Pearle Nwaezeigwe – Lawyer, Product Policy Manager and Human Rights Activist

Tell us a little about Pearle? 

P: Pearle is a Nigerian Attorney with interests in human rights and technology. My interests landed my first role in tech as the ex-Policy Manager SSA at Tiktok. Pearle is a Black woman who does not accept the first no. No matter how many times I fall, I always get back up.

Why did you decide to become a lawyer? 

P: My dad inspired me. I remember him studying late nights and putting himself through Law School at an older age. I thought to myself “I want to be like him someday”

When did you realize law was not for you? 
P: I think law is still for me, I simply changed my career trajectory but my law degree facilitated that change. I realized I didn’t want to actively participate in court appearances and litigation but I wanted to keep the advocacy I learned from law. 

I believe there would have been opposition when you decided to change careers, how did you overcome them?

P: I don’t like to live my life according to people’s opinions. When I made the decision to move to tech policy, I didn’t convince anyone who thought I was crazy. I knew that when it all works out, they will understand. My parents have always been my biggest supporters, I told them that this is the path I chose and I needed them to trust me that I will succeed. I have a proven track record that I always succeed, my parents were on board.

What was the biggest obstacle?
P: Breaking into tech policy was a novel and bold step. Everyone around me seemed older or more knowledgeable. There are no courses out there to learn about tech policy, I had to learn from articles, having informational calls with different experts. It was not easy but it paid off. Examples of articles/organizations to find experts include: Wired, Verge, All Tech is Human, Trust and Safety Professional Association.

How did you discover tech policy? 
P: I worked on a project called AI and Child rights which exposed me to the intersection of tech and human rights. The rest they say was history. I fell in love with the idea of working in tech based on impact. Tech policy is mission driven ,and every colleague I have worked with has the desire to make the internet a safer place for users. I wanted to be a part of that. 

Is there anything you would have done differently? 

P: I would have networked earlier and narrowed down my search. When I started the journey, I mixed up a lot of careers under tech policy. I was talking to different people and it was hard to figure out what I wanted. The best part of it is that I now have a wide network of different experts.

Could you take me through tech policy? What exactly is tech policy? 

P: Simply put, it is protection of user rights- freedom of expression. We want users to feel safe, we draft guidelines to ensure their safety. I specifically worked on content policy which regulated posts, videos and texts. If you use a social media platform and your post is taken down for breaking a guideline, that’s the work of content policy

How did you land your current job? 

P: I had a wide network by the time I saw the role at Tiktok. I reached out to a colleague who worked at the company and he was my referral. I had 4 interviews and I landed the role.

What would you say to anyone in law, trying to change careers? 
P: Do what makes you excited to get out of bed. Research the area and research the people in the area. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and put yourself out there as a thought leader, what you know can educate another person.