery app enhanced the user-reporting capabilities so that users can attach up to four media files, like video recordings or screenshots, to a report.
The app actively discourages sharing personal information and encourages users to be cautious about the information they disclose online. This includes educational initiatives within the app to raise awareness about online safety, helping users develop a responsible and informed approach to their digital interactions. By promoting digital literacy and responsible online behavior, Yubo empowers users.
Yubo Promotes Respect and Inclusivity
Yubo strongly emphasizes fostering a sense of community and positive engagement among its users. By promoting a culture of respect and inclusivity it aims to create an environment where users feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear of harassment or negativity. One key aspect contributing to this is the app’s emphasis on real-time, face-to-face interactions through livestreaming. Encouraging users to share live video content creates a more authentic and immediate connection.
By fostering a positive community culture, providing robust privacy settings, and actively involving users in the safety process, the app demonstrates a commitment to creating a secure and enjoyable social discovery platform for young individuals. While no online platform can eliminate all risks, Yubo’s proactive measures set a positive example for the industry, emphasizing the importance of user safety in the digital age.