Investigating URLs webpages
| Investigating URLs webpages | |
|---|---|
| Name | Investigating URLs webpages |
| Location | H&D Studio |
| Date | 2026/07/22 |
| Time | 14:30-15:30 |
| PeopleOrganisations | Rebekah Lyndon |
| Type | HDSC2026 |
| Web | Yes |
| No | |
This event is only for participants of the Summer Camp 2026 and not open to the public, want to join us: check the HDSC2026 Clouds to Commons Public Program
This skills-sharing explores what we can learn from websites beyond the webpages that are presented to us. We’ll look at URLs, page sources, and various workarounds to see what information is being taken about us and what semi-hidden information is available to us.
This will include a no-coding introduction to inspecting the html of a webpage to identify key information (like time stamps, sources, as well as redirections and connections from chatbots, trackers, and big tech companies.). Together we can open a discussion about how this relates to physical infrastructure/impacts and data privacy.
Participant could bring the following:
- your own laptop if you can :)
- It may be interesting to come up with a couple of websites that you’re curious about, but there will also be examples and time to explore during the session
Workshop timeline:
- 5 mins group discussion – how have we noticed web navigation changing over time, in our own experiences using the internet?
- 5 min – intro/why bother?
- 10 mins – what is a ‘clean’ link? What isn’t, and what does that tell us?
- 5 mins – playing around with ‘decoding’ URLs in a online tool
- 10 mins – how do we find the less obvious pages? dorking and robots (interactive follow-along)
- 5 mins – intro to practicalities of accessing page source/inspecting page
- 10 mins – case studies of what this can reveal (companies relied on, specificities of timings, physical locations). Maybe also looking into internet archive.
- 10 mins – flexible for people to add any examples of things I’ve missed + discuss what this means for a ‘commons’ approach to using the internet.
Access note:
- This activity will involve screentime. Let me know if it would help to have print-outs of slides etc.
- I will be avoiding bright colours and high-contrast colours in slides due to my own needs; I will endeavour to check for colourblindness compatibility and to provide a link to slides so people can view and adjust on their own devices if preferable.
- Don’t hesitate to let me know if there are any specific steps I can take to support you :) I’m not familiar with the location, but this session is not on the first day so feel free to talk to me or message if there’s physical/location-based measures that would help.
Bio
I used to work in digital investigations (/OSINT, but I don’t love that term) for organisations including Human Rights Watch, the UN, and Amnesty International. I’ve taught media literacy workshops to a range of audiences and led research on disinformation.
It’s been a few years since then, and more recently I’ve turned to learning python, webscraping, and data journalism essentials, for personal projects for now and hopefully more collaborations down the line. My academic training was originally in history, so I bring an interest in close source analysis to most things I do! When I’m overwhelmed by the internet I like to get offline with community gardening, DIY, and textile projects.
