1. Harassment in Social VR: Implications for Design
- Author
-
Lindsay Blackwell, Natasha Elliott-Deflo, Raz Schwartz, and Nicole B. Ellison
- Subjects
Harm ,Computer science ,05 social sciences ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Harassment ,020201 artificial intelligence & image processing ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,02 engineering and technology ,Moderation ,Online harassment ,Social psychology ,050107 human factors - Abstract
We interviewed VR users $(\mathrm{n}=25)$ about their experiences with harassment, abuse, and discomfort in social YR. We find that users' definitions of ‘online harassment’ are subjective and highly personal, making it difficult to govern social spaces at the platform or application level. We also find that embodiment and presence make harassment feel more intense. Finally, we find that shared norms for appropriate behavior in social VR are still emergent, and that users distinguish between newcomers who unknowingly violate expectations for appropriateness and those users who aim to cause intentional harm.
- Published
- 2019