Join EFF-Austin And Cory Doctorow For A Discussion On Dismantling Big Tech

EFF-Austin invites you to attend a talk from our good friend and fellow activist Cory Doctorow, presented by the Buckman Center at UT! Cory is a pioneering blogger, science fiction writer, and EFF Special Advisor. The event is free, located at The Foundry inside The Fine Arts Library at UT Austin, and you can register to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-buckman-center-presents-cory-doctorow-tickets-526627556197

The talk itself begins at 5:30pm, but there will also be a meet and greet with Cory from 4:30pm-5:15pm, which you can register for in addition to the talk itself here: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6fbUwuwGwgN0Af4

Below please find additional details about the event, recopied from the link above.

The Buckman Center Presents: Cory Doctorow

Seize The Means Of Computation: A Big Tech Disassembly Manual

We're paying way too much attention to making Big Tech better, and not nearly enough attention to making it *smaller*. After all, nobody's perfect - especially a multinational corporation hoping to craft speech rules governing 3 billion people speaking 1,000 languages in 100 countries - and that means that giant services are bound to make colossal mistakes with stupendous consequences.

Making Big Tech smaller starts with making it easier to leave. Interoperability is the techbuster's secret weapon. With interop, uses can leave Facebook without cutting ties to the people who stay; or switch mobile OSes without losing their apps, data and media; or change e-readers without losing their books.

Big Tech isn't going to give us interoperability - we have to take it. Crafting regulations that Big Tech can't cheat on is hard - harder still is making policies that new kinds of tech services - small businesses, co-ops, nonprofits - can also comply with.

It's hard, but it's not impossible. What is impossible though, is making Big Tech fix itself. The answer to the machine is never the machine. Rules forcing Big Tech to police its users can only work if Big Tech never gets too small to do that policing.

Interoperability is tech liberation's secret weapon, the key to technological self-determination and a better future. We don't need better Zucks and Musks - we need to abolish them!

About Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, activist and journalist. He is the author of many books, most recently RADICALIZED and WALKAWAY, science fiction for adults; CHOKEPOINT CAPITALISM, nonfiction about monopoly and creative labor markets; IN REAL LIFE, a graphic novel; and the picture book POESY THE MONSTER SLAYER. His latest novel is ATTACK SURFACE, a standalone adult sequel to LITTLE BROTHER. In 2020, he was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.