At Media Party 2019, Andrew Losowsky, head of the Coral project, explained how newsrooms can cultivate healthier digital spaces by prioritizing user safety over raw engagement metrics. To combat harassment, Coral rejects traditional platform features like public comment histories or “likes,” fostering ethical engagement through thoughtful journalist curation and a simple “respect” button instead.
Challenging the addictive “casino” model of conventional social platforms, Losowsky advocated for human-centric design that protects both moderators and readers from digital toxicity. By utilizing non-intrusive notifications, guiding user behavior before posting, and choosing community quality over endless growth, Coral creates safer, more meaningful environments for public discourse.
