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The Disco Lab 🪩

Welcome!

We are the Digital Interpersonal Security and COmmunity-Engaged Research Lab - also known as the Disco Lab. Our mission ****is to support digital safety, security, and privacy within interpersonal relationships. Our research addresses two main goals:

1. Characterize how digital technologies may invoke security, privacy, and safety concerns within interpersonal relationships.
2. Design context-sensitive sociotechnical interventions to mitigate and prevent these concerns through collaboration with affected communities.

Ultimately, we work toward a world where digital technologies support interpersonal connection, rather than weakening it.

The Disco Lab is led by PI Sophie Stephenson and housed at the University of Texas at Arlington.

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Members

Faculty

• Dr. Sophie Stephenson (PI)

PhD Students

• Samira Akter (Fall 2026 - present)

Projects

Our work follows two primary research threads: characterizing emerging interpersonal threats, and designing or assessing sociotechnical interventions.

Emerging Interpersonal Threats

First, we aim to identify ways that modern technologies are involved in interpersonal harms, whether they are intentionally (mis)used or cause incidental tensions. Some projects include: