Doing Tech Right

Were updating our nameand our focus. Were moving from the first season of our podcast, where we asked, Are We Doing Tech Right? to a new title: Doing Tech Right. While well still meet and challenge people who work in technology, were also...

Author: ConnectSafely

Language: en

Genres: Technology

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

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Safety, Policy, and the LGBTQ+ Community with Shae Gardner
Friday, 13 March, 2026

This week Larry Magid interviews Shea Gardner, director of policy and research for LGBT Tech, about LGBTQ+ experiences online and the organization’s policy work.Gardner shares that LGBTQ+ people rely on digital spaces for community and resources but face worse socioeconomic outcomes and persistent online hate that reflects worsening real-world hostility; annual polling shows LGBTQ+ users report severe harassment yet still often feel safer online than offline.They discuss how youth-safety legislation, bans, and mandated parental controls can unintentionally censor or endanger youth who need online lifelines, emphasizing education and digital literacy.Gardner describes LGBT Tech’s approach to being “at the table” in policy debates and shares practical safety tips like blocking keywords and an upcoming resource compiling moderation tools across platforms. 00:00 Welcome to Doing Tech Right00:30 Meet Shea Gardner01:23 What LGBT Tech Does02:55 Online Harassment Today04:55 Youth Safety Laws Risks05:37 Parental Controls Tradeoffs09:26 Policy Work and Inclusion10:59 Staying Safe on Platforms13:08 2026 Priorities and AI16:42 How AI Can Exclude18:43 Romance Chatbots Debate23:34 AI as Mental Health Lifeline26:26 Wrap Up and Credits