Web Science is the study of the largest information construct on the planet (the Web), the engineering principles of the protocols and software that form it and the impact of universal information provision on society. It is a multi-disciplinary approach to a technical understanding of the construction and analysis of the Web as a distributed global information system and a qualitative examination of the social impact of the Web on human society. Web Scientists will develop an understanding of the Web’s development and growth, its capacity for furthering global knowledge and communication, and its inherent values of trustworthiness, privacy and respect for social boundaries.