Web science: A provocative invitation to computer science

The role of Web science in connecting computer science to the interdisciplinary possibilities of the Web's socially embedded computing technology is discussed. The commitment to pervasive or ubiquitous access for users as they travel reflects more than just technological challenge. Cell phones are more than information-access devices, restructuring social expectations and offering life-altering opportunities, as well as life saving resources. The Web science framework can be stated as a proactive research agenda that deserves serious review but that already needs expansion to adequately address important issues such as social computing, universal usability, and interdisciplinary strategies.