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

This study examined the influence of design “nudges” on bystanders’ willingness to intervene in online harassment using a social media simulation. Utilizing a 2 × 2 experimental design, we tested the ability of key design features (community guidelines and pop-up messaging) to induce a sense of self-efficacy (low/high) and personal responsibility (low/high) and thence to influence intervention levels. Participants (n = 206) were invited to “beta test” a new social networking site (SNS) for 15 minutes. All participants were exposed to four instances of online harassment against a victim. Bystanders in the low efficacy and high responsibility condition were most likely to intervene, although this finding only applied to “private” (e.g., direct, 1-2-1 messaging) rather than “public” (e.g., posting on a public feed) interventions. Overall, participants preferred “private” interventions that avoided public confrontation. Qualitative insights highlight a perceived lack of transparency in reporting options and a belief that interventions rarely made a difference as the “damage had been done.” Results are discussed in relation to the amplification of personal responsibility when the SNS does not provide clear guidelines and reminders. We recommend ways of “designing in” nudges in practice, to facilitate bystander intervention.