10 Years of Web Science: Closing The Loop

Summary

This Dagstuhl Seminar aimed at bringing together researchers from different disciplines related to Web Science, namely computer science, sociology, philosophy and law to discuss on future of Web Science and how it can stay faithful to its initial mission for societal good. Several recent incidents like the online psychological experiment by Facebook have provoked widespread public concern regarding the effect of such experiments and interventions and there is no agreement on expertise and ethics knowledge about how to do Web experimental research.

The Web is a complex sociotechnical system where humans and (intelligent) machines interact in unexpected ways; such hybrid societies of natural and artificial intelligence raise new challenges for Web Science which go beyond technical challenges into ethical, legal and societal implications. The role of Artificial Intelligence in these developments was discussed extensively in terms of both opportunities and risks.

Based on the discussions and inputs from all participants, we have split the discussion into three main working groups:

• Working group on innovative methods for Web Science
• Working group on values
• Working group on Web Science and Artificial Intelligence

The group will continue its work in the aforementioned topics and a manifesto is foreseen to be ready by the end of the year.