CPE News (11/1/2021) – Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) has acquired Two Hat Security. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded by Executive Chair Chris Priebe and led by CEO Steve Parkis, Kelowna, BC based Two Hat is an industry leading technology and content moderation company. Two Hat’s content moderation platform Community Sift provides organizations the insights and tools necessary to create and maintain safe, healthy, and scalable online communities across multiple languages and against complex subversion tactics.
For the past few years, Microsoft and Two Hat have worked together to implement proactive moderation technology into gaming and non-gaming experiences to detect and remove harmful content.
Two Hat had been backed by TAM Holdings, Makers Fund, Taubman Capital, and private investors.
photo credit: Two Hat
News Release
Microsoft acquires Two Hat to collaborate on online safety and digital wellness solutions for online communities
Oct 29, 2021 | Dave McCarthy – Corporate Vice President, Xbox Product Services
Today, we are excited to announce that Microsoft has acquired Two Hat, a leading content moderation solution provider offering protection measures for online communities with a vision to build better experiences for everyone. Globally, growing amounts of harmful content shared online have increased the need for effective and proactive content moderation. For any online community to thrive, content moderation is a critical investment to ensure positive user experiences and maintain engagement over time. Microsoft and Two Hat share a vision for using advancements in moderation technology to nurture and protect diverse, global online communities.
This acquisition is an important evolution of the longstanding relationship between Microsoft and Two Hat that will combine innovative technology, research capabilities, highly skilled teams and the most complete cloud infrastructure. This is a deep investment in assisting and serving Two Hat’s existing customers, prospective new customers and multiple product and service experiences here at Microsoft. Working with the diverse and experienced team at Two Hat over the years, it has become clear that we are fully aligned with the core values inspired by the vision of founder, Chris Priebe, to deliver a holistic approach for positive and thriving online communities.
At Microsoft, we believe that gaming should be inclusive and welcoming for everyone. For the past few years, Microsoft and Two Hat have worked together to implement proactive moderation technology into gaming and non-gaming experiences to detect and remove harmful content before it ever reaches members of our communities. For example, Two Hat’s technology has helped to make global communities in Xbox, Minecraft and MSN safer for users. This is thanks to its highly configurable technology, which allows the user to decide what they are comfortable with and what they aren’t. I’ve witnessed the impact they’ve had within Xbox, and we are thrilled that this acquisition will further accelerate our first-party content moderation solutions across gaming, within a broad range of Microsoft consumer services, and to build greater opportunity for our third-party partners and Two Hat’s existing clients’ use of these solutions. We also recognize the trust Two Hat has built with customers who depend on its services and those relationships will continue as part of the transition. Microsoft has a principled approach to privacy and customers can trust that we will protect the privacy and confidentiality of their data.
We understand the complex challenges organizations face today when striving to effectively moderate online communities. In our ever-changing digital world, there is an urgent need for moderation solutions that can manage online content in an effective and scalable way. With this acquisition, we will help global online communities to be safer and inclusive for everyone to participate, positively contribute and thrive.
Tags: Gaming, Online Safety, XBOX