Although there is already material evidence on the types of serious harms individuals encounter online, there still remain a number of emerging harms, where the evidence base is still yet to mature (e.g. epilepsy trolling, online animal abuse). SOH would like to close this significant gap in understanding the impact of encountering different types of serious harms online and understanding the best approaches to measuring the impact of the Online Safety legislation.
SOH highlights the importance of Media Literacy in the digital age and asks for further studies to uncover barriers to engagement as well as the effectiveness of DSIT programmes. This issue closely relates to Counter-Disinformation interventions, which requires evidence for its effect on bystanders, topic specific disinformation and what tools can be used to combat this issue.
Research on Safety Technology would greatly develop SOH’s understanding of the relationship that DSIT online safety objectives have with the technology market today. A primary focus lands on improving Age Assurance (AA) measures. This includes ensuring transparency and assessing opportunities for the sector.
If you are keen to register your interest in working and connecting with DSIT Digital Technology and Telecoms Group and/or submitting evidence, then please complete the DSIT-ARI Evidence survey - https://dsit.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cDfmK2OukVAnirs.
Please view full details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology-areas-of-research-interest/dsit-areas-of-research-interest-2024
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
Sway is a UK-based social media safety technology SME with a core project team of Mike Bennett (CEO and serial entrepreneur), Daniela Fernandez (CXO and entrepreneur) and Alan Simpson (CTO and digital transformation stra...
Funded by: Innovate UK
Lead research organisation: SWAY AS LIMITED
The project addresses how AI can reduce public trust in online information and specifically focuses on developing a tool to evaluate information pollution on social media.
Contrary to public opinion, young people care about their personal data and want a digital world more transparent, a digital world they can trust. For example, little is known about how Amazon is able to tailor advertise...
Funded by: EPSRC
Lead research organisation: University of Nottingham
This project focuses on understanding how AI impacts trust in online information and aims to provide citizens with skills to judge and trust online content.
As interaction on online Web-based platforms is becoming an essential part of people's everyday lives and data-driven AI algorithms are starting to exert a massive influence on society, we are experiencing significant te...
Funded by: EPSRC
Lead research organisation: University of Oxford
This project explores rebuilding trust in algorithms and online platforms, addressing the issue of trust breakdown due to algorithmic processes.