Collaboratory

The “collaboratory” is the combination of 2 concepts: collaboration and laboratory. It is a space for reflection that brings toghther different stakeholders (citizens, designers, researchers, regulators, clinicians, operators) in order to harmonize multidisciplinary researchers’ work, professional expertise and the citizens’ experience of Internet use.  The “collaboratory” is an initiative that transcends the barriers of conventional / traditional research to develop new tools and methods aligned with new technologies and their use.  In addition to the collaborations between academic institutions, clinicians and other professional sectors, the “collaboratory” offers new opportunities for scientific advance with an international impact and will attract global expertise.  The social aspects of internet use are at the heart of this space uniting collaboration and exploration.

The "collaboratory" will create a space for exchanges, experimentation and discussion around these two research topics:

1. Internet usage – from normal to excess to addiction;
2. The ethical and methodological (or technological) issues and challenges of projects that involve obtaining real time behavioural data (Big Data) on Internet use.

The "collaboratory" consists in three types of activities :

1. A panel of 3 experts to bring up conceptual issues in the formalization of Internet use and associated problems, and the challenges of Big Data collection on internet use;
2. Hands-on experiments with a variety of online activities and the use of tracking software;
3. Discussions groups that unite users, researchers and industry representatives.