The Relationships between Data, Power, and Justice in CSCW Research

Many decisions about social, economic, and personal life are heavily data-driven. At the same time, data has become increasingly quantified, and available to people and institutions in positions of power, often with little introspection or reflection on its positive uses or harmful misuses. This panel will inspect CSCW's role in identifying constructive and appropriate uses of data and its responsibility for protecting against harms and inequalities perpetuated by misuse. The panel will present a series of debates about quantification of data, data surveillance, organizational data use, and policy making. An overarching theme throughout the set of debates is interrogating CSCW's role in extending critical scholarship on power and justice towards academic, policy, and industry impact.