November 21, 2024 – Pocket Worlds, a leading technology company that empowers shared experiences to connect the world, today announced the appointment of Sean O’Grady as Head of Trust and Safety. In his new role, Sean will enhance moderation policies across Pocket Worlds’ platforms, including Highrise, a leading gaming platform with 45 million users, establishing a new gold standard in safety, user protection, and regulatory compliance.
As a former Trust and Safety Policy Manager at TikTok, Sean brings over fifteen years of leadership experience across government, academia, and technology. His passion for trust and safety began at Stanford, where he was first exposed to the emerging field, ultimately sparking a career dedicated to creating safer digital spaces. At TikTok, he collaborated with product and engineering teams to develop critical systems and tools to enhance operational efficiency for 200+ moderators and risk agents. His collaborative work on these technological advancements significantly strengthened TikTok’s ability to address safety risks at scale. He also spearheaded policy strategies in high-risk, hyper-growth markets like Brazil, building key cross-functional relationships and restructuring workflows for greater impact.
“As we build safer, more dynamic spaces for our players, it’s essential that we put protective boundaries in place while still allowing people to be their true selves,” said Sean O’Grady, Head of Trust and Safety at Pocket Worlds. “I’m excited to lead our efforts toward a proactive safety approach that balances user freedom with thoughtful guidelines, reinforcing a positive, transparent environment. By growing our team and incorporating advanced moderation tools, we’ll improve response times while also fostering a virtual community where users feel secure and empowered to express themselves authentically.”
As Head of Trust and Safety, Sean plans to strengthen moderation efficiency and shift Pocket Worlds towards a more proactive safety approach that keeps users safe and fosters a healthier virtual environment. Under his leadership, he aims to expand the 12-member team, adding specialized roles in areas like AI-driven moderation to enhance detection and response times. Key initiatives will include refreshing community guidelines to build trust and ensure compliance through greater transparency and establishing a robust safety infrastructure designed to evolve with user needs and encourage positive behaviors.
“As our community grows, so does our responsibility to protect and empower each individual,” said Anton Bernstein, CEO of Highrise. “Highrise is a unique space where millions, especially young women, come to express themselves, connect, and create. Sean’s background in building trust and safety systems for large-scale platforms makes him a perfect fit for Highrise. With Sean leading the way, we’re confident Highrise will set a new benchmark in user safety, creating a community where people feel secure, valued, and free to express their creativity.”
About Highrise
Highrise is a creative virtual world where people make avatars, express themselves, engage in shared experiences, and create deep friendships along the way. Over 45 million people have already joined the world of Highrise, and it’s growing faster every day. For more information, please visit HIGHRISE.GAME. Highrise is a creation of Pocket Worlds, the company that’s on a mission to empower creativity and connect the world. For more information on Pocket Worlds, please visit POCKETWORLDS.COM. Highrise and its logo are registered trademarks of Pocket Worlds in the United States and other countries. © Pocket Worlds. All rights reserved.
About Pocket Worlds
Pocket Worlds is a technology company that is on a mission to empower shared experiences to connect the world. The company is a fast-growing Y Combinator-backed company with over 50 million users and 10,000 creators. Currently, the company has two platforms Highrise, the leading mobile platform that enables anyone to easily create immersive worlds and captivating games, and Everskies, the leading pixel doll community where users dress up avatars and chat with friends. Pocket Worlds is building bleeding-edge technology for developers and amateurs to create immersive experiences and worlds inside our virtual universe.
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