RMIT University’s Digital Ethnography Research Centre is conducting a study that will strengthen Australia’s understanding of how everyday users experience and witness digital harms (like online abuse, hate speech, doxxing and deepfakes).
The aim of the research is to provide a close-to-real-time view of the respondents’ daily activities in relation to harmful or offensive digital content, our attitudes to that content and how we respond to it.
The study will provide the stakeholders, governments, policy-makers and community organisations with insights on participants’ experiences, attitudes and views of harmful online material received on their devices (computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones), by asking participants to upload a screenshot of the harmful content and answer a few short questions relating to their attitude and experience and what they witnessed.
If you are a participant and just starting
There is one important thing for you to do.
Fill out the consent form which we need to start you off. This should take about 2-3 minutes. You can access the consent form by clicking here. Remember to use the unique identifier we have sent you in the invitation SMS and email.
About 2-3 days after we receive your consent form, we will send you instructions by SMS on how to install the app.
Thanks so much for joining this study, we really hope your participation will help us to reduce the number of scam calls and messages Australians are getting.
When does the project start and finish?
The study commences on Monday 11 November. On that day, you’ll receive an SMS (and a courtesy email) advising you of how to access the study platform.
The study finishes on Sunday 22 December. On that day, we’ll send a message letting you know how you will receive your gift voucher (see details below).
How do I access the interface
Once you have completed the consent form, we will send you some links.
To make things as easy as possible, we have three options for how you complete each notification of a digital harm you have experienced or witnessed:
- On a computer, laptop or tablet: You can use a link straight from our regular reminder emails that takes you straight into our safe and secure platform;
- On a smartphone: You can use a link straight from our regular SMS/text message reminders that takes you straight into our secure platform;
- On a smartphone or tablet: You can install a secure app that allows you to use the research platform quickly by pressing a button.
How to install the app
To make it easy for you, we have the option of using an app that you can install on your Android or Applie/iOS smartphone. This app will give you an easy to use button on your phone to press every time you want to notify us of a digital harm that you have experienced or witnessed. The app is very secure, and it will never take any data from your phone that you don’t enter into the app.
To download and install, follow these steps:
- On your smartphone go to https://
- Click the install button (top of the page, yellow bar) for instructions
- For ANDROID phones, Look for the “More” menu. This is the “three dots” menu in Chrome but could be different depending on your brpwser. Next, select “Add to Home Screen,” and then just follow the prompts.
- For APPLE / iOS phones, Look for the share button in Safari, select “Add to Home Screen,” and then just follow the prompts.
If you don’t want to use an app on your smartphone, it is fine to just click the link we send you by SMS or email, which will also take you quickly to the research platform.
How to notify each digital harm
We’ve made the interface as easy as possible, so you can tell us a little about each digital harm (like abuse, doxxing or hate speech) that you experience or witness without too much effort. We expect each time you harmful content, it should take about 1-2 minutes to complete the report.
What if I don’t encounter any harmful content each day?
If you don’t encounter any harmful or problematic digital content on any particular day (which is good), we ask that you still click into the study or the app and, on the opening page, enter your unique identifier code, and select “None, I am just letting you know that I didn’t experience or witness any digital harms today“
This will help us track the days when there is less harmful content, and that you’re still engaged in the study so we can pay you at the end.
How will I get paid my $100 for participating?
After the completion of the study, you will be paid a girft card of $100 in appreciation of your time and support.
To be paid, we need regular interaction from you, even if it is just to say you dind’t encounter any harmful or offensive online content.
Just after the six-week study is complete, we will send you a link to a secure form to answer a few close-off questions. RMIT University will then process the gift card, which should take about 4-6 weeks to be sent to you.
To make sure you’re eligible for payment, remember to click the “I am just letting you know that I didn’t experience or witness any digital harms today” towards the end of each day.
Technical items and troubleshooting
Here are some basic instructions (PDFs and video) that might help with any difficulties you might be having. Just click on the below links to open the file or video.
• How to install the secure app (Android phones)
• How to install the secure app (iPhone / Apple / iOS phones)
• How to complete each report on the app
• How to upload a screenshot (Android phones)
• How to upload a screenshot (iPhone / Apple / iOS phones)
Technical issues
If you are having any technical issues, please fill in the brief form xxxxxx and one of the team will be in touch by SMS or email, usually within 24 hours.
You can also email us with any questions at xxxxxxxx
RMIT Digital Hostility and Disinformation Lab (@ The Digital Ethnography Research Centre) 