Crowdsourcing involves harnessing the information and skills of large crowds of people into one collaborative project. Advancements in technologies allow for larger scale participation than previously possible, resulting in larger volumes of data that can facilitate more fine-grained analysis. For example, in Germany, in 2012, scientists collaborated with 5000 people to capture over 17,000 samples of mosquito, resulting in the discovery of an invasive species with implications for public health. Such crowdsourced data can highlight new information for social science researchers, and by considering the mode of production of much of this data, it becomes possible to examine the experiences and perceptions of the people generating it.

This seminar is presented by Dr Reka Solymosi, School of Law, University of Manchester