I’m Shaun Coughlin, a practitioner at the intersection of policymaking, technology, and Trust & Safety. Over the past 19 years, I’ve worked as a U.S. diplomat, senior policy adviser, and intelligence manager, tackling issues from atrocity crimes and international justice to online extremism, disinformation, and fraud. At Google, I led global teams developing AI-driven detection systems and risk mitigation strategies to safeguard elections and counter violent extremist content. Earlier in my career, I helped shape U.S. foreign policy, negotiated international agreements, and managed human rights initiatives. This blog is where I bring those experiences together, translating lessons from diplomacy and online safety into insights on today’s security challenges and the evolving risks of AI.