Web Science Trust
Untangling the Web of Humans and TechnologyACM WebSci'26 is coming ..
We are excited to see you at WebSci’26 from May, 26th-29th 2026 in Braunschweig, Germany.
The team at TU Braunschweig are working hard to bring us another great event !!
50th Anniversary of the Internet
We would like to thank everyone who made this such a special event and for those of you that couldn’t join us, please take some time to watch the recording by clicking the button below ..
Web Science White Paper Series
WST has commissioned a new series of white papers by leading authors on current issues affecting society as it struggles to resolves its relationship with Technology.
Announcing new Chair and Deputy Chair of WSTNet
by webscienceadmin | 14 February 2025 | Front page news, News | 0 Comments
Book: Seven Veils of Privacy
by Ian Brown | 19 April 2024 | Front page news, News | 0 Comments
Digital Modernity
by webscienceadmin | 15 May 2023 | Front page news, News, Publications, White Paper | 0 Comments
Web3 – the promise and the reality
by webscienceadmin | 25 April 2023 | Front page news, News, Publications, White Paper | 0 Comments
What is Web Science?
Web Science is the study of the most complex piece of technology ever created. The Web comprises billions of technical and human components operating globally, with each piece subtly influencing the others. Multiple expert perspectives across scientific disciplines are required to build an understanding of how the Web changes society just as much as society changes the Web.
Get Involved
WST works with universities. think tanks, research groups, governments, businesses and private individuals to better understand the nature and impact the Web will continue to have on society.
Click below to learn more about the research, courses, events, training, conferences and outreach we offer, support and promote.
About Us
The Web Science Trust is a UK charity hosted by the University of Southampton which brings together world class thinkers and research in Web Science. We are a not-for-profit group representing 20 of the leading universities and research groups and headed by international thought leaders in Web Science and Socio-technical systems.
WSTNet Laboratories
WST Newsletter
WebSci Courses & Summer Schools
WebSci courses and WSTNet Summer School
Brave Conversations
Join Anni Rowland-Campbell and her team ...
Untangling the Web
Join Noshir Contractor for a new series ..
Web Science Policy & Advice
Advising leaders in Government & Business
ACM Web Science Conference
Next conference to be held in Braunschweig, Germany from May, 26th-29th 2026
Decades of research, thousands of researchers
The Video Vault
Publications & Research
Our Mission & Vision
Our vision and mission for the Trust is to help grow an understanding of the Web through interdisciplinary scientific methods.
We need to understand the Web, because it is evolving alongside society. Social and technical innovation drive each other. There is no longer a distinction between online and offline; the Web involves virtually all of us to some degree. If it is to benefit humankind, we need to understand the Web, engineer it sensitively and sustainably, anticipate its effects, and also anticipate the consequences of social change upon it. Web Science must therefore involve both engineering the technology, and analysing its impact.
Evolving technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, new practices, such as social machines and telemedicine, and new contexts, such as the pandemic lockdowns, will only accelerate social and technical change via, and as a direct result of, the Web.
Web Science must therefore include, at a minimum, mathematics, network science, sociology, law, ethics, psychology, computer science, media studies, linguistics, geography, and so on. Virtually all disciplines have something to say about the Web. The Web, as a diverse network, demands a research community to reflect the diversity of cultural, legal, political, commercial and technical structures which affect, and in turn are affected by, the Web.
Brave Conversations
Brave Conversations near you?
Brave Conversations have recently been to Barcelona, Sharjah, Texas, Brussels and London.
Head over to the website for the next Brave Conversation in India and become part of the Conversation.
Public events
See event Calendar
We work with WSTNet members, partners and the wider community to encourage academia, industry, government and the general public to learn more about Web Science
WebSci Conference
May 26 – 29, 2025 Braunschweig, Germany
The ACM Web Science conference (WebSci’26) is coming from May, 26th-29th 2026 in Braunschweig, Germany.
Web Science News / Blog
News and Blog posts
Jun 10, 2025
WebSci’26 coming to Germany
After a very sucessful and highly enjoyable WebSci'25 in the US we are headed back to Europe for WebSci'26. Next year's conference will take place from May, 26th-29th 2026 in Braunschweig, Germany hosted by the Technical University (TU) Braunschweig. Keep an eye...
May 19, 2025
AI is in contempt of court
California Judge Fines Law Firm 31,000ドル Over AI-Generated Fake Citations Los Angeles, CA — A federal judge has sanctioned a prominent law firm 31,000ドル after discovering it submitted a legal brief riddled with fictitious citations generated by artificial...
May 19, 2025
Deadline approaching – Call for Initial Statements of Interest for hosting ACM Web Science Conference 2027
The Steering Committee of ACM WebSci is seeking statements of interest from organizations or consortia interested in hosting the 19th ACM Web Science Conference (WebSci 2027). The conference series usually moves between the continents. We will accept bids from all...
May 9, 2025
WST selects 2025 Test of Time paper winner
The annual Web Science Trust (WST) Test of Time Award has been awarded to Lars Backstrom, Paolo Boldi, Marco Rosa, Johan Ugander and Sebastiano Vigna for their paper titled "Four degrees of separation". The authors are the fourth group of researchers to receive the...
Apr 10, 2025
WebSci’27 Statement of Interest
The Steering Committee of ACM WebSci is seeking statements of interest from organizations or consortia interested in hosting the 19th ACM Web Science Conference (WebSci 2027). The conference series usually moves between the continents. We will accept bids from all...
Apr 8, 2025
New Oxford Paper on AI relationships
In a recent paper including authors from WSTnet lab Oxford Internet Instute, the emerging perceptions of relationships with AI systems are explored. As AI systems become more personalized and socially interactive, people are increasingly forming emotional bonds...
Apr 1, 2025
Google adds new sensory search feature
BREAKING: Google Launches "Google Smell Beta" — Finally Adds Scent to Search April 1, 2025 — Mountain View, CA In a bold move no one sniffed coming, Google has announced the public beta of Google Smell, a revolutionary feature that lets users literally smell their...
Mar 31, 2025
GenAI vs the Internet
Generative AI companies are overwhelming Open Access websites with data-harvesting bots, causing outages and straining resources. Cloudflare is fighting back with "AI Labyrinth", redirecting bots to irrelevant AI-generated information and blacklisting the companies...
Mar 26, 2025
Bankruptcy of US Health Data Company sparks fears
The recent bankruptcy of 23andMe, a prominent consumer genetic testing company, has raised concerns about both data privacy and national security. The company’s financial vulnerability has prompted calls for consumers to delete their DNA data, highlighting the...
Mar 25, 2025
WebSci’25 Registration is open
ACM WebSci’25 17th ACM Web Science ConferenceMay 20-24, 2025 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA17th ACM Web Science Conference 2025 Registration is now open for the 17th ACM Web Science Conference 2025 (WebSci’25), which will be held at Rutgers University in New...