Value Driven Design for Development of Social Network Sites for LGBTQ+ users : A focus group study about local LGBTQ+ community values and design prospects for Social Network Sites

Social network sites (SNS) were developed during the 90’s and got popularized in the mid 2010’s. SNSs are social platforms, where users can create a profile, add a network of contacts and communicate online. The LGBTQ+ community relies heavily on SNSs for information, exploration of identity, social support and community, but due to their marginalized status, they are more prone to victimization online. Whereas anonymity can protect users from bodily harm, it can’t protect against harassment and hatred, which is why it’s important to emphasize on user-centered design for marginalized communities within HCI. The objective with this study is to define design suggestions for future SNSs, based on the values of LGBTQ+ users. Two focus groups recruited from the local LGBTQ+ community in Berlin, consisting of seven participants in total, gathered in person. The focus groups discussed open ended questions around the topics of: safety, anonymity, accountability, social support and community online, seen from a queer perspective. The results of this study had correlations with prior research within HCI research and paints a picture of the differences between the “digital well- being” norm and the severity of the threats affecting the digital wellbeing of marginalized users. In conclusion, HCI and digital well-being research needs to be elaborated on, in regards to marginalized communities and their benefits and challenges of SNSs use and how that could be incorporated in a value sensitive design approach for future development.