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Social Computing The research group "SOC - Social Computing" develops digital participation methods that transfer existing methodological approaches to community participation such as surveys, discussions, forums, citizen dialogues, focus groups, etc. into mixed-digital participation formats.

Information technologies can be an essential tool for citizens to participate in society. The Corona pandemic in particular showed how we can stay in touch at a distance with the help of digital technologies. Digital services and applications already enable us to provide digitally supported services of general interest in many areas of life, such as healthcare, infrastructure or areas such as education and culture.

For these areas of life in particular, it is especially important to develop solutions that enable a broad base of the population to participate in society on an equal footing and, for example, include vulnerable people in the design of digital solutions. However, participation in society also means participation in the state, democracy and political decisions. Therefore, digital technologies must create transparency and strengthen trust in online media and sources. At a time when political opinion-forming is largely determined by online media and online discussions, digital technologies must help not only to promote democratic opinion-forming, but also to enable platforms for active participation in democracy and political decision-making. Digital platforms such as web applications or mobile apps can help to develop real participation formats with digital applications and systems.