Responsible design and use of social media technology: A reflective case study on raising awareness towards social sustainability

This reflective case study examines how the responsible use of social media can help raise awareness of electoral participation among immigrants in Norway. Through a structured, four-phase design process, the project combined semi-structured interviews, workshops with political representatives, and design probes as a new method to investigate barriers to participation and to test communication strategies. Findings revealed that the primary challenge was not the lack of information, but rather the ineffective distribution and visibility of existing resources. The project highlights the role of researchers and designers as facilitators of access, emphasising that responsible social media use requires careful attention to who is reached, how messages are interpreted, and what barriers remain. It also emphasises the need for participatory, community-driven approaches and the importance of integrating offline channels to reach diverse audiences. The reflections of the case study offer deeper insights into the ethical and strategic responsibilities of social media design that can be transferable to other cases in civic communication.