Online harassment silences 100% of female activists studied, necessitating gender-sensitive digital safety features.

Why It Matters

Understanding the psychological impact of online harassment is crucial for designing digital platforms and tools that genuinely support user safety and diverse voices. Ignoring these factors can lead to the exclusion of important perspectives, ultimately impoverishing public discourse.

Key Finding

Every female activist interviewed experienced online harassment, leading them to either withdraw from online spaces or develop personal coping strategies, often doing both simultaneously.

Key Findings

• All interviewed female feminists have experienced forms of TF(GB)V, including misogynistic hate speech.
• Respondents exhibit a dual response of 'chilling' (self-censorship, reduced activity) and 'resistance' (developing coping strategies).
• The threat of TF(GB)V leads to a constriction of public discourse.

Research Evidence

Aim: How does technology-facilitated gender-based violence impact the public discourse participation of female feminists, and what coping mechanisms do they employ?

Method: Qualitative research

Procedure: Conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with female feminists in Colombia and Costa Rica who advocate for issues like reproductive rights.

Sample Size: 22 participants

Context: Online activism and digital spaces

Design Principle

Prioritize user safety and well-being in digital design to foster inclusive and diverse online participation.

How to Apply

When designing online communities or communication tools, integrate features for reporting abuse, blocking users, and providing educational resources on digital safety.

Limitations

The study focuses on a specific demographic (female feminists in Colombia and Costa Rica) and may not be generalizable to all online activists or all forms of online harassment.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Online abuse makes women activists quiet down online, which stops important conversations from happening.

Why This Matters: This research highlights how digital tools can inadvertently silence users, making it vital for designers to create safer and more inclusive online environments.

Critical Thinking: To what extent can design alone solve the problem of online harassment, or are broader societal and platform policy changes more critical?

IA-Ready Paragraph: This study reveals that technology-facilitated gender-based violence significantly impacts female activists, leading to self-censorship and reduced participation in public discourse. This underscores the critical need for design interventions that prioritize user safety and foster inclusive online environments, as failing to do so risks silencing important voices and limiting the diversity of online narratives.

Project Tips

• Consider the emotional and psychological impact of your design on users, especially vulnerable groups.
• Research existing online harassment and how users cope with it.
• Think about how your design could either mitigate or exacerbate these issues.

How to Use in IA

• Use this research to justify the need for user safety features in your design project.
• Cite the findings to explain the negative consequences of unchecked online harassment on user engagement and discourse.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical implications of digital design and user safety.
• Show how your design addresses potential negative user experiences, such as online harassment.

Independent Variable: Experience of technology-facilitated gender-based violence

Dependent Variable: Self-censorship, participation in public discourse, coping mechanisms

Controlled Variables: Advocacy for feminist issues, gender, nationality

Strengths

• Provides direct insights from affected individuals.
• Highlights the dual nature of user responses (chilling and resistance).

Critical Questions

• How can design effectively empower users to resist online harassment rather than just cope with it?
• What are the ethical responsibilities of platform designers in preventing TF(GB)V?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the effectiveness of different digital safety features in mitigating the psychological impact of online harassment on activists.
• Explore the design of AI-powered tools that can proactively identify and flag TF(GB)V, while respecting user privacy.

Source

Chilling or resisting? Exploring the influence of technology-facilitated (gender-based) violence on female feminists in Colombia and Costa Rica · i-com · 2025 · 10.1515/icom-2025-0004