COM Research Seminar: Logged In, Left Out: Challenges and Opportunities for Studying Technology, Privacy, and Inequality by Mr Laurent (Haoyu) WANG

22 Sep 2025 (Mon)

On 22 September 2025, Mr. Laurent (Haoyu) Wang delivered a seminar entitled “Logged In, Left Out: Challenges and Opportunities for Studying Technology, Privacy, and Inequality.” Laurent Wang is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research centers on the social and psychological uses and effects of information and communication technologies, such as artificial intelligence and social media.
 
In his seminar, Mr. Wang addressed the challenges individuals face in safeguarding their personal information and effectively navigating the digital environment, drawing upon psychological, structural, and ecological perspectives. He shared insights from three research projects, emphasizing that privacy management and digital inequality are not solely matters of individual choice, but are also situated within broader sociotechnical contexts. The seminar concluded with an outline of future theoretical and practical directions for understanding and addressing the intertwined issues of technology, privacy, and inequality in digital society. 
 
Approximately 18 doctoral students and faculty members attended the seminar, engaging in lively and insightful discussions that created a stimulating intellectual environment.