On the 10th of June 2023, we participated in the Festival of Communities at Stepney Green Park. Our mission was to engage the Tower Hamlets community with the insights from the Autistic Adults Online project through a series of interactive activities.
We designed a variety of family-friendly activities, drawing directly from the observations and findings of our research. These included ‘guess the emotion’ game using magnetic emojis on a whiteboard, ‘spot the differences’ cards, as well as social media comparisons. For example, attendees had the opportunity to compare the user interfaces of platforms like TikTok and YouTube, evaluating which one they found more user-friendly or less cluttered. Additionally, we incorporated the evidence and questionable concepts cards used as part of our workshops. We also asked our passers-by to use stickers to indicate their agreement with quotes about social media experiences from our research participants.
The turnout was remarkable, with enthusiastic participation from all age groups, especially the younger audience. Children were particularly drawn to the opportunity to create their own emoji faces and interpret their meanings. It was inspiring to see how engaged they were with the activities and discussions.
We encouraged interaction by posing questions to our visitors, who shared their thoughts on post-it notes. A lot of responses came from our younger audience and in some cases, parents or our team assisted in recording their answers. Questions ranged from “What was your favourite activity?” to “How should social media change?”. The responses provided valuable insights and reinforced our research findings, particularly regarding the challenges autistic individuals face in navigating social media platforms.
One notable observation was the fascination with emojis among attendees, sparking discussions about the varied interpretations and potential miscommunications they can convey. This resonated with the concerns voiced by our research participants, highlighting the importance of making changes to social media features that would ultimately benefit all of us, not just autistic users.
Overall, the event was a success. It enabled us to connect with the Tower Hamlets community and raise awareness about a topic which proved to be interesting and engaging to people of all ages. The positive feedback and engagement have inspired us to continue our efforts in public outreach, and we are already looking forward to next year!
Autistic Adults Online 