Digital platforms frequently reproduce heteronormative norms and structural biases, limiting inclusive communication between LGBTQ+ and cisgender individuals. The Metaverse, with its affordances for identity fluidity, presence, and community governance, offers a promising site for reimagining such interactions. To investigate this potential, we conducted participatory design workshops involving LGBTQ+ and cisgender participants, situating them in speculative Metaverse contexts to surface barriers and co-create alternative futures. The workshops followed a three-phase process—identifying challenges, speculative problem-solving, and visualizing futures—yielding socio-spatial-technical solutions across four layers: embodied interaction, negotiated visibility, community formation, and reconfigured norms. These findings highlight the importance of spatial cues and power dynamics in shaping digital encounters. We contribute by (1) articulating challenges of cross-group communication in virtual environments, (2) proposing inclusive design opportunities for the Metaverse, and (3) advancing principles for addressing power geometry in digital space. This work demonstrates futuring as a critical strategy for designing equitable, transformative communication infrastructures.

Recent research within the HCI community has illuminated the challenges faced by marginalized groups on algorithm-driven livestreaming platforms. However, there is a notable gap in understanding how elderly livestreamers interact with the platform content moderation and algorithmic (in)visibility. This study investigates the perceptions of the algorithm-moderated (in)visibility and the coping strategies of 16 elderly streamers on Douyin. We find that, contrary to stereotypes of elderly users as digitally uninformed, these streamers actively engage with the platform to facilitate their understanding about platform algorithm. This engagement involves official guidance, peer learning, and personal experimentation. The streamers adopt various strategies to align with the perceived algorithmic preferences. Despite their rich knowledge about the platform's visibility moderation, many elderly streamers face significant challenges, such as physical and psychological strain and low viewer traffic. We conclude with design implications for livestreaming platforms to foster fairness and promote engagement among elderly streamers.

Livestream shopping platforms often overlook the accessibility needs of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community, leading to barriers such as information inaccessibility and overload. To tackle these challenges, we developed EchoAid, a mobile app designed to improve the livestream shopping experience for DHH users. EchoAid utilizes advanced speech-to-text conversion, Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) technology, and Large Language Models (LLMs) to simplify the complex information flow in live sales environments. We conducted exploratory studies with eight DHH individuals to identify design needs and iteratively developed the EchoAid prototype based on feedback from three participants. We then evaluate the performance of this system in a user study workshop involving 38 DHH participants. Our findings demonstrate the successful design and validation process of EchoAid, highlighting its potential to enhance product information extraction, leading to reduced cognitive overload and more engaging and customized shopping experiences for DHH users.

People who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in China are increasingly exploring online platforms to connect with potential partners. This research explores the online dating experiences of DHH communities in China, an area that has not been extensively researched. We interviewed sixteen participants who have varying levels of hearing ability and love-seeking statuses to understand how they manage their identities and communicate with potential partners online. We find that DHH individuals made great efforts to navigate the rich modality features to seek love online. Participants used both algorithm-based dating apps and community-based platforms like forums and WeChat to facilitate initial encounters through text-based functions that minimized the need for auditory interaction, thus fostering a more equitable starting point. Community-based platforms were found to facilitate more in-depth communication and excelled in fostering trust and authenticity, providing a more secure environment for genuine relationships. Design recommendations are proposed to enhance the accessibility and inclusiveness of online dating platforms for DHH individuals in China. This research sheds light on the benefits and challenges of online dating for DHH individuals in China and provides guidance for platform developers and researchers to enhance user experience in this area.

We examine the social media discourse surrounding interracial relationships in China, specifically on the popular platform Douyin. By analyzing comments on short video posts, the study focuses on four types of interracial relationships: Black men and Chinese women, Black women and Chinese men, White men and Chinese women, and White women and Chinese men. The study also explores potential regional differences in these discourses, using IP geolocation data made available to the public since April 2022. Our content analysis revealed that the Black men and Chinese women couples attracted the most negative comments and the White women and Chinese men couples received the least negative comments. We also observed substantial regional differences in the discourses towards these interracial relationships. We investigated several regional socioeconomic development indicators and noted that local GDP, population sizes, and the level of openness to Western cultures explained the variation in the negative sentiment level. This work advances our understanding of the interplay of race, gender, and immigration in constructing public discourses on social media and offers important insights into how these discourses evolve along with socioeconomic development.

Understanding livestream platforms’ accessibility challenges for minority groups, such as people with disabilities, is critical to increasing the diversity and inclusion of those platforms. While prior work investigated the experiences of streamers with vision or motor loss, little is known about the experiences of deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) streamers who must work with livestreaming platforms that heavily depend on audio. We conducted semi-structured interviews with DHH streamers to learn why they livestream, how they navigate livestream platforms and related challenges. Our findings revealed their desire to break the stereotypes towards the DHH groups via livestream and the intense interplay between interaction methods, such as sign language, texts, lip language, background music, and viewer characteristics. Major accessibility challenges include the lack of real-time captioning, the small sign language reading window, and misinterpretation of sign language. We present design considerations for improving the accessibility of the livestream platforms.