Stephanie Murphy

Online pregnancy loss communities can allow users to locate valuable support and information after experiencing a loss. However, platform users also face challenges in learning how to safely engage with the emotive content and diverse experiences present in these communities. This raises questions about how these online communities are currently moderated. However, the practices and experiences of online pregnancy loss community moderators have not yet been examined in past research. This study sought to examine how moderators currently work to protect and maintain online pregnancy loss communities, and to determine how community moderation could potentially be improved in these online spaces. To address these research aims, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with moderators of online pregnancy loss communities located across different online forums and social media platforms. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to analyse this interview data. Our findings show that moderators worked to foster supportive and inclusive communities by carefully removing inappropriate or insensitive posts, providing direct informational and emotional support to members, and creating separate online spaces to bring together members with specific experiences. While platform features and the support of charity organisations helped moderators to engage in these practices, we also identified factors which limited moderator performance. Reflecting on these findings, we discuss how many of the moderator practices specifically align with a trauma-informed approach, which could usefully inform the work of moderators in other online support contexts. We also outline research directions and sociotechnical implications for improving online pregnancy loss community moderation in the future.

Emerging evidence from other disciplines indicates that women's engagement with fitness content and communities on social media can have both positive and negative impacts, with particular concerns arising around misinformation, body image and privacy. To investigate this further, we conducted a three-step data collection process, including a qualitative survey (n=97), in depth interviews (n=17), and a process of shared looking (n=10) with our female participants. We then used thematic analysis to understand users' experiences navigating fitness content online. Our paper delineates three themes focusing on 1) Qualities and Characteristics of Trust, 2) Working with the Algorithm, and 3) Competence and Capacity for Control. Based on these findings, we present design considerations that might improve women's experience of navigating fitness content online.

Online social platforms can provide important benefits to users following pregnancy loss. However, while research to date has provided insights into the opportunities and challenges of online platform use after pregnancy loss, we have a limited understanding of how users actively work to navigate these environments in order to successfully share their experiences, seek support, and protect themselves online. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of online platform engagement after pregnancy loss, by examining how users manage their experiences and make decisions across platforms. We recruited 92 participants who had experienced pregnancy loss, through a qualitative online survey and semi-structured interviews. A reflexive thematic analysis was then conducted. Our findings demonstrate how participants actively worked to locate relevant pregnancy loss content, to share such content only with desired audiences, and to find safe online pregnancy loss spaces. However, users also struggled to manage algorithm-driven content, upsetting audience reactions, and discomfort in online pregnancy loss spaces. As these challenges could lead to emotional distress and potential re-traumatisation among this population, this raises key concerns for their safety and wellbeing online. In response to this, we discuss the implications of our study for supporting safer online platform engagement within future CSCW research and practice, specifically from the perspective of trauma-informed care.