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Restoring the Web’s original promise for meaningful connection

The Prosocial Design Network curates and researches evidence-based design solutions to bring out the best in human nature online.

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Mockup of a digital self control app, which lets the user select the apps they'd like to start using less.

Digital Self-Control Apps

4

Reduce time spent on distracting apps

Civic Signal

:

Tentative

4
An illustration of the pop-up rephrasing prompt window.

Suggest constructive rephrased messages

4

Improve conversations on divisive topics

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Tentative

4
Reduce Toxicity
A mockup for a browser link being shared. The button below includes the prompt: "I think this news is accurate."

Accuracy Prompts

3

Reduces re-posting of fake news

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Show reliable information

Likely

3
Safeguard Truth
A browser window with a mockup of a game meant to innoculate users against misinformation.

Games inoculating against misinformation

5

Reducing spread of misleading and polarizing content

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Build civic competence

Mixed

5
Safeguard Truth
A symbol of a globe on the left, indicating the public. There is an arrow pointing to a smaller group of people on the right. This is meant to evoke going from a wider group to a smaller group.

Nudging conversations to groups

4

Create more spaces for civil discussions

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Tentative

4
Reduce Toxicity
An intervention mockup with a meme showing two people in a reciprocal "ying-yang" icon.

Shared Humanity Memes

4

Reducing intergroup animosity

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Encourage the humanization of others

Tentative

4
Curb Polarization
An example of a pop-up that says "Your comment breaks Rule 2. You've been restricted for 24 hours."

Removing Rule-breaking Comments

1

Reduce rule-breaking and recidivism

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Ensure user safety

Validated

1
Reduce Toxicity
An illustration showing two mobile newsfeeds coming together.

Nudging counter-partisan news

5

Reduce inter-party animosity

Civic Signal

Connect
:
Build bridges between groups

Mixed

5
Curb Polarization
A feed in the foreground is out of focus, while an idyllic landscape in the background is in focus.

Positive Background Imagery

6

Increase civility

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Emergent

6
Curb Polarization
A button mockup that says 'Respect Post', it has a handshake icon.

Respect Button

4

Decrease partisan behavior

Civic Signal

Connect
:
Build bridges between groups

Tentative

4
Curb Polarization
A mod points to a presentation explaining why the user in question was banned.

Removal Explanations

3

Reduce repeated rule-breaking

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Ensure user safety

Likely

3
Reduce Toxicity
A Life of Brian comment that's been edited, and assigned a ribbon to show it's the top pick from a moderator.

Highlighting High Quality Comments

3

Improve the quality of users’ comments

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Likely

3
Improve Content
A pop up displaying a list of rules.

Reminder of Norms

1

Increase adherence to platform rules.

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Invite Participation

Validated

1
Reduce Toxicity
A mockup of a feed encouraging users to write something substantive.

Ask Users to Write Something Substantive When Sharing Content

7

Add context and make users consider what they’re sharing

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Show reliable information

Inference

7
Safeguard Truth
A commenter posts a lot of content, to which an authoritative finger is raised in objection to that commenter's not letting others contribute.

Prompt suggesting letting others post

7

Open up the discussion to more people

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Invite Participation

Inference

7
Reduce Toxicity
A user types out 'Romani Evnt Domus' and a moderator corrects his Latin grammar. This is an easter egg from a Monty Python film.

Let mods suggest edits to users

7

Cut down unnecessary tension and confusion

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Inference

7
Improve Content
A mockup of a comment. It has a prompt on top of it that says 'heads up, topics like this can get heated'.

Warning that topic is sensitive

7

Reduce likelihood of sharing triggering content

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Ensure user safety

Inference

7
Reduce Toxicity
A mockup illustrating two posts in a feed: one is labelled as "misleading" whereas the one beneath it has a less severe label of "Stay informed".

Label misleading content; add links to reliable, related content

2

Reduce spread of true but misleading info

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Show reliable information

Convincing

2
Safeguard Truth
A wireframe of how a slowdown intervention would, with a timer, show users how long they must wait to post again.

Slowdown Modes

7

Slow users down so their followup comments are more thoughtful

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Inference

7
Reduce Toxicity
A mockup of a phone screen with this intervention, explaining that "You may encounter unverified claims on this topic." The icon is of an ear on a shield, representing the idea of 'protecting your ears from rumors.'

Messages prebunking misinformation on controversial topics

3

Innoculate users against misinformation

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Show reliable information

Likely

3
Safeguard Truth
An expanded modal box, which conveys the concept of listening to a recording of someone else's voice.

Give audio option for user input

7

Humanize users in one anothers' eyes

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Encourage the humanization of others

Inference

7
Reduce Toxicity
A mockup of an over-the-top news headline that reads "ALIENS!". In front of it is a reminder: "If shocking claims in a headline sound unbelievable, then they probably are."

Digital media literacy tips

3

Reduce the spread of mis- and disinformation

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Build civic competence

Likely

3
Safeguard Truth
A mockup of an intervention showing a Twitter comment, but it has a new button along the bottom that shows how many people have viewed the tweet.

Show Content Reach (# of Views)

6

Evoke self-consciousness for post conscientiousness

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Emergent

6
Improve Content
A mockup of a comment. Next to the user's profile picture, there's a rounded token that calls attention to its being a "Consensus Post".

Highlight Consensus Posts

7

Depolarize divisive conversations

Civic Signal

Connect
:
Build bridges between groups

Inference

7
Curb Polarization
A mockup of an intervention in which all posts have a delay built into them.

Delay-by-Default Posting

7

Give users a chance to reconsider their words before they go public

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Inference

7
Improve Content
A mockup of an intervention. An image is blurred out behind a warning, which says the image in question could be questionable or inflammatory.

Hide edge-case content behind warning

7

Create middle ground between promoting content and banning it

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Ensure user safety

Inference

7
Reduce Toxicity
A mockup of a prompt that reminds users that "Headlines Don't Tell The Full Story".

Disallow Sharing of Unclicked Links

6

Cut down on the spread of misinformation

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Show reliable information

Emergent

6
Safeguard Truth
A mockup of a prompt telling a user that "Your Comment Is Likely To Be Hurtful To Others" with an option to either edit the post or post it anyway.

Preliminary Flagging Before Posting

2

Reduce online harassment

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Ensure user safety

Convincing

2
Reduce Toxicity
A mockup of a prompt telling users that their posts will be subject to peer review. The user is invited to either edit their post or proceed to posting it.

Warning that Comments Will be Reviewed by Peers Before Publication

6

Reduce toxicity of comments

Civic Signal

Understand
:
Promote thoughtful conversation

Emergent

6
Improve Content
A mockup of a react button. The platform's 'Thanks' icon is emphasized.

Thank You Button

3

Increase retention and make prosociality contagious

Civic Signal

Welcome
:
Encourage the humanization of others

Likely

3
Retain Users
A prompt telling users that trolls may be there, but they are uncommon.

Message that trolls are present but outnumbered

2

Reassure community newcomers; make them resilient to trolling

Civic Signal

Connect
:
Cultivate Belonging

Convincing

2
Retain Users

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