Social Printers: A Physical Social Network for Political Debates
summary
Physical boxes combine an amp and a thermal printer with a unique URL so five households per study (25–35 days each) send messages to a pseudonymous network identified by pseudonymous colored paper. Studies during the 2016 Scottish election and EU referendum produce 17–337 prints per household (315 total in study one, 888 in study two), show higher sharing and polite exchange (no observed abuse), but impose constraints: co-located viewing, no power switch, noise complaints, message pacing, occasional moderation, and improved discourse as communities form.
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chapters (13)
- 0:00Introduction to Social Printers
- 1:31Research goals and design
- 2:57Study setup and participant experience
- 5:04Roles and responsibilities in households
- 7:12Restrictions and social dynamics
- 8:57Community and anonymity effects
- 10:42Evolving relationships and shared space
- 13:14Discourse quality and social media comparison
- 15:00Effectiveness for political debates
- 16:49Discussion and future implications
- 17:53Q&A on ethics and non-participants
- 19:39Q&A on evaluation focus
- 21:06Closing remarks
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