Civic technologies in data-driven societies
Call for Participation
Internet and increased datafication, signify a new era for civic society. Social media, fundraising tools, digital petitions, social media analytics, greatly facilitate the ability to activate, organize and raise public opinion. At the same time, the technology entails algorithmic surveillance and risks of being exposed to threats and hatred. For people at risk, undocumented refugees or people with protected identity, the lack of digital infrastructures also means great difficulties. While research points to these opportunities and risks, there is lack of research on how civic society deals with the increased datafication, and what methods, tools, and strategies are used on the field. The purpose of this workshop is to gather researchers who investigate the impact of digitalization on the civil society, both for established NGOs and informal activism.
At the heart of this workshop lies the fundamental issue of safeguarding basic civil human rights in an increasingly datafied society. Individuals needing protection face significant challenges in navigating a digital landscape where digital identification methods may be inaccessible, exacerbating everyday tasks such as interacting with authorities or managing financial affairs. In our increasingly computerized society, data has evolved into a central resource, facilitating the digitization of community services and marketplaces.
While this datafication promises enhanced social services and production efficiency for the average citizen, its adverse effects are particularly pronounced among individuals residing outside the societal majority norm, and affects the work of NGOs addressing social needs.
The advent of the internet and growing datafication herald a new era in civic society. Digital petitions, social media analytics, fundraising tools, and social media platforms all significantly improve the capacity to mobilize, coordinate, and elevate public opinion. At the same time, datafication means increased vulnerability for people who in various ways live without normative identities, and creates new challenges for aid organizations.
In the field of HCI, considerable effort has been dedicated to scrutinizing, comprehending, and enhancing the role of digital technology in professional and personal domains. However, a number of inquiries remain unaddressed concerning volunteer engagement and contributions. Typically, these engagements are often constrained by meager financial resources, transient participant involvement, and limited resources for education in digital systems. Further complexities are regulatory frameworks concerning data protection, exemplified by the GDPR, alongside various problems of receiving hate and threats that may influence both organizations collectively and volunteers individually.
We would like to invite researchers, practitioners, designers, artists, and other actors who find this call relevant to their work and/or life practices. Through this half-day workshop, we aim to discuss various contemporary research approaches in HCI contributing to a deeper understanding of the (digital) conditions for this kind of engagement, and to identify pivotal issues that will shape the future landscape of the civic engagement. The goal is to gain a deeper understanding of challenges and opportunities for HCI research on civil society in an increasingly data-intensive and connected society.
We encourage participants to submit a 2-4 page position paper (references excluded) in the ACM single-column format, either by using the Word or Latex template.
The workshop organizers will review the submissions which will be selected based on their quality and relevance to the workshop themes. At least one author of each accepted paper must attend the workshop and register for it. We will do our best to accommodate specific accessibility needs participants might have. Authors are invited to specify any particular requirement in their position papers, or by directly contacting the organizers.
Position papers can be sent to mattias.jacobsson@sh.se with CC to karin.hansson@sh.se
Submission deadline: 16 September 2024 Extended! New deadline: 24 September 2024
Notification of Acceptance: 18 September 2024 26 September 2024