Engadget's lead reporter on platform governance and digital community dynamics. Focuses on:
Recent recognition includes 2024 Digiday Award for exposing TikTok's data governance loopholes. Maintains active Signal presence (karissabe.51) for secure source communication.
We've followed Karissa Bell's trajectory as she evolved from tech policy observer to Engadget's lead social media analyst. Her work consistently bridges platform governance debates with real-world user impacts.
Bell honed her expertise through:
This 2023 investigation revealed how Meta's platforms handled state-sponsored disinformation during geopolitical crises. Bell obtained internal policy documents showing the tension between free speech principles and content moderation demands, contextualizing decisions through interviews with Eastern European activists.
Her 2021 Entrepreneur piece dissected platform liability through the GameStop stock phenomenon. By contrasting Discord's reactive moderation with Reddit's hands-off approach, Bell highlighted the challenges of managing viral financial communities.
This 2022 analysis tracked Twitter's attempt to clone Snapchat/Instagram Stories features. Bell's sourcing revealed internal debates about platform identity, including leaked memos showing executive concerns about "feature bloat."
Bell prioritizes how platforms enforce existing rules rather than hypothetical scenarios. Her Fleets coverage ([3]) contrasted Twitter's public announcements with actual moderation capacity. Pitches should include enforcement data or policy execution challenges.
Her Meta arbitration coverage ([10]) demonstrates unique access to dissenting internal voices. PR professionals should facilitate connections to former employees with documented policy concerns.
While Engadget covers devices, Bell's work ([1],[3]) remains software/platform focused. AR/VR pitches must center on social interaction models rather than technical specs.
Awarded for her multi-part series on TikTok's US data governance challenges, recognized for balancing corporate responses with user privacy concerns.
"Platforms want to be utilities but act like publishers - that fundamental tension dictates every content decision."
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Tech, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
