Not All Interventions are Made Equal: Harnessing Design and Messaging to Nudge Bystander Intervention

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Online Behavior

Background:

• Online harassment is a pervasive issue with significant negative impacts.
• Bystander intervention is crucial for mitigating online harm but often underutilized.
• Social media platform design can influence user behavior, including intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how design nudges influence bystanders' willingness to intervene in online harassment.
• To examine the roles of self-efficacy and personal responsibility in bystander intervention.
• To identify effective design strategies for promoting online bystander intervention.

Main Methods:

• A 2x2 experimental design was used in a social media simulation.
• Participants (n=206) beta-tested a new social networking site (SNS).
• Exposure to online harassment scenarios with manipulated design features (guidelines, pop-ups) to vary efficacy and responsibility.

Main Results:

• Bystanders in the low efficacy and high responsibility condition intervened most frequently.
• Intervention preference was significantly higher for private (e.g., direct messages) than public actions.
• Participants favored private interventions to avoid public confrontation.

Conclusions:

• Design nudges, particularly those amplifying personal responsibility, can facilitate bystander intervention.
• Clear community guidelines and reminders are essential for effective intervention.
• Platform design should prioritize private intervention options and address user perceptions of impact and transparency.