Testing how ethical bots can support more peaceful digital spaces
BlueBots is an independent, volunteer-led research collective exploring how media and technology can support personal, social and democratic well-being.
We bring together researchers and contributors from different fields to study a simple question: can transparent, ethical and prosocial bots contribute to less hostile and more constructive forms of interaction online?
Why BlueBots
BlueBots is conceptually inspired by the role of UN Blue Helmets in physical conflict zones.
We explore whether a similar public-interest principle can be tested in digital environments — not by policing users or manipulating conversations, but by studying whether transparent bots can help de-escalate hostility, support constructive interaction and promote prosocial behaviour.
What we do
Our work focuses on research, experimentation and small-scale testing.
We design and study transparent social bots, examine their effects in digital environments, and assess both their potential benefits and their risks.
Current areas of interest include digital violence, counterspeech, positive peace literacy, ethical AI, internet governance and public-interest uses of automated systems.
What we do not assume
We do not assume that bots are inherently beneficial.
Our aim is to understand whether they can help, when they can help, when they do not, and what ethical and governance safeguards are required.
Negative, limited or unexpected results are part of the research.
How we work
Our approach is based on transparency, accountability and non-manipulative design.
Bots should clearly identify themselves as automated systems, have a defined public-interest purpose, and be designed in ways that allow their effects and limitations to be evaluated.
We are interested in what works, but equally in what does not work, what creates unintended effects, and where automated intervention should stop.
A research collective
BlueBots is not a commercial platform or a technology company.
It is a research collective built around collaboration between people working across communication, artificial intelligence, psychology, peace studies, philosophy, human rights, internet governance and software engineering.
The objective is modest but concrete: test whether automated systems can be designed and used in ways that contribute positively to digital public spaces, while remaining transparent about their limitations.