DFG Project: Young Scholars' Network on Privacy and Web 2.0

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The Web 2.0 subsists on the exposure and exchange of personal information. Intimate details from the users’ lives are its fuel. Dealing wit private data, however, presents a risk for users of the Internet and is becoming a global issue due to international connectedness. In order to support the international dialogue on “Privacy and Web 2.0”, the German Research Foundation (DFG) sponsors a scientific network of fifteen renowned international scholars. Prof. Dr. Sabine Trepte of Hamburg Media School heads the network, members of the Hans Bredow Institute are Dr. Jan-Hinrik Schmidt and as a mentor the Institute’s director Prof. Dr. Uwe Hasebrink. 

Privacy in the Web 2.0 presents a subject area which has to be explored on an international level due to the Internet being global, and which requires “short” communication lines due to the rapid development of Web 2.0. The DFG-project “Young Scholars’ Network on Privacy and Web 2.0“ enables direct scientific exchange between excellent international junior researchers. The fifteen network member are from Harvard University, the University of Amsterdam, Michigan State University, City University of Hong Kong, University of Bath, University of Hamburg, the Hans Bredow Institute Hamburg, Berlin University of the Arts, Hohenheim University, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and the University of Duisburg-Essen.

The network has three objectives: a systematic conceptualisation of methods and theories of privacy on the Internet, an international comparison of handling of privacy and self-revelation in the Web 2.0, and the development of a research agenda presenting how developments in privacy and self-revelation on the internet may be scientifically accompanied in the future. As a result a survey is planned in all of the five involved countries as well as an anthology publishing comprehensive theoretical perspectives and aggregated empirical findings.

Alongside the network, a longitudinal study on the privacy of the Web 2.0 is currently being executed at Hamburg Media School/Unversity of Hamburg under direction of Prof. Dr. Sabine Trepte.