Web Science Trust

05/06/2026

🌐 Celebrating 20 Years of Web Science!

Last week, the global Web Science community gathered in Braunschweig, Germany, for the 18th ACM Web Science Conference. The event marked two decades of interdisciplinary research and collaboration dedicated to understanding the Web's impact on society.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making WebSci26 a success! We look forward to continuing these important conversations and advancing the field together.

📸 Photo credits: Rosanna Harm and Jonas Meissner

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05/05/2026

Brave Conversations is coming to WebSci’26 in Braunschweig.

As part of the 18th ACM Web Science Conference (May 26–29), this session invites participants to engage with one of the defining questions of our time:

👉 What does it mean to be human in the age of smart machines?

Brave Conversations creates space for open, interdisciplinary dialogue on how emerging technologies—especially AI—are reshaping society, institutions, and individual agency. From digital transformation in Europe to the governance challenges of generative AI, the discussion connects directly to this year’s hashtag theme on managing risks in the evolving web ecosystem.

Free registration is required!
WHEN: Friday 29th May, 2026 | 16:00 to 19:30
More details here:
https://www.braveconversations.org/event/braunschweig-2026
https://websci26.org/

Our first ever Brave Conversations was held in Canberra, Australia, in 2017. Since that time the world has changed, but the conversation remains the same:

28/04/2026

We would like to remind you that the 5th ACM Europe Digital Humanism Summer School will take place from July 6th to 10th, at TU Wien, Austria!

Digital Humanism is an interdisciplinary field that examines the complex interplay between technology and humankind with the aim of creating a better society and improving our lives. It recognizes that an interdisciplinary approach is necessary, breaking down disciplinary silos and integrating humanities, social, technical, and engineering sciences.

Building on the successes of our previous editions, the Summer School will be held at TU Wien, which is deeply involved in the Digital Humanism Initiative and also hosts the UNESCO Chair on Digital Humanism.

The aim of the summer school is to provide a platform to explore and discuss key issues related to Digital Humanism, such as participation and democracy, digital politics and sovereignty, the role of platforms in the economy, privacy, AI and ethics, and fair systems. Globally recognized and leading academics from computer science, social sciences, and humanities will present and discuss these topics.

A limited number of scholarships, including registration fee waivers and full scholarships, are awarded on the basis of merit and financial need. Furthermore, ACM will provide free 1-year memberships for all students attending the school.

Please find details about the program and the application process here:

Democracy in the Digital Age

18/02/2026

📢 WebSci’26 Poster Submission Deadline Extended!
If your full paper wasn’t accepted, you now have the opportunity to present your work as a poster at WebSci’26.
🗓 Poster submission deadline: February 25, 2026
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eTXGtS_Q

In addition, please note:
✈️ Travel grant applications close at the end of February!
🔗 https://websci26.org/?page_id=529

Registration is now open!
🔗 https://websci26.org/?page_id=661

Take advantage of this opportunity to share your research and connect with the Web Science community!

26/11/2025

Our inaugural Brave Conversations Sri Lanka event at the University of Colombo was truly inspiring.

We’re delighted to share the successful conclusion of the inaugural Brave Conversations event. The session was facilitated by Anni Rowland-Campbell, Trustee of the Web Science Trust, with support from Dr. Oshani Seneviratne, Deputy Director of the Web Science Trust Network Labs, and Fernando Spadea, PhD student in Computer Science at RPI.

A heartfelt thank you to our hosts, Dr. Dilrukshi Gamage, Senior Lecturer at the University of Colombo School of Computing, and Viduranga Landers, UCSC undergraduate student, for their warm hospitality and exceptional coordination.

From exploring the history of the Web to unpacking a case study on emerging Agent Companion technology, participants engaged fearlessly with big questions around AI, ethics, autonomy, and rights.

Grateful for everyone who brought such curiosity, depth, and energy to the conversation. 🙌✨

17/10/2025

🌏 Brave Conversations UCSC Colombo 2025: Helping to Create Smarter Humans

We’re delighted to announce the 26th and 27th Brave Conversations events, and the first ever in Sri Lanka!

Since the first Brave Conversations in Canberra, Australia, in 2017, the world has changed, yet the question remains the same: “How can we help Humans become Smarter in a world where the machine is becoming rapidly smarter?”

Brave Conversations UCSC Colombo 2025 unfolds against a backdrop of sweeping social, political, and technological shifts — from advances in AI and immersive tech to global debates around online safety, freedom of expression, and digital rights.

The event invites everyone to pause and reflect on what it means to be human in the Age of Smart Machines, exploring:
- What is the definition of a human in the Age of the Smart Machine?
- What is the role of a human in this Age of the Smart Machine?
- How do we retain our humanity whilst harnessing the power of Smart Machines to improve life for all on Planet Earth?

The conversation will be facilitated by WST Board Trustee Anni Rowland-Campbell, WSTNet Deputy Chair Oshani Seneviratne, and RPI Web Science PhD student Fernando Spadea, as they create space for honest debate, respectful curiosity, and playful exploration to help shape what it means to be truly smart in an increasingly digital world.

🗓️ Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2025
📍 Venue: W002 Hall, University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC), 35 Reid Avenue, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka
🔗 Register here:

Our first ever Brave Conversations was held in Canberra, Australia, in 2017. Since that time the world has changed, but the conversation remains the same:

16/10/2025

🌐 The Fall 2025 kickoff meeting for the Web Science Trust Network of Laboratories (WSTNet) took place yesterday and outlined plans for community growth.

Discussion covered launching a virtual speaker series, creating a research exchange for doctoral collaboration, and expanding Brave Conversations events. Updates on the WebSci 2026 conference and opportunities for joint grant proposals emphasized strengthening global partnerships and advancing Web science initiatives.

13/10/2025

🌐 WebSciX 2025

We are pleased to announce the WebSciX 2025 community-building workshop on October 14-15, 2025, in Bengaluru, India, featuring a plenary panel discussion on Preserving Indian Knowledge Systems in the Age of AI.

The workshop will also serve as a forum to inform the planning of the 2026 WebSciX India conference. The event is hosted as a co-located track at the Symposium on Data for Public Good, organized at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, on October 14–15, 2025.

The workshop is organized by Professor Srinath Srinivasa, Director of the Web Science Lab, and his team at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIB), a member lab of the Web Science Trust Network of Laboratories (WSTNet) advancing the interdisciplinary study of the Internet, World Wide Web (WWW), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and their impact on human lives.

🗓️ Date: October 14–15, 2025
📍 Venue: J N Tata Auditorium, IISc Bangalore
🔗 Register here:

Register for the Symposium on Data for Public Good 2025 today! Avail our early-bird offer. Certificates await all participants.

02/10/2025

📢 Save the Date: May 26-29, 2026!

📅 We’re excited to announce the 18th ACM hashtag hashtag 2026 🎉📍 TU Braunschweig 🇩🇪
➡️ https://websci26.org

Mark your calendars — we can’t wait to welcome you!

📢The Call for Papers is now open! We invite submissions on a wide range of topics relating to web science. 👉 Full details: https://websci26.org/?page_id=77
Please spread the word and submit your work by Dec. 10!