Is The Rise of “Human in the Loop”: Good or Bad for the Trust & Safety Profession?
- Sep 22
- 4 min read
Trust & Safety (T&S) has rapidly become one of the most critical functions in today’s digital economy. As online marketplaces, social platforms, and digital ecosystems continue to expand, the pressure to ensure safe interactions, minimize fraud, and protect users has never been higher. Technology has transformed the field — with machine learning, AI, and automation powering much of the detection and enforcement work. But increasingly, we’re hearing about the importance of “Human in the Loop” (HITL) approaches. The question is: does this rise of HITL represent a boon for the Trust & Safety profession, or will it diminish the number of professionals in the field?
This article explores that tension and suggests that while many operational jobs in content moderation may fade, the role of humans in higher-order Trust & Safety work will only become more critical.
The Evolution of Trust & Safety
Trust & Safety has always been a balancing act. In the earliest days of marketplaces and platforms, human moderators bore the brunt of reviewing content, policing bad behavior, and enforcing rules. As scale increased, it became clear that this purely manual model was unsustainable. Platforms turned to automation, developing rules-based detection systems, and eventually incorporating machine learning to spot problematic patterns at scale.
Yet automation created new problems: false positives, algorithmic bias, and a lack of context. For example, an automated system might flag a legitimate listing as fraudulent due to unusual transaction patterns, or incorrectly remove content that is permissible under platform guidelines. These missteps not only frustrate users but can damage the credibility of a platform. That’s where HITL comes in.
What Does Human in the Loop Mean?
Human in the loop refers to systems where automated processes handle the bulk of detection and enforcement but escalate uncertain or complex cases to human experts. These experts provide judgment, nuance, and oversight. Their feedback also helps improve the algorithm over time, creating a reinforcing loop of efficiency and accuracy.
Research supports the value of this hybrid model. In other words, HITL makes moderation both smarter and leaner.
Market Growth and Rising Demand
The Trust & Safety industry is not shrinking — it’s expanding. According to Duco’s 2025 Trust & Safety Market Research Report, demand for T&S solutions is projected to nearly double between 2023 and 2028. Similarly, the global digital trust market is expected to grow at a 13.8% CAGR through 2034. These numbers reflect a growing recognition that safety, security, and integrity are not “add-ons” but core to business resilience and growth.
Platforms are also increasingly turning to specialized consulting firms and vendors for strategic and operational support. As highlighted by Digital Reference’s guide to the best Trust & Safety consulting services, the market for expert advisory services is maturing quickly.
The Shifting Nature of Trust & Safety Work
While the industry is growing, the nature of the work itself is shifting.
Here’s how:
Decline in Content Moderation Jobs: Routine content moderation roles are increasingly being automated. AI can scan text, images, and video at scale, identifying problematic material much faster than humans. Many of these frontline jobs, especially those involving repetitive review tasks, will decline over time.
Rise of Strategic and Specialist Roles: The humans who remain in the loop will be tasked with higher-value work: refining policies, auditing systems, managing edge cases, and guiding automation strategies. This represents a shift from volume-based moderation to expertise-driven oversight.
Cross-Functional Demand: Marketplace operators now need professionals who understand not only T&S but also adjacent fields like identity verification, payments compliance, and operational resilience. Online marketplace consulting services in the USA are helping companies design these integrated approaches.
The Human Factor: Why Expertise Still Matters
Even as automation grows, humans provide irreplaceable value in several key ways:
Contextual Judgment: Machines struggle with nuance. Humans can interpret intent, cultural differences, and contextual signals that algorithms miss.
Bias Mitigation: Human oversight is essential to catch algorithmic bias, ensuring fairness in enforcement.
User Trust: Users are more likely to trust outcomes when they know humans are involved in the decision-making process.
Adaptability: Bad actors constantly evolve. Human experts are better at spotting novel tactics and feeding those learnings back into systems.
The Bigger Picture: Professionalization of Trust & Safety
As content moderation jobs decline, the profession itself is being redefined. The rise of HITL signals maturity in the industry: platforms are no longer treating T&S as a reactive, operational chore but as a strategic function requiring deep expertise. This shift opens opportunities for professionals who can combine policy, technology, and operational leadership.
It also highlights the need for marketplaces to build stronger relationships with consulting partners and fractional experts who can bring in the skills that internal teams may lack. Platforms that invest in these capabilities will be better positioned to balance growth with safety.
Key Takeaway: Fewer Humans, More Impact
So, is the rise of human in the loop good or bad for the Trust & Safety profession? The answer is both.
Bad for the sheer number of jobs in repetitive moderation work, which will continue to fade as automation becomes more capable.
Good for the importance of human expertise, which will become increasingly central to the effectiveness of T&S strategies.
Ultimately, fewer humans will be involved — but those who are will wield greater influence. Their expertise will guide automation, reduce false positives, and ensure fairness in ways machines alone cannot achieve. The profession is not disappearing — it is evolving.
About the Author
Ryan Stevens is the founder of Digital Reference, a platform that connects professionals and organizations with trusted experts in operations, Trust & Safety, and marketplace growth. With a background spanning marketplace operations and professional services, Ryan writes about the evolving role of specialized talent in building more resilient digital ecosystems.
Comments