Each scenario includes a brief description of the challenge for citizen science, an example citizen science initiative and the opportunities and risks involved. 

You can use this as a reference to use in your activities, such as:

• holding a roundtable/seminar to explore the opportunities and risks for these alternative futures
• running a backcasting workshop to explore the steps required to reach a particular desired future (see more below about getting involved)
• using them as inspiration for designing new citizen science projects.

Across Europe there is a waste disposal crisis. The European Commission has already introduced significant penalties and regulation to reduce consumption, encourage reusing and recycling. Increasing inflation has resulted in an exacerbated cost-of-living crisis across Europe, and as a result the population has less interest in volunteering, reducing participation levels in citizen science.

Italy is experiencing a waste disposal crisis, so private companies have started using citizen science to fill the gap. There are several competing citizen science projects that pay people to monitor product packaging disposal. Citizen scientists are recruited to participate through market research agencies and paid via micropayment schemes for their work. Private companies compete for citizens’ data using advanced marketing methods such as hyper-personalisation, utilising real-time data to generate behavioural insights to create context-specific citizen science initiatives tailored to individuals’ needs. 

The data produced by these initiatives is fed directly into companies’ private data repositories on their waste disposal. As this is privately owned, companies can shape the narrative on waste disposal and recycling and charge a fee to access tailored reports and specific analysis of the data. This approach creates a well-functioning data ecosystem because companies maintain data infrastructure and supporting regulation ensures data interoperability. 

Remuneration for citizen scientists could increase participation from minority groups and create a more diverse contributor pool. Competition between companies to attract participants would result in hyper-personalised offers that meet individuals’ specific needs and interests, which in turn could help to build scientific literacy and skills across different groups and increase citizen engagement around societal issues. As a result, this would foster a well-functioning data ecosystem because companies would maintain data infrastructure and supporting regulation ensures data interoperability. 

Some companies might use citizen science data for’ greenwashing’, avoiding compliance with data standards and protocols by only publishing data that is favourable to them. This could result in citizen science losing scientific integrity, as data would be held and restricted by private companies – only available to those who can pay for it. 

• How can the public sector take advantage of these hyper-personalised private sector approaches by leveraging data analytics, gaining insights into citizen behaviour, and designing policies that address specific needs at an individual level?
• How would this new model of citizen science, where private companies keep up-to-date with new advancements in regulation, impact on citizen science longer term?

Scenario inspired by:

Youth Agency Market (Yoma), developed by UNICEF

Interactive science games such as Crowdwater