Activism in the shadow of the data society

Welcome to the advanced seminar in Media technology with Karin Hansson, Mattias Jacobsson and Maria Normark

The significance of datafication for human rights defenders
Datafication means increased risks for human rights defenders. While digital tools facilitate the ability to activate, organize and raise public opinion, available data and algorithmic surveillance also mean increased risks. For people in vulnerable situations and in data poverty, the lack of digital infrastructures also means great difficulties.
While research points to these challenges, there is lack of research on how human rights defenders deal with the increased datafication, and what methods are used on the field.
The purpose of this research project is therefore to investigate, through ethnographic methods and design studies, the impact of datafication on the Swedish civil society, with a focus human rights defender.
Here we will present a pilot study and discuss a project proposal.

https://spir.aoir.org/ojs/index.php/spir/article/view/13473