RightsCon Toronto 2018

Improving the security for LGBTQIA+ communities requires a diverse group of collaborators and trusted parties. Without trust, it is difficult to engage with marginalized communities without risking their tokenization or even their safety. Interactions with technology companies requires trust to ensure fruitful collaboration. These issues are made more complicated when working with queer dating apps and communities.

In 2016, ARTICLE 19 started a project to analyse the use of dating apps and implement recommendations that directly addressed the situation of the LGBTQIA+ communities involved. After more than a year and a half of work and coalition building, some of these recommendations are now being implemented.

Trust was critical throughout the process: from the research, to interacting and collaborating with dating app developers, local experts, and communities. This session will bring together some of the different coalition members from the ARTICLE 19 project to discuss their role in the project and some of the successes and difficulties. The discussion will focus on the need for trust in forming such collaborations and supporting the communities affected. We will also be placing an emphasis on this issue of trust and how companies should and do engage with queer communities.