Using Human-Centered Approaches to Co-design & Evaluate Real-Time Online Safety Interventions with Youth

Abstract

There is growing concern about adolescent online risks amplified by social media and emerging AI technologies. Prior work urges a shift from restrictive safety measures toward strength-based approaches that give teens autonomy and control. To design effective interventions, we must include youth as partners and amplify their voices in research and design. However, studying online risks often involves sensitive disclosures, especially among marginalized youth. How can we test and evaluate solutions without endangering those we aim to protect? My work adopts a human-centered lens to: (a) identify safe methods for conducting risky research with marginalized groups, (b) co-design online safety interventions with teens through educational workshops, and (c) evaluate these interventions in simulated, ecologically valid social media environments. Findings reveal teens’ preference for preventative strategies that address perpetrators and root causes, emphasizing youth empowerment, collective safety, and a shift from victim protection toward proactive risk prevention.

Speaker Biography

Dr. Zainab Agha (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at San Francisco State University. Her research in Human-Computer Interaction takes a youth-centered approach to online safety and ethical computing, addressing risks such as cyberbullying, informational harms, and sexual risks. Moving beyond traditional parental controls, her work focuses on real-time interventions that promote self-regulation, digital literacy, and better decision-making for youth in moments of online risk. She advocates for empowering youth, students, and marginalized voices in research and design, using participatory approaches that center underrepresented needs. Dr. Agha’s work has been published in top HCI venues including ACM CHI, CSCW, and IDC. She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Vanderbilt University and brings industry experience from Meta, where she contributed to product design and research for Instagram and Meta Business Suite.