Prosocial Behavior in the Context of Online Harassment of Scientists and Science Communicators: Designing and Implementing a Social Media Intervention in a Transdisciplinary Co-Creation Process

Harassment of scientists and science communicators is a growing concern, particularly on social media. While bystanders can help counter such harassment, few intervene. This research note presents the development, implementation, and evaluation of a social media intervention fostering bystander interventions, created through a transdisciplinary co-creation process with researchers, practitioners, influencers, and citizens. The resulting Instagram campaign featured (audio-)visual messages with scientific evidence, legal guidance, and example interventions. A comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation showed the campaign reached many users, received positive feedback, and produced impactful, reusable materials. We conclude with insights for research–practice collaboration and research on harassment in science communication.