D'Janne Thomas - Upwork | The art of friction | Innovator Series

Rethinking Friction: Upwork’s D’Janne Thomas on Balancing User Experience and Fraud Prevention

In this Innovator Series episode, D’Janne Thomas, Senior Operations Manager of Trust and Safety at Upwork, examines how the perception of friction in digital experiences has evolved in recent years.

Once viewed as a purely negative obstacle, friction is now recognized as a necessary safeguard in moments of risk. D’Janne explains how businesses can apply dynamic friction—introducing identity verification and biometrics only when signals, anomalies, or risk profiles warrant it—to protect users without compromising seamless digital experiences.

As fraud becomes increasingly sophisticated and AI-driven threats emerge, striking the right balance between user experience and fraud prevention has never been more critical.

Watch now to learn how leading organizations are rethinking digital trust, identity verification, and fraud prevention to build safer, smarter platforms.