Creating safe online spaces isn’t just a design choice, it’s a responsibility. As more people turn to digital platforms for support, connection and crisis help, the environments we build must protect, reassure and empower the people using them.
Designing with online safety, digital accessibility, inclusive UX and user-centred design in mind helps ensure people can engage without fear of harm, overwhelm or misdirection. But what does “safe” really look like in practice? And how can organisations design digital services that genuinely meet the needs of vulnerable users?
In a recent episode of the Web Usability Podcast, our Director Lucy Collins spoke with Siobhan Hoy, founder of Strategy by Siobhan and an experienced UX strategist who has worked with organisations including the NHS, The Children’s Society and Canada Post. Together, they explored what it truly takes to create safe online spaces where people feel secure — technically, emotionally and psychologically.
What makes an online space safe?
Online safety is multi-layered. According to Siobhan, it rests on four core foundations:
- Technical safety
Robust security, privacy by design, anonymised data and secure user accounts help users feel confident their information is protected — a vital part of psychological safety online. - Trusted content
Expert-led, clinically sound and evidence-based content reduces the risk of harm, particularly when users are seeking sensitive or urgent information. - Reassuring UX design
Clear, predictable user journeys reduce cognitive load, minimise overwhelm and support users through difficult moments. - Brand credibility
Trust is built through transparency, inclusive content and visible safeguarding practices.
Start with user needs, not assumptions
A key theme in the conversation was the risk of designing based on assumptions rather than lived experience.
“Sometimes we think we know what people need, but their lived experience is different to ours.” Siobhan Hoy.
Designing for mental health, crisis support or domestic abuse contexts requires direct, ethical involvement from users. Without it, the risk of unintended harm increases.
Safe involvement means working with trusted frontline staff, setting clear expectations, compensating lived experience fairly, addressing accessibility needs early and, where possible, building long-term user panels. Much of psychological safety happens before research even begins.
Designing safe, supportive journeys
Balancing clean, minimalist UI with accessibility and safeguarding can be challenging. Two features commonly appear in sensitive services.
Crisis signposting must be visible, unambiguous, accessible across devices and clearly separated from non-urgent content. Some teams use dynamic signposting based on user behaviour, but this must be carefully tested to avoid triggering harm.
Quick exit buttons are essential for domestic abuse services, mental health platforms and young people browsing discreetly. Typically, a floating CTA, they allow users to leave instantly without searching.
Reducing overwhelm is equally important. Calm, accessible content design, using plain language, short paragraphs, multiple formats and content tagging all help users engage in ways that suit their needs.
Emerging technology and AI
As AI becomes more embedded in digital services, its risks must be carefully managed. These include incorrect medical information, unmoderated peer-to-peer interactions and tools misinterpreting user needs.
The guiding principle is simple: if you can’t safeguard it, you shouldn’t implement it.
What success looks like
Successful projects share common traits: close collaboration with clinical experts, ongoing co-creation, iterative development and continuous improvement. In some cases, features evolved through multiple iterations or were removed entirely when evidence showed they weren’t helping.
That’s user-centred design in practice.
Designing safe online spaces is complex, but it starts with empathy, evidence and a commitment to the people we serve. By prioritising accessibility, safeguarding and lived experience, digital platforms can become places that genuinely support wellbeing rather than risk harm.
If you’d like support creating safer, more inclusive digital services, the Web Usability team is here to help.
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