Online Harms Market Research

Online Harms Market Research

At M·E·L Research, we deliver specialist online harms market research, social research, evaluation and learning partnerships that support regulators, charities, government departments and policy bodies to understand exposure, risk, behaviour and impact in digital environments.

Our work supports organisations that are responding to the Online Safety Act and other digital regulatory changes, helping them to understand what works and in what contexts.

Evaluation and learning that strengthens online safety regulation

We research across the online harms landscape, including focuses adults, young people and children engaging with or exposed to harmful online content.

Our research supports better decision making in areas such as:

• Children’s exposure to harmful content
• Suicide and self-harm content online
• Eating disorder and body image related content
• User empowerment duties
• Platform safety measures
• Regulatory compliance under the Online Safety Act
• Digital safeguarding and prevention

Our approach is thorough, thoughtful and stays closely connected to people’s real experiences, which means our insights are grounded, responsible, and practical to inform real decisions.

Our online harms research clients include Ofcom, NSPCC, Samaritans, the Molly Rose Foundation, the Jordan Legacy, and SPARK.

Trusted experts in online harms research

Researching online harms requires more than technical expertise. It requires safeguarding expertise, trauma informed design and a strong understanding of regulatory frameworks.

Our work is grounded in:

• Trauma informed and inclusive research practice
• Safeguarding by design at every stage of delivery
• Ethical protocols for sensitive topic research
• Participatory methods that centre lived experience
• Clear, practical learning that informs regulation and policy

We partner with organisations that require robust evidence without compromising dignity, safety or participant wellbeing.

Our online harms market research, evaluation and learning partnerships

Research to support Online Safety Act duties:

Our research helps regulators and policymakers translate lived experience into proportionate, evidence-based regulation. We design and deliver research that supports regulatory bodies and policy teams implementing duties under the Online Safety Act, including:

• Understanding exposure to harmful content
• Testing user awareness and safety tools
• Evaluating platform controls and reporting mechanisms
• Exploring risk and vulnerability across different groups
• Informing Codes of Practice and guidance

Children’s exposure to harmful content research

We conduct specialist research exploring how children encounter and experience harmful content online.

This includes:

• Suicide and self-harm content
• Eating disorder related content
• Depression related content
• Algorithmic exposure and recommendation systems
• Emotional and behavioural impact
• Protective factors and digital literacy
• Research that informs child safety duties, safeguarding policy and preventative strategy.

Adult engagement with harmful online content

We deliver qualitative and mixed methods research exploring adult engagement with suicide, self-harm and eating disorder content online.

This includes:

• Motivations for seeking or encountering content
• Experiences of platform interventions
• Awareness and use of user empowerment tools
• Perceptions of harm, recovery and support
• Research that strengthens the evidence base for adult safety duties and user empowerment measures under the Online Safety Act.

Mixed methods and realist approaches in digital contexts

Online harms exist within complex digital systems. Our research is designed to reflect that complexity.

We deliver:

• Mixed methods research combining qualitative depth with quantitative robustness
• Realist evaluation to understand how and why safety interventions work
• Contribution analysis to assess impact within complex digital ecosystems
• Stakeholder consultation research across policy, platform and third sector audiences
• Our approach ensures findings are defensible, policy ready and grounded in real world behaviour.

Value for money and funding accountability:

Where required, we develop SROI and Value for Money frameworks and judgement matrices that meet funder and government requirements.

Our online harms research experience

We have extensive experience delivering evaluation and learning across the online harms landscape, including:

Ofcom: Exploring Adults’ Engagement with Suicide, Self Harm and Eating Disorder Online Content

We delivered qualitative research exploring adults’ personal experiences of engaging with harmful online content. The findings contributed to Ofcom’s broader evidence base supporting implementation of the Online Safety Act.

The research examined:

• Exposure pathways
• User interaction with safety controls
• Gaps in platform protections
• Implications for regulatory duties

Molly Rose Foundation: Children’s Exposure to Suicide and Self Harm Content on Social Media

M·E·L Research was commissioned to understand the exposure that children have to self-harm, suicide, depression and eating disorder content on social media. This work contributed to strengthening protections for children in digital spaces.

The research supported understanding of:

• How harmful content is surfaced and encountered
• The role of recommendation systems
• The lived experience and emotional impact on young people
• Implications for prevention and policy reform

NSPCC: Child Online Safety in Diverse Family Settings

M·E·L Research was commissioned by NSPCC to explore how different family structures experience and manage child online safety, helping to inform more inclusive support and safeguarding strategies. This work contributed to strengthening child online safety by ensuring support and guidance better reflects the realities and needs of diverse family experiences.

The research supported understanding of:

• How online safety concerns vary across diverse family types, including single-parent, foster, adopted, blended, extended and separated families.
• Parents’ experiences of managing online risks such as grooming, exploitation, harmful content and excessive screen time.
• The challenges families face when discussing online safety, setting boundaries and navigating changing household dynamics.
• The support, resources and opportunities needed to help families keep children safe online

Why organisations choose M·E·L Research for online harms market research

• Proven expertise in online harms research and Online Safety Act contexts
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks and safeguarding practice
• Methodological depth combined with trauma informed delivery
• Clear reporting that supports decision making and compliance
• Experience working with regulators, charities and policy bodies
• We act as a learning partner, not just a research provider.

Talk to us about online harms market research

If you are working through your Online Safety Act responsibilities, supporting digital safety initiatives or shaping policy around online harms, then we would love to work with you.

Get in touch to discuss how M·E·L Research can support your next phase of online harms research, evaluation or learning.