Prof. Dr. Carolin Gerlitz

What do humans do with media, and what do media do with us? Since 2016, the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) Media of Cooperation at the University of Siegen has been examining phenomena in digital society. This area is developing at a rapid pace. The researchers are increasingly focusing on sensor media and AI. They have found that machine and human sensory abilities are becoming increasingly intertwined.

»Of course, in today’s digitalized world, we can’t restrict our attention to just TV, film, or computing. Media of cooperation arise from interaction and make interaction possible. It’s an interplay of factors. That’s why we study both how various media came into being and what they enable,« says Carolin Gerlitz.
In the first phase of funding, the CRC’s projects concen- trated on the infrastructures behind media and critically examined the promises of participation made by social media platforms. In the second phase, the researchers increasingly expanded their focus to include the role of data and data practices in media cooperation. Now, the third phase is tackling cooperation in the context of AI and sensory media. »Sensory media are able to constantly record their surroundings,« explains Carolin Gerlitz. Sensors register light conditions, record sounds or movement, measure speeds, temperatures, and human vital signs. Examples of this smart technology are voice assistants such as Alexa and Echo Dot. People actively interact with these systems, but some smart media systems operate without us even noticing them. This is termed the Internet of Things and consists of the digital infrastructures that collect data in the background without humans even noticing.

The common feature of all these sensory media is that they connect with their surroundings. »Now, media are no longer simply external add-ons. Technical and human sensorium are becoming interlaced« emphasizes Carolin Gerlitz. That explains why the researchers in the CRC projects always analyze media in very concrete use scenarios. Almost all areas of life are affected: health, fitness, »smart« homes, »intelligent« cars, and e-bikes. And the same question arises again and again of how much screen time is healthy, especially for children? The CRC’s projects also analyze the use of sensors and media practices in agriculture and military conflicts. »Media are embedded in today’s world. We can only study them in practical use, not separate from what they are used for,« concludes Carolin Gerlitz. Alongside sensory media, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a focus of the research center in Siegen. »Wherever media constantly record the surround- ings and are interconnected, it is AI that evaluates the sen- sor data, identifies patterns, and offers solutions.«

Therefore, we perceive the world both with our own senses and also through data generated by media. Researchers call this sensemaking. »We’re interested in how technical sensemaking by AI interlinks with human sensemaking and how people’s perception of the world is created jointly with media,« explains the professor. The researchers use the term sensory praxeology for the study of human interaction with these technologies. The key question is who chooses the direction in human-machine collaboration? »When people talk about cooperation, they mostly assume that all the parties are acting symmetrically and have an equal influence. But we know that the relationship between the actors can be wildly different. Human actors have a strong control over the situation, but there are also situations where many factors are recorded, outsourced, and decided on by AI,« says the CRC spokesperson. The researchers in the Siegen CRC want to find out in each research field: who determines the situation and how in each research field. Who has what powers of decision making and design? Where are the powers restricted, and where does this get problematic?

Carolin Gerlitz and the research team in the CRC carefully observe and follow the public discourse on the power of media. »We’re aware of people’s fears. But to understand where and at what point we may be surrendering too much power to technology, we need to understand the underlying processes. Our team addresses social fears, but we do this by differentiating how human–media interaction takes place.« In its projects, the CRC maintains a very strong focus on the day-to-day lives of people. The praxeological approach is pivotal. »Our research is based on cooperation with the subjects,« stresses Carolin Gerlitz. That goes for all areas, whether the team looks at the use of smartphones in families, digital platforms for older people, or sensors and apps for cyclists. »We don’t just present the public with finished findings, but research in cooperation with various public groups.«

Diverse disciplines are involved in the Media of Cooperation CRC: Media Studies, Sociology, Ethnology, Linguistics, Ubiquitous Computing, Science and Technology Studies, Computer Science, Education, Law, and Engineering Studies. They all contribute to the overall project with their specific perspectives. »What unites us is our common interest in digital research in our present-day world. This is the foundation of our joint work,« says Carolin Gerlitz. The Media of Cooperation CRC is currently in the third funding phase. »But of course we know there will always be a need for research into our topics. I’m sure there will be new opportunities in the next four years,« says Carolin Gerlitz.