Safety is [REDACTED]

Safety, Thriving, and the Future of Gaming with Rob Lewington

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:30:00 GMT

This week I am joined by Rob Lewington, SVP of Trust and Safety at TP. We dig into what it actually means for players to thrive in games, why safety is a prerequisite and not a tradeoff, and how the structural design advantages of games give builders more room to shape healthy communities than purely social platforms ever could. They also dig into how to measure community health beyond operational inputs, what it looks like to recognize companies doing innovative safety work, and why building that kind of industry infrastructure matters for the field's long-term growth.

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Won't You Be My Partner? Hill Stark, Checkstep

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:33:00 GMT

Should you build your trust & safety stack in-house or partner with a provider? Matt and Hill Stark break down how to make the call—covering partner fit, testing with your own data, policy-specific moderation, and the real cost of building and maintaining a safety program internally.

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Safety Through Thriving With Savannah Badalich, Discord

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Our next episode features Savannah Badalich of Discord, who dives into the power of gaming, her history with games, and how to build safety through thriving. In time for Safer Internet Day, this week Discord has announced that teen-by-default and age assurance is rolling out globally on the platform as another way to help make Discord a safe place for users.

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Digital Parenting in the Roblox Era with Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:00:00 GMT

Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov, Global Head of Parent Advocacy at Roblox and longtime digital parenting expert, unpacks what it means to raise kids in a gaming-first and online world. Dr. Milovidov dives into why conversations matter more than controls and how to use behavior (not just minutes) to gauge whether screen time is healthy. Further, she shares practical ways to co-play games like Roblox and Minecraft, tips to choose age-appropriate content, how to spot red flags without panicking, and methods to turn safety tools and settings into part of a shared family plan so you can feel less like a tech cop and more like the trusted adult your child needs.

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Prosocial Behavior & Digital Thriving with Weszt Hart

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Welcome to our first live recording of the 'Safety is Sexy' podcast. This week I am joined by Weszt Hart, Head of Player Dynamics at Riot Games, to discuss prosocial behavior in online gaming. Weszt shares insights from his extensive experience emphasizing the importance of creating game environments that encourage building trust and fostering positive player interactions. We delve into the definition of prosocial behavior emphasizing actions that benefit others, whether intentional or not. We include practical examples from various games, strategies for fostering trust, and the broader goal of digital thriving.

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Getting ready for Trustcon 2025 with Alice Hunsberger

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Safety is Sexy is back with a special TrustCon 2025 episode! This week Matt sits down with the insightful Alice Hunsberger to dive into what makes TrustCon such a meaningful gathering for the trust and safety community. From practical conference tips and awkward networking moments to fashion debates and session previews, Matt and Alice bring warmth, humor, and wisdom as they gear up for another inspiring year. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a seasoned pro, this episode is your optimistic guide to making the most of TrustCon 2025.

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The Intersection of Cybersecurity and Trust & Safety with Joel Silk

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:35:20 GMT

In this episode of Safety is Sexy I speak with Joel Silk, a former Air Force intelligence officer with extensive experience in cybersecurity and trust and safety. Joel discusses his transition from military intelligence to cybersecurity and then to trust and safety. We discuss: The importance of protecting users and systems, how collaboration between cybersecurity and trust and safety teams can significantly improve user confidence and platform integrity, the impact of emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and quantum computing, and how they can shape practices in both fields, and we also discuss practices for incident response and communication particularly in light of recent cybersecurity breaches affecting telecommunications.

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Navigates Fact-Checking Challenges with Yee Carter

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:53:04 GMT

Fact checking, community notes, and regulation, oh my!

In this episode of 'Safety is Sexy,' featuring Yee Carter, the focus is on misinformation and disinformation in the digital landscape and the role of regulations and community efforts. Yee Carter, a multilingual risk and compliance professional who discusses her experience at Google and working on regulatory compliance and risk mitigation. We discuss the difference between misinformation (false but believed to be true) and disinformation (intentionally false), and the challenges of managing both on social platforms. We also delve into the effectiveness and challenges of fact-checking and community notes on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta. The conversation also touches on the European Commission's disinformation code, the evolving role of fact-checkers, and the impact of tech companies' business models on content moderation.

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Meta, Moderation, & Censorship, Oh My!

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 23:34:30 GMT

In this episode of Safety is Sexy, I dive into Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's 2025 policy shifts for Facebook and Instagram, shaped by political climates and regulatory pressures. I explore Meta's decisions influenced by U.S. political leadership and the addition of Dana White to its board. I discuss Meta's focus on freedom of expression under the UN Human Rights Framework, declining social media use and it's connection to ad revenue, and the pivot to a compliance-driven trust and safety model, including the removal of fact-checking. I also highlight the need for media literacy, the impact of policy changes on user experiences, and the growing debate around online regulation and speech.

You can view Zuckerberg's full speech here.

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A Few of My Favorite Podcasts in Trust & Safety

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 23:03:37 GMT

In this episode of 'Safety is Sexy', I discusses my favorite tech and safety podcasts. My goal is to provide you with valuable resources to stay informed on trends in tech, policy, and online safety. Highlighted podcasts include 'Artificial Intelligence and Equality', 'Data and Society', 'Pivot', 'The Sunday Show', 'Technically Human', 'Trust in Tech', and more. It’s important to take in a range of diverse perspectives in understanding complex online issues to stay engaged and explore new content.

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Trust, Safety, and Resilience featuring Bethany Smith

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 08:30:42 GMT

This episode of Safety is Sexy features Bethany Smith. From her beginnings at Twitter as a tech policy fellow to managing trust and safety issues at various platforms, Bethany discusses the challenges and nuances of the field, including content moderation, community management, and policy enforcement. She recounts navigating high-pressure situations, such as the Christchurch incident, which underscored the importance of thoughtful messaging and flexibility in enforcement. Bethany also emphasizes the collaborative nature of trust and safety, the need for transparency in user communication, and the mental health challenges faced by moderators.

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Policy and Tech with Agnes Evrard

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:30:31 GMT

In this episode of Safety is Sexy, I'm joined by Agnes Everard to discuss how she transitioned from teaching to a career in Trust and Safety, We explore the intersection of tech, education, and policy development. Her career includes pivotal roles in crisis management at Airbnb, and shaping policies at Patreon. She delves into the complexities of policy development related to hate speech, misinformation, and the importance of diverse thinking. Agnes emphasizes the value of stakeholder collaboration, user education, and staying informed about regulation changes to create effective policies.

We also discuss key challenges for newcomers in tech policy and strategies for building a supportive professional network. Agnes offers practical advice on blending passion with preparedness and underscores the impact collective effort has in the field of Trust and Safety.

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KOSPA and Youth Online Safety with Vaishnavi J

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 15:42:04 GMT

In this episode of Safety is Sexy, I speak with youth safety expert Vaishnavi J to discuss the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act (KOSPA) and its implications. We discuss the duty of care, default privacy settings, and regulations on data collection, as well as the challenges companies face in implementing these regulations, the broader implications of youth online safety across various online platforms, the importance of involving youth voices in policy conversations, and the impact of school policies on device usage.

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DSA & Trusted Flaggers with Louis-Victor de Franssu

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 10:30:36 GMT

In this episode of Safety is Sexy I speak with Louis Victor, CEO and Co-Founder of Tremau, about the role of trusted flaggers as outlined by the Digital Services Act (DSA). We discuss the significance of transparency, regulatory implications on trust flaggers, and the balance between user safety and freedom of expression. We also cover the responsibilities of Digital Service Coordinators, the operational and financial hurdles for trusted flagger organizations, and the role of transparency for trusted flaggers under the DSA.

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Episode 22: Micro Agressions with Rachel Kowert

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:07:52 GMT

If you work in trust and safety, you have heard phrases like "it's just a joke" or "I was trying to be funny" A LOT! However, as we look at the data, we can see that microaggressions, a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority, happen A LOT! In this episode, I speak with Rachel Kowert as we discuss microaggressions, how they present, and what we can do as platforms to mitigate and reduce risk when it comes to this type of behavior before it escalates.

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Risk Assessments with Agne Kaarlep

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:30:40 GMT

This week we delve into the critical topic of risk assessments within the evolving landscape of online safety regulations. I’m joined by Agne Kaarlep from Tremau, exploring how various regulatory frameworks like the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the UK Online Safety Act (OSA) are implementing risk assessments to improve platform safety and governance. We discuss the necessity of continuous and cyclical risk evaluation, the differences in regulatory approaches between the EU and UK governments, and the broader impacts on trust and safety practices within companies.

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The Social Media Helpline

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:30:02 GMT

In this episode, I dive into my work with Anne Collier whom I worked with on the Social Media Helpline for schools. We go into the history of trusted flaggers and their relationship to industry. We also break down some of the helplines models we followed for starting our helpline in the US. We also dive into the challenges of identifying and reporting content that violates a platform’s community guidelines as a trusted flagger and what this insight could mean when it comes Article 22 of the Digital Services Act.

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Incident Management with Eric Han

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 10:30:38 GMT

This week I am joined by Eric Han as we discuss incident management and emergency response in online platforms. Eric is a Trust & Safety Veteran with 16 years of experience across giants like Google, Yahoo, Twitter, Uber, and TikTok. Everything that can happen will happen on a platform at an exponential rate, and now, it can happen text, photo, image, DM, livestream, or ecommerce. All of it is fair game for bad actors. We discuss best practices for developing and building a platforms incident response strategy.

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Tech Policy and Career Growth with Pearlé Nwaezeigwe

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 15:08:33 GMT

This week, I’m speaking with Pearlé Nwaezeigwe, the Yoncé of Tech Policy. We discuss all things tech policy from platform policy, implementing policy, and how regulation is impacting policy development and decisions. We also discuss career advice, how to make yourself stand out and build up your network, and how to make plans and strategize your career growth.

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The Power of Humans & Technology with Sharon Fisher

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:29:26 GMT

In the digital age, the importance of content moderation in fostering safe, healthy, and thriving online communities cannot be understated. But despite the consensus among both players and industry professionals that moderation is essential, the current but outdated model of content moderation on games platforms has proven insufficient. In order to do this, we need systems and procedures that scale moderation to meet the growing need of today's online players. This can only be done through humans and technology working together.

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Process and Procedure

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:30:29 GMT

The easiest way to make decisions is to automate the process. I first learned this as a teach building classroom policies. On average, a teacher makes about 1500 decisions a day. In order to streamline that process and make my life easier, I developed a system of procedures to make those decisions fluid and automatic so I didn’t wear myself out having to think about every thing that happened on a daily basis. Platforms are no different. When thinking about prevention and risk mitigation, having a clear process and procedure helps to ensure that systems function as they should and decisions are made in a consistent and healthy fashion. In this episode, I share an example from my own professional experience detailing the evaluation of risk, needs for change, cross team collaboration/buy in, and execution on a project.

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What Happens at Trustcon ...

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 16:48:45 GMT

Trustcon 2024 has come and gone, and the mission of trust and safety goes forward. In this episode I reflect on my time and experience at Trustcon, the professionals who make online safety possible, and the topics that are driving industry forward. As the industry matures, this is the time to look at our professional practices and standards when it comes to keeping users safe online.

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Surviving Conferences

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:19:20 GMT

Special Bonus Episode this week!

Trustcon is coming! This is most likely one of the largest gatherings of trust and safety professionals in US. I’ve heard a few descriptions, I refer to this conference as my Disneyland as some of the coolest people, experiences, and conversations are happening there. I’ve also heard analogies to Trustcon being the Trust and Safety Summer camp for professionals. Whatever your take, if you work in trust and safety, these are your people and it will be a lot of fun.

As with any conference, fun happens, and it’s important to stay up and running and keep yourself healthy through all the excitement. In this episode I'm joined by Alice Hunsberger as we share our top 10 tips for surviving and thriving in conference settings.

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A Few of My Favorite Newsletters in Trust & Safety

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 17:01:18 GMT

I LOVE to read! On any given day I’m scanning through multiple articles, a book, and some research. The biggest question, how do I know what is relevant and up to date? Newsletters are a great way to stay on top of that. In this episode I list some of the professionals I’ve come across that consistently share informative and consistent content. This saves me some work when it comes to setting Google alerts or scouring the internet on topics related to my work.

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Safe and Savvy Online

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 15:00:56 GMT

This week I speak with Liz Repking of Cyber Safety Consulting. As a parent and educator, Liz became aware of the concerns, anxiety, and lack of knowledge parents and educators feel when it comes to online safety which led her to launch Cyber Safety Consulting with the goal of educating parents, children, and educators to be safe and savvy online. We touch on a myriad of topics from what we are seeing in school to tips for the summer to avoid fights at home over screen time and how to support young people in building healthy digital habits.

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AI, Technology, & Education

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 10:30:34 GMT

This week is a special episode, it’s a keynote from my talk at the School Climate Conference in Southern California. This is an education conference for anyone directly involved with community health in a school or district. In this keyonte, I was asked to speak to the current trends around AI and education, concerns about screen time and mental health, cheating and phone bans. I got to share some stories I haven’t told in awhile as well as some new stories which I enjoyed immensely, I hope you will enjoy it too.

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Evolution of Trust & Safety

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 13:49:08 GMT

This week I speak with Patricia Cartes Andres, a pioneer in the trust and safety space. She was there for the early work at Google, Facebook, the global team at Twitter, Postmates, and so many more. We discuss the future of trust and safety, regulation, and look at new vectors of harm that happen when you use technology online to connect humans offline such as marketplace apps. This is a great episode, I hope you enjoy.

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Algorithmic Recommendation Systems with Louisa Bartolo

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 10:33:55 GMT

Welcome to Safety is Sexy, a podcast that features experts in the world of online safety. In each episode, we will break down complex safety issues and discuss why things work the way they do to better understand the systems and thinking behind building healthy communities online.

This week I am joined by Louisa Bartolo to discuss all things algorithms. She recently finished her PhD on this very topic and we dive into every aspect of how content gets recommended to us online, publishing transparency reports, user tooling options, and regulation. Recommendation algorithms are a hot topic in regulation right now and Louisa shares some great research and insight into the topic, hope you enjoy the show.

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Education and Online Safety with Majalise Tolan

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 16:49:17 GMT

This week I speak with Majalise Tolan, an educator and administrator with 20 years of experience. We discuss the evolution of technology in education from computer labs to AI, and the importance of integrating these advancements into the classroom. Majalise shares insights on the successful use of social media for district-wide communication, managing student behavior with tech tools like the Yonder Bag, and fostering positive digital habits. She emphasizes the role of educators in teaching students how to use technology responsibly and the relevance of having students involved in celebrating and documenting their educational experiences through tech.

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Creating Positive Digital Spaces for Youth with Sean Herman

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:00:04 GMT

This week, I’m joined by Sean Herman, founder and CEO of Kinzoo Messenger, blogger at ThatDigitalDad.com, and author of Screen Captured: Helping Families Explore the Digital World in The Age of Manipulationan and I dive into the foundational principles of Kinzoo, where Sean wanted to create positive screen time experiences for under 13. We also discuss the importance of open parent-child conversations about technology, and the societal shift towards nuanced understandings of tech's impact on youth and how to cultivate healthy digital habits for children.

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Go! Reboot Your Life with Lisa Thee

Mon, 27 May 2024 16:08:38 GMT

In this episode of the 'Safety is Sexy' podcast, I am rebroadcasting an episode from the 'Go Reboot Your Life' podcast featuring Lisa Thee. We discuss my career journey from education to becoming a trust and safety professional and everything in between. The conversation delves into pivotal moments in my career, balancing work with personal values, and the importance of building a positive community both online and offline. The episode also outlines Matt's current roles at 'All Tech is Human, Tramau, and various nonprofits, emphasizing the value of aligning one's professional work with personal passions. We share practical tips for navigating unwelcome changes and career transitions along with my principles for success and fulfillment.

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Mental Health, Tech, and Youth Empowerment with Dr. Robin Henderson

Mon, 20 May 2024 10:00:12 GMT

This week, I speak with Dr. Robin Henderson, or Doc Rob as she likes to be called, about the impact of digital technology on youth mental health. Doc Rob is the Chief Executive of Behavioral Health for Providence Health in Oregon. We discuss the importance of accessible mental health resources and the need for critical thinking regarding screen time and social media use. We also discuss how tech policy influences access to mental health support and the positive initiatives of young people in creating their own support networks and crisis interventions.

Robin Henderson, PsyD, is the Chief Executive, Behavioral Health for Providence Oregon where she has direct and matrixed responsibility for acute, specialty, primary care, and ambulatory behavioral health services in a system serving over 150,000 individuals of all ages each year. She also serves as the Chief Clinical Officer for Work2BeWell, a youth-led mental health education, activation, and advocacy program that creates clinically vetted curricula for schools and youth groups. In this role, she works with their National Student Advisory Council, and their grassroots advocacy campaigns including the new Oregon law giving students Mental Health Days, and hosts the #Talk2BeWell podcast focusing on youth mental health and well-being.

Links in the show:

Work2BeWell

Age of Onset of Mental Health Disorders

Youthline

988

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Brand Safety & User Safety with Dave Byrne

Mon, 13 May 2024 10:00:05 GMT

In this episode of Safety is Sexy, Dave Byrne and I talk about the intersection of trust and safety with brand safety, revenue impact, the role of AI, the importance of communication and education across teams, and the evolving landscape of trust and safety in the coming year.

Dave Byrne is founder of TrustRaise (trust-raise.com). Expert in navigating the landscape of digital safety and advertising integrity. Deeply committed to creating an ethical and responsible digital ecosystem that prioritizes user needs, and improves industry standards. Passionate about building partnerships with key industry associations and advertising partners; while mitigating risk, and crafting compelling narratives that showcase the power of advertising. Thrives working cross-functionally with external partners & stakeholders, along with internal teams like Legal, Public Policy, Marketing, and Trust & Safety. Passionate storyteller; regularly running storytelling and presentation workshops. Formerly President of the Google NYC chapter of Toastmasters, and currently host the Digital Irish Podcast.

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My Journey in Trust & Safety

Mon, 06 May 2024 07:00:59 GMT

This weeks episode is a reflection on my professional journey from teaching to working in the realm of online trust and safety. I’ll shares insights on building healthy online communities, developing policies, working with schools to address online safety issues, and the importance of operationalizing theory & policy into practice. I’ll also emphasize the challenges of scale in ensuring online safety and the need for research in this field.

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The Digital Services Act with Jun Young Ro

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 08:02:36 GMT

This episode delves into the complexities of tech regulation through a conversation between former TikTok colleagues Jun Young Ro & Matthew Soeth where they focus on the challenges posed by the Digital Services Act (DSA). It explores the need for proactive compliance practices, concerns over potential over-moderation impacting freedom of expression, and the necessity of a societal effort to enhance online safety. Additionally, the discussion emphasizes standardized practices, public awareness, and collaborative approaches to safeguard users and address online safety regulations for future generations.

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How Can Policy Make Platforms safer? with Alice Hunsberger

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 08:00:31 GMT

This episode features a discussion on the importance of trust and safety policies in online platforms. Alice Hunsbger is VP of Trust & Safety and Content Moderation at PartnerHero. She shares her experiences working on policy enforcement and emphasizes the need for clear communication with users and shares the impacts of policy on community. Additionally, Hunsberger provides insights about engaging with external stakeholders, updating policies for new technologies, and the role of policy in platform differentiation.

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Safety is Sexy Podcast Trailer

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 03:49:37 GMT

Welcome to Safety is Sexy, a podcast that features the professionals, technology experts, educators, designers and researchers who are doing the work behind the scenes called trust and safety. Each week we will break down complex safety issues and discuss why things work the way they do to better understand the systems and thinking behind this work.

What does that mean? Trust and safety helps to develop the guidelines that define how we interact in online spaces and it is messy and nuanced, but it doesn’t mean our conversations about it need to be that way.

Who is this for? When it comes to improving online spaces, it takes all of us.

Be sure to subscribe and download wherever you get your podcasts and you too can learn why safety is sexy. The future of the web may depend on it.

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