Expert Talk - Petra Schmidt, epicenter.works

***** Talk
How can we preserve the internet as a place of free exchange without being technophobic?

For a book contribution to the Vienna Perspectives, I recently summarised how the free internet became a communication center and then a shopping mall. With the transformation from a free community of knowledge exchange to a place dominated by global financial interests and GTCs, the internet has changed completely. Together with an ongoing digitalization, the digital space has turned from a free playground into a place that is often totally monitored. How can we respond to these tendencies through civil society? How can we preserve the internet as a place of free exchange without being technophobic? I would like to talk to you about this and tell you about our exciting work as a small but powerful NGO.

***** About the speaker
Petra Schmidt, M.A. of cultural studies with long nerd expertise from Berlin. She speaks Python, has been professionally involved with computers since the 90s, advising associations and SMEs on data protection since 2018 , and developing digitalization strategies with them. She gives trainings on digital security and speaks at conferences on data protection, data security and the need for privacy. Since 2021, she has been Communication Manager at epicenter.works - Plattform Grundrechtspolitik, where she leads projects such as most recently "ethicsinapps.eu", in which a manifesto for ethical apps was developed.

epicenter.works is a civil society organization with an approach that covers practical aspects, political work, and social concern. Our topic is the digital society and the corresponding issues that automatically arise from it - civil rights and data protection. Often, the two issues are directly intertwined. We advocate for this with theoretical assessments, policy positions and also directly with projects and demonstrations. We take a close look to ensure that human rights are not neglected in the digitalization process.

***** Agenda
17:30 Welcome
17:40 Expert Talk
Q&A
19:30 Community Topics

Looking forward to seeing you there!