From Northeastern to Roblox: How PhD Student Jeffrey Gleason Is Helping to Shape Safer Online Spaces

How can social platforms reduce harassment and bullying without driving users away? Northeastern Computer Science PhD student Jeffrey Gleason teamed up with Roblox to find out. Their large-scale study of nearly 800,000 users found that longer suspensions not only reduce repeat offenses — they also barely impact user engagement. That balance is hard to strike, and it’s exactly what platforms have long been seeking. Gleason’s research showed that a simple change — extending the length of temporary bans — could significantly reduce the chance of future violations, especially for first-time offenders. Just as importantly, those longer suspensions didn’t result in users leaving the platform. Instead, people returned and re-engaged without repeating the same harmful behaviors. Now implemented at Roblox, these findings are helping to shape more effective, evidence-based moderation strategies — and Gleason hopes other platforms will take note. To learn more, check out this article for Northeastern Global News.

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