CounterHelp: Counter Speech via App
New mobile app supports young people in dealing with hate comments on TikTok
With CounterHelp, the Institute of Creative\Media/Technologies, in collaboration with sociologists from the University of Vienna, presents a new mobile app that supports young people in dealing with hate comments on TikTok.
Young people frequently encounter hateful content online. CounterHelp is a browser-based Progressive Web App that enables users to respond with constructive, context-sensitive counter speech directly on their smartphones. The app uses a Large Language Model (LLM) to generate tailored responses based on the comment and its context.
How the App Works
To use it, users simply share the link to a TikTok comment with the app. It automatically analyses the context – including the video title, description, and the resulting discussion so far – and offers four different styles of counter speech to choose from:
- Real Talk – Stop, this is not okay
- Seriously? – Think before you hate
- Stay Kind – Show heart
- LOL! – Humor wins
Users can also add their own emojis or keywords to personalise the response. Unlike other tools like ''Schneller Konter,'' CounterHelp does not generate generic replies but creates situation-specific responses tailored to the comment, the context, and the target audience.
The language model prompt is designed to use language and style that resonate with young people – including typical expressions, emojis, and youth-friendly tone. This was developed in workshops with sociologists and young people.
Positive Feedback from First Users
The app was tested in a small lab study with young users. The feedback was positive throughout:
- Usability was rated very highly.
- 8 out of 9 participants would use the generated responses with little or no changes.
- The app was praised for its ease of use, creativity, and strong relevance to everyday situations in particular.
CounterHelp will be presented this year at the Long Night of Research in Graz.