Abstract

co_LAB projects typically involve working with interdisciplinary groups of students, using discovery-based learning methods to explore questions, concerns and issues within digital culture and the incorporation of digital media into aspects of everyday life. Most recently the group participated in the 'Web We Want Festival' at the Southbank Arts Centre in London, which was part of Sir Tim Berners-Lee's campaign to develop a 'Magna Carta for the digital age'. In the week leading up to the festival, co_LAB invited students from Computer Science, Psychology, and Film & Media to participate in a workshop that addressed the themes of surveillance, civic participation, and the potential uses and abuses of big data. The students were tasked with producing two installations that would be exhibited at Southbank, with the brief of 'engaging the public in a critical debate about digital surveillance and the future of the Web'.

Blind_Data - This interactive workshop challenges the public to take on the role of data analyst. Can you decide who represents a potential 'national security' risk based on their digital footprint alone? When our data is tracked by governments and corporations alike, what does our personal data and online identity reveal about us in different contexts?

Caught in the Web - Plunge into a 3D browser and explore the history of the World Wide Web. See the developments that have changed the face of the digital world and learn about the restrictions that increasingly limit online experiences. This Oculus Rift 'Virtual Reality' game challenges public apathy towards mass surveillance of our digital lives.