Behavioural insights to empower social media users
Published: 21 May 2024
Boosting children's safety online: Help Centres
Published: 8 May 2024
This online trial tested different ways to encourage children to access age-appropriate user support materials (or help centre) during the sign-up process of a mock social media platform.
Online safety and data protection
Published: 1 May 2024
How Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) intend to collaborate in regulating online services.
Does autoplay distort what we watch online?
Published: 25 September 2023
Last updated: 25 September 2023
Autoplay and autoskip could be used to undermine – or enhance – online safety measures.
Can ‘microtutorials’ boost online safety?
Published: 25 September 2023
Last updated: 25 September 2023
Timely, targeted and short, ‘microtutorials’ are increasingly common for those of us who use smart devices. When you download an app, you will often be walked through how to use it. You are shown the key features. You might practise using them (like how to ‘swipe’ to change screen) . You receive ‘microdoses’ of teaching – tiny tutorials to build your awareness, capability and motivation to use the feature
Content moderation in user-to-user online services
Published: 14 September 2023
Last updated: 14 September 2023
Content moderation processes - an overview of the processes and trade-offs to mitigate harm.
Default effects and alert messages
Published: 14 July 2023
Last updated: 14 July 2023
Boosting users’ safety online: Microtutorials
Published: 7 July 2023
Last updated: 7 July 2023
Evaluating recommender systems in relation to illegal and harmful content
Published: 6 July 2023
Last updated: 6 July 2023
Ofcom commissioned Pattrn Analytics & Intelligence (Pattrn.AI) to examine possible methods for evaluating the impact of recommender systems. Ofcom wanted to understand the different ways in which online services could test whether their recommender system design choices were likely to increase or decrease the likelihood of their users encountering illegal and harmful content
Nudging users to report potentially harmful online content
Published: 20 June 2023
Last updated: 20 June 2023
Behavioural insight trials show nudges and prompts increase content reporting from 2% to 22%