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Understanding these issues matters profoundly—they shape how we communicate, build community, and participate in public life. The past several years have witnessed troubling developments: the normalization of online misogyny, the deployment of AI systems that harm marginalized communities, and escalating patterns of technology-facilitated violence. These developments underscore the pressing need for critical attention to digital safety and equity.

Addressing these challenges requires broad engagement. Digital justice is not confined to a single discipline or sector but emerges through collaborative inquiry that values diverse knowledge, lived experiences, and community expertise. By working across boundaries, we can collectively respond to today's urgent concerns while shaping tomorrow's possibilities.

SIGNAL aligns with the University of Waterloo's Waterloo at 100 and Global Futures initiatives, which call for bold thinking about technology's role in society. Our network brings together students, faculty, staff, community members, and partners from across the region and beyond, all whose lives and work intersect with digital technologies. Spanning multiple faculties, institutions, sectors, and countries, SIGNAL fosters the kind of ethical innovation and inclusive digital transformation that these uncertain times demand.

In a rapidly evolving technological landscape marked by emerging platforms, shifting social dynamics, and new forms of harm, building strategic partnerships is essential. SIGNAL serves as a catalyst for these connections at the University and in wider networks. Creating safer digital environments begins with examining current systems critically—asking who benefits, who is harmed, and how we can chart more equitable, thoughtful, and collective paths forward.

As our network takes shape, we welcome the conversations, partnerships, and actions ahead. Together, we will amplify this signal.

Professor Brianna I. Wiens and Professor Shana MacDonald
UWaterloo Co-Directors for SIGNAL
February 2026