Who We Are

BIDS is a network of academics working in the field of information science.  We are based in the School of Information, Journalism and Communication at The University of Sheffield.  Our research interests cover four key areas:

1. Digital literacy

2. Digital exclusion and access to digital services

3. Trust in digital services

4. Uses of digital technology.

Our Aims

Our aim is to improve the lives of underserved communities through a better understanding of how they experience digital exclusion and the place of digital services in their everyday lives.  We aim to better understand how digital services might best meet these needs whilst acknowledging that digital services are sometimes inappropriate or unwanted.  Our research has shown that 'digital by default' policies often exacerbate social inequalities and increase digital exclusion for the most vulnerable.  

Our work highlights the need for well-designed digital services that include inclusive digital support to counteract digital exclusion.  There is a clear need for building inclusive digital services that truly benefit all.

Our research impacts three key beneficiaries:

1. Policymakers

2. Public service providers and the VCSE sector (voluntary, community and social enterprise)

3. Underserved communities

Our Community

The BIDS team have worked with a wide range of research partners, and we are keen to build a community of professionals, researchers and organisations who can co-create research, gain positive impact from our work and inform each other's practice. In June 2025 we held out first networking workshop "Bridging the Digital Divide: A Call to Action for Marginalised Populations".

In this workshop, we co-produced a Theory of Change for the impact of our research, and you can read a report from the event.

Our Projects

We believe that research has the strongest impact when it is has been co-produced with those it seeks to impact.  We therefore strive to work in close collaboration with our research partners, including policymakers, third sector organisations and underserved communities.   Some of the community groups we have worked with to date include unpaid carers, rural communities, migrants and ethnic minorities.