RESEARCHERS

1. Shagun Jhaver. Rutgers University, Ph: 972-400-1096 (Contact person)
2. Amy Zhang. Assistant Professor, Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering

We are asking you to be in a research study. This form gives you information to help you decide whether or not to be in the study. Being in the study is voluntary. Please read this carefully. You may ask any questions about the study. Then you can decide whether or not you want to be in the study.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The goal of this project is to develop an understanding of users’ moderation preferences on social media sites

STUDY PROCEDURES This study would include interviews with users who have used social media sites. These interviews will last less than 90 minutes and will involve questions that help us identify the content moderation needs of users. The interview will be recorded. Building upon these interviews, we will develop a survey to better address the needs of our participants.

RISKS, STRESS, OR DISCOMFORT

You may suffer emotional distress talking about the experiences of seeing offensive comments online. To avoid this, we encourage you to only relate these experiences to us if you can do so without distressing yourself.

BENEFITS OF THE STUDY We will develop moderation insights and recommend new tools design based on our interviews with users like you. These tools may help you better moderate the comments you receive online.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF RESEARCH INFORMATION The interview and survey data we collect will be kept confidential. The link between your identifiers and the research data will be destroyed after the records retention period required by state and/or federal law. All of the information you provide will be confidential. However, if we learn that you intend to harm yourself or others, we must report that to the authorities. Government or university staff sometimes review studies such as this one to make sure they are being done safely and legally. If a review of this study takes place, your records may be examined. The reviewers will protect your privacy. The study records will not be used to put you at legal risk of harm.

OTHER INFORMATION You may refuse to participate, and you are free to withdraw from this study at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You will receive a compensation of $20 to participate in this study.

RESEARCH-RELATED INJURY If you think you have been harmed from being in this research, contact Amy Zhang at axz@cs.uw.edu.

Subject’s statement This study has been explained to me. I volunteer to take part in this research. I have had a chance to ask questions. If I have questions later about the research, or if I have been harmed by participating in this study, I can contact one of the researchers listed on the first page of this consent form. If I have questions about my rights as a research subject, I can call the Human Subjects Division at (206) 543-0098 or call collect at (206) 221-5940.