Web Science is the study of the most complex artifact entangling technology, humans, and information ever created. Today, the World Wide Web has evolved into billions of technical and human components operating globally, with each piece subtly influencing the others. To gain a deep understanding of the complex and multiple impacts the Web has on the daily life of individuals, organizations, and society as a whole, strong interdisciplinarity is essential. The major scientific disciplines involved include (but are by no means limited to) computer science, information science, sociology, psychology, and economics. Perspectives from across these fields are needed to address the pressing issues of our time and to gain insights into how the Web shapes society just as much as society shapes the Web.

Establishing a prime venue for Web Science as a dedicated research focus, the Web Science Conference has run every year since 2009 and has been a SIGWEB-sponsored ACM conference since 2011. In 2026, the 18th ACM Web Science Conference will be held in Brunswick, Germany.