Adult Online Hate, Harassment and Abuse: A Rapid Evidence Assessment

The development of email and social media platforms has changed the way in which
people interact with each other. The open sharing of personal data in public forums has
resulted in online harassment in its many forms becoming increasingly problematic. The
number of people having negative online experiences is increasing, with close to half of
adult internet users reporting having seen hateful content online in the past year.
This report presents findings from a collaborative study undertaken by the University of
East London (UEL) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). It
describes the findings from a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) of the evidence base
in relation to adult online safety undertaken on behalf of the Department for Digital,
Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The research was undertaken on behalf of the UK
Council for Internet Safety Evidence Group. This REA focuses on exploring internet
safety issues amongst adults, given the expansion of the remit of the UK Council for Child
Internet Safety (UKCCIS) to include adults in the context of the new Internet Safety
Strategy (2018) and Online Harms White Paper (2019).