Digitalization is progressing rapidly, and there is growing attention to how it transforms societies and lives. Legislation is being created to limit the power of major tech companies, regulate screen use in primary schools, and protect citizens' data and digital rights. Meanwhile, the role of social media in our lives, and its impact on public debate and democracy, is being actively discussed. These are all essential initiatives and discussions.

However, the digital world influences us in many ways—ways that few of us fully understand or have the language to articulate. We live with digital technology as something that entertains, monitors, distracts, concerns, supports, and challenges us. It surrounds us: above us (in the ‘cloud’), below us (in cables), always on us, something we both consume and produce while shopping, reading news, driving, exercising, listening to music, watching movies, and more. The digital world encircles us, penetrates us, flowing in and out of our lives.

Therefore, legislation and experts alone are not enough. We need to foster dialogue about the role of digital technology in life and build digital resilience together by strengthening the conversation around the digital. We must use humanity’s oldest social ‘technology’—sharing experiences and thoughts with others—to develop our digital life skills.

Content

At the meeting, participants will be presented with democratic dilemmas and issues related to digitalization, which they will discuss and may even find answers to. The meeting will not turn participants into digital experts, but the hope is that they will leave feeling more equipped to live in a digital world.

The meetings are part of citizen-inclusive research organized by researchers from Aarhus University's research center SHAPE. SHAPE’s mission is to develop a digital democratic society.

Activities at the meetings will be documented using ethnographic and qualitative methods (audio recording of dialogues and written observations) and will contribute to research.

Practical information

It is free to attend the meeting, which lasts approximately 2 hours, and coffee and snacks will be served. However, you can only sign up for one of the meetings. By signing up, you give researchers permission to use your statements during the workshop for research purposes, but of course, under a pseudonym. The research will not use any sensitive personal information.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, but if there is high interest, additional meetings will be organized.

The registration deadline is November 17. Sign up here.

• Location: AIAS, Høegh Guldbergsgade 6B, 8000 Aarhus C
• Dates: 28/11 and 15/1 from 19:00-21:00
• The researchers behind: Peter Danholt and Patrick Heiberg Kapsch, SHAPE and Digital Design og Informationsvidenskab (Digital Design and Information Studies)