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:
The culmination of decades of academic research and commercial application, this proposal offers a step change on how algorithms account for the end user experience. Images hold within them varying degrees of emotional '...
Funded by: Innovate UK
Lead research organisation: RHIZOMETRIC DESIGN LIMITED
The project focuses on mitigating online harm through image algorithms, which directly relates to the use of generative AI for deepfakes and the psychological impact.
Securium is a Cyber Intelligence company developing innovative products to protect businesses and individuals by detecting and preventing online harm such as grooming and exploitation, radicalisation, hate speech, and re...
Funded by: Innovate UK
Lead research organisation: SECURIUM LIMITED
The project addresses child exploitation in live streaming applications, which is a related harmful use but does not directly answer the question about deepfakes and psychological impact.
Digital culture has become inextricable from all forms of intimate social and personal life, to the point of being imperceptible. This creates a number of global challenges, not least in how we make sense of ourselves, h...
Funded by: AHRC
Lead research organisation: Coventry University
Partially relevant as it addresses the impact of digital culture on personal life and relationships, but does not specifically focus on generative AI deepfakes.