# Trauma-Informed Social Media: Towards Solutions for Reducing and Healing Online Harm

**Authors:** Carol F. Scott, Gabriela Marcu, Riana Elyse Anderson, Mark W. Newman, Sarita Schoenebeck  
**arXiv:** [2302.05312](https://arxiv.org/abs/2302.05312)  
**Date:** 2023-02-10  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2302.05312v1/

## Key points

- Social media platforms exacerbate trauma, with users facing various forms of trauma unique to them
- Failures of these platforms to effectively address trauma pose a significant threat to users' well-being globally
- Platform policies expose moderators and designers to trauma through the content they engage with as part of their jobs
- A trauma-informed approach is advocated, recognizing everyone likely has a trauma history
- Trauma is experienced at individual, secondary, collective, and cultural levels
- Six principles are outlined for applying a trauma-informed approach to social media design, content moderation, and companies
- Recommendations are offered for reducing online harm by implementing a trauma-informed approach on social media platforms.

## Summary

The paper titled "Trauma-Informed Social Media: Towards Solutions for Reducing and Healing Online Harm" explores the impact of social media platforms on trauma and proposes a trauma-informed approach to address and decrease the likelihood of experiencing trauma online. The authors highlight that social media platforms exacerbate trauma, with users facing various forms of trauma unique to them, such as doxxing and swatting. Trauma is defined as the psychological and physical response to experiencing a deeply disturbing event. The failures of these platforms to effectively address trauma pose a significant threat to users' well-being globally, particularly among minoritized groups. Additionally, platform policies expose moderators and designers to trauma through the content they engage with as part of their jobs, including instances of child sexual abuse. To mitigate the impact of trauma on social media platforms, the authors advocate for a trauma-informed approach that recognizes everyone likely has a trauma history. They emphasize that trauma is experienced at individual, secondary, collective, and cultural levels. The paper proceeds by providing an in-depth understanding of trauma and its impacts. It then outlines six principles for applying a trauma-informed approach to social media design, content moderation, and companies. These principles aim to balance platform responsibility and accountability with the well-being and healing of all users. In conclusion, the authors offer recommendations for reducing online harm by implementing a trauma-informed approach on social media platforms. By prioritizing user well-being while addressing traumatic experiences, these recommendations seek to create safer online environments for all individuals affected by or at risk of experiencing trauma.