Strategies designed to minimize negative consequences associated with certain behaviors or conditions, often used in public health contexts.

The term harm reduction comes from street health initiatives, especially in the context of drug use, where the focus is on reducing harm through practical approaches like needle exchanges and safe injection sites. This framework embraces the idea of imperfect improvement—helping people stay safer without demanding perfection or complete abstinence. We can apply this same approach to tech and tech-informed spaces. Harm reduction in digital spaces can address risks like exploitation, misinformation, and data misuse. Reducing harm in tech spaces recognizes that, despite tech giants often operating unethically, many people rely on these platforms for survival in a colonial capitalist system and for mutual aid. By adapting harm reduction to tech, we can work toward minimizing harm while acknowledging the need to use these imperfect systems for immediate needs. This allows us to both navigate and challenge the system, focusing on reducing harm without expecting flawless solutions.