The Internet is for Porn and Cat Pics: how sex work drives technology

What do prehistoric porn, the Guttenberg press, phone phreaks and modern day crypto processing share in common? What does that have to do with feminism, open source platforms, and digital discrimination? Moreover, what does this mean for a developer who is deeply interested in an equitable world? Let's talk about how the very technologies sex workers shaped are weaponized against them, and what we can learn from their ongoing digital battles.

Speaker bio: Nicole is a current software developer at COVA and Collab mentor, and a former Collab participant and sex work coop director. She's passionate about the powers of technology and advertising to improve the material conditions of marginalized communities and naively believes that while tech won't save us lessons learned just might.

Note: this event will be hosted via Zoom, participants will receive Zoom link via email 15 minutes before event start.