The Experience of ‘ Bad ’ Behavior in Online Social Spaces : A Survey of Online Users

Online antisocial or ‘bad’ behavior appears to be a serious and pervasive problem in a variety of online social settings. This paper presents results from an online survey designed to collect information about the frequency, context, and effects of aversive behavior, and the methods they employ to combat it. As expected, respondents perceived that bad online behavior occurs frequently and has a strong negative effect on online interactions. Most respondents reported that others’ bad behavior had caused them to leave or avoid online social spaces. Participants reported that the methods they use to combat bad behavior are not very effective. Descriptions of bad behavior suggest that many are perpetrated by people users do not know, but a surprising number are perpetrated by acquaintances. Further, bad behavior often spans online domains, such that while the behavior may start in one place (e.g., a chat room), it may continue through other channels (e.g., email). Implications for designing more effective methods to thwart bad behavior using established social principles are discussed.