Zhilin Zhang
Zhilin Zhang
Department of Computer Science,
Robert Hooke Building
Directions Postal Address
Biography
I am a PhD candidate in Computer Science at the University of Oxford, working on the Ethical Web and Data Architecture project led by Sir Nigel Shadbolt and Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
My research sits at the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI), artificial intelligence (AI), and social computing. I focus on how AI systems reshape authority, trust, and decision-making in large-scale online communities, particularly in decentralized social systems.
I study, design, and build human-centered AI systems for governance, combining empirical research with system prototyping. My work has been published in top-tier venues, including CHI and CSCW, and has received multiple awards.
Prior to Oxford, I completed both my B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where I worked with Lawrence Angrave, Karrie Karahalios, and ChengXiang Zhai.
For more information on my research and publications, please visit my personal website at: https://www.zhilinzhang.com
Selected Publications
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Attitudes‚ Imagined Roles‚ and Governance Boundaries for AI in Decentralized Social Media
Zhilin Zhang‚ Jun Zhao‚ Ge Wang‚ Sruthi Viswanathan‚ Tala Jo Ross‚ Samantha−Kaye Johnston‚ Diyi Liu‚ Hayoun Noh‚ Max Van Kleek and Nigel Shadbolt
In Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Pages 1–17. 2026.
Details about Attitudes‚ Imagined Roles‚ and Governance Boundaries for AI in Decentralized Social Media | BibTeX data for Attitudes‚ Imagined Roles‚ and Governance Boundaries for AI in Decentralized Social Media | DOI (10.1145/3772318.3790295)
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Trouble in Paradise? Understanding Mastodon Admin's Motivations‚ Experiences‚ and Challenges Running Decentralised Social Media
Zhilin Zhang‚ Jun Zhao‚ Ge Wang‚ Samantha−Kaye Johnston‚ George Chalhoub‚ Tala Ross‚ Diyi Liu‚ Claudine Tinsman‚ Rui Zhao‚ Max Van Kleek and Nigel Shadbolt
In 27th ACM Conference on Computer−Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW 2024). 2024.
Details about Trouble in Paradise? Understanding Mastodon Admin's Motivations‚ Experiences‚ and Challenges Running Decentralised Social Media | BibTeX data for Trouble in Paradise? Understanding Mastodon Admin's Motivations‚ Experiences‚ and Challenges Running Decentralised Social Media | Download (pdf) of Trouble in Paradise? Understanding Mastodon Admin's Motivations‚ Experiences‚ and Challenges Running Decentralised Social Media | DOI (10.1145/3687059)