Dark citizen science
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20403290 |
|---|---|
| Authors | J C Riley (0000-0002-3585-7544, University of Birmingham, corresponding author), Will Mason‐Wilkes (0000-0001-8648-6205, University of Birmingham) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 142-157 |
| Publication date | 2024-02-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Understanding of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0963-6625 • E-ISSN: 1361-6609 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/09636625231203470 |
| PMID | 37861108 |
| OpenAlex | W4387798729 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 18 |
Citizen science is often celebrated. We interrogate this position through exploration of socio-technoscientific phenomena that mirror citizen science yet are disaligned with its ideals. We term this ‘Dark Citizen Science’. We identify five conceptual dimensions of citizen science – purpose, process, perceptibility, power and public effect . Dark citizen science mirrors traditional citizen science in purpose and process but diverges in perceptibility, power and public effect . We compare two Internet-based categorisation processes, Citizen Science project Galaxy Zoo and Dark Citizen Science project Google’s reCAPTCHA. We highlight that the reader has, likely unknowingly, provided unpaid technoscientific labour to Google. We apply insights from our analysis of dark citizen science to traditional citizen science. Linking citizen science as practice and normative democratic ideal ignores how some science-citizen configurations actively pit practice against ideal. Further, failure to fully consider the implications of citizen science for science and society allows exploitative elements of citizen science to evade the sociological gaze
Citizen journalism · Citizen science · Citizenship · Democracy · Good citizenship · Normative · Political science · Politics · Public awareness of science · Public relations · Science communication · Science education · Sociology · Ethics and Social Impacts of AI · Law · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Species Distribution and Climate Change
Citizen Science and Volunteered Geographic Information
Can citizen science enhance public understanding of science
Citizen science as seen by scientists
Experts and the Will of the People
Gramsci's concept of common sense
Why democracies need science
Citizen Science Terminology Matters
The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies
The business of care
| Citations per year | 2.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Highly cited | No |