We take a deeper look at online harassment, particularly the rise and impact of trolling. Building on our online dating episode, we explore who is most affected, how it manifests, and the psychological toll it can take. Focusing on deliberate, harmful online behaviour meant to antagonise or disrupt, we unpack the different forms of trolling and why it’s become so widespread.

This is part one of a two-part topic (because Nicola likes to talk – and this is a big topic to cover!). The second episode will get into the causes of trolling – who are the trolls and why do they do what they do?

Content warning: sexual harassment, suicide, and psychological distress.

Support resources If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you. Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports

The Samaritans

Pieta House - Suicide and Self-harm Resource

Key Papers

PEW Research: The State of Online Harassment

DCU: Understanding Adult Experiences of Online Hate in Ireland – An Exploratory Survey

The Impact of Online Abuse: Hearing the Victims’ Voice report – UK

Aktar & Marrison (2019) The prevalence and impact of online trolling of UK members of parliament

What does social support mean to you? What are your social support networks online and offline? Do you share content for support or do you see people 'over share' content? How do you react?

This week’s episode focuses on the different ways and reasons why we seek support online and examines some of these questions across different age groups and online communities.

Online peer support for people with dementia

Social media affordances of LGBTQIA+ expression and community formation

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA) and Loneliness

Support resources If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you. Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports

This is Nicola's area of research so it turned into a two-part episode! This time we'll get into the darker side of online dating - abuse and harassment of different groups of people, why men send graphic unsolicited images.

Support resources If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you. Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports

Key studies: PEW Internet Online Dating report

Mandau (2020) ‘Directly in Your Face’: A Qualitative Study on the Sending and Receiving of Unsolicited ‘Dick Pics’ Among Young Adults

Oswald et al. (2020) I’ll Show You Mine so You’ll Show Me Yours: Motivations and Personality Variables in Photographic Exhibitionism

Marcotte et al. (2021) Young Women’s Experiences With Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence From Male Strangers

Salerno-Ferraro et al. (2022) Women’s and Men’s Reactions to Receiving Unsolicited Genital Images from Men

Is online dating on the decline? In this episode we take a look at who is dating online, why, and what they're getting out of it (and a little bit on what they would rather not be getting out of it!).

This is Nicola's area of research so it turned into a two-part episode! Next time we'll get into the darker side of online dating - but this episode we're looking at some of the positives!

Support resources If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you. Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports

Key studies: PEW Internet Online Dating report Douglas Zytko & colleagues - Supporting Women in Online Dating with a Messaging Interface that Improves their Face-to-Face Meeting Decisions

Are we addicted to our devices? In this episode we focus on addiction, when it is and isn't the right term to use. We look at our screen use, gaming and when or how we use our phones to identify problematic behaviour.

Support resources If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you. Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports

The Samaritans

HSE Alcohol and Health Resource

Pieta House - Suicide and Self-harm Resource

Key Papers

Gaming and Adolescent Agression

Mental Health and Internet Use

Screentime and Wellbeing

In this episode we focus on moral panics about technology use and how this is driven by media reporting and societal discourse. We break down the actual research behind some of these panics, and look at what we do know about how tech is impacting us.

Support resources If you have been affected by the content of this episode in any way, the supports at the link below may be of assistance. If you are not in Ireland, please seek supports local to you. Irish Health Service Executive mental health supports

Key papers & recommendations for reading

Amy Orben: The Sisyphean Cycle of Technology Panics

Campbell & colleagues: Evidence for and against banning mobile phones in schools: A scoping review

Amy Orben & Andrew Przybylski: The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use

Book recommendation Pete Etchells: Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and how to spend it better)

Spurious correlations website

In Bits - The podcast that deconstructs our digital lives. Listen to Episode 1 - Moral Panic and Technology on Tuesday 25th March.