Nudging against judging? Mitigating anti-LGBTQIA + online hostility by raising bystanders’ awareness and behavioral intentions

Bystander interventions are a promising tool to counteract the rising instances of anti-LGBTQIA+ hostility online. This experimental study investigates how social nudges influence bystander reactions within a 3 × 3 design, varying nudge type (awareness nudge vs. awareness & behavioral nudge vs. no nudge [control]) and hostility type (incivility vs. intolerance vs. civil [control]). Results confirmed that hostility type significantly influenced perceived acceptability, negative emotions, intervention intentions, and content moderation preferences. However, nudging effects were inconsistent, with awareness nudging sporadically increasing negative emotions, particularly when combined with intolerance, but failing to enhance intervention behaviors. These findings support the Expectancy Violation Theory and the Bystander Intervention Model, suggesting that hostile speech reliably triggers bystander responses, whereas nudges may induce reactance or appear redundant. Individual differences, including LGBTQIA+ attitudes, political orientation, and passive social media use, further shaped intervention tendencies. Implications for digital interventions and policy development are discussed.