Advancing Interdisciplinary Approaches to Online Safety Research

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in online safety research, aiming to unify diverse fields to address online safety challenges more effectively.

Contribution

It proposes a workshop to foster dialogue among various disciplines, identify research gaps, and develop collaborative strategies for online safety.

Findings

Identification of fragmented research across disciplines

Recognition of the need for interdisciplinary collaboration

Development of shared research priorities

Abstract

The growing prevalence of negative experiences in online spaces demands urgent attention from the human-computer interaction (HCI) community. However, research on online safety remains fragmented across different HCI subfields, with limited communication and collaboration between disciplines. This siloed approach risks creating ineffective responses, including design solutions that fail to meet the diverse needs of users, and policy efforts that overlook critical usability concerns. This workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on online safety by bringing together researchers from within and beyond HCI - including but not limited to Social Computing, Digital Design, Internet Policy, Cybersecurity, Ethics, and Social Sciences. By uniting researchers, policymakers, industry practitioners, and community advocates we aim to identify shared challenges in online safety research, highlight gaps in current knowledge, and establish common research priorities. The workshop will support the development of interdisciplinary research plans and establish collaborative environments - both within and beyond Australia - to action them.