Based in Copenhagen, Os & Data is a non-profit, employee-owned cooperative that studies online communities and develops practical ways to support them. Its interdisciplinary team includes data scientists, sociologists and rhetoricians. The organisation’s stated aim is to strengthen digital democracy through research, documentation, dialogue, data and tools. Its methods include large-scale data analysis, surveys, netnography, software development and in-house AI tools.17
Os & Data is organised as a democratic business association, or F.M.B.A., in which employees are partners and share responsibility for the organisation’s direction.7 It is part of the ANTAL alliance, alongside Analysis & Numbers Denmark and Analysis & Numbers Norway, giving its work a Nordic connection while its featured research focuses largely on Denmark.11
Its projects examine how people participate in digital public life. In “Denmark’s digital volunteers,” the organisation mapped 9,000 Facebook groups and reported that 11% of Danish adults administer or moderate a Facebook group. Its research on digital community centres describes at least 5,000 Danish Facebook groups with more than 20 million memberships, and compares discussion in citizen-run groups with debate on politicians’ and news media’s Facebook pages.512 Another featured case examines verbal attacks in comments on Danish news media pages; the site reports that one in 20 comments retained after moderation contains a verbal attack.1
A further initiative, Project Theta, proposes digital infrastructure for civil society and explores how civil society and Danish foundations could support digital democracy.1 The organisation’s listed contact address is Thoravej 29 in Copenhagen, and its contact page names Asger Neesgaard Sand as a contact and partner.34