Naarm Solarpunk: Reclaiming the Internet for Humans

The Naarm Solarpunk Meetup presents this special event to kick-off 2026.

Our two speakers will take you through the high hopes that many of us had for the impact of the web on society, and the reality of corporate enshittified platforms that are destroying our ability to connect with our communities while building every more polluting data-centers.

Please join us for an interesting evening as we walk through these ideas and meet like-minded people who care about using technology in service of Sustainable, Resilient and Just futures.

Reclaiming the Open Web
Milly Schmidt
In the 2000s, a generation of nerds got online and found a wonderful place where you could learn to code, make things, share your art, be part of communities and feel welcomed. We blogged, we vlogged, we shared, we posted, we followed and we were followed. We found a beautiful world where we could connect with our friends and make new ones, all across the globe, and find the people who liked the same things we liked and feel less alone. We signed up for platform after platform, excited about the promise of a hyper-personalised web, where we would see recommendations and content based on our specific interests. We knew there might be some risks, but we thought it was worth it. In the 20 years or so since then, things have changed. The platforms that once connected us have mutated, transformed under a grim late capitalist ethos to be not just extractive, but no longer even for us.

How do we get out of this mess? How do we find our way back to the promises of the early web, where we could connect with communities, friends and family, find joy and creativity and learning? And more importantly, what principles should we hold to ensure we don't make these mistakes again?

Neighbourhood-First Software
Jade Ambrose
A vibrant ecosystem of open-source alternatives to big tech walled gardens is a critical part of building the free and open internet that we want, but technical requirements mean that this software is often only run by a small group of skilled enthusiasts.

Neighbourhood-First software is hosted in cycling distance of your house, by volunteers in your local community, for the benefit of those less technical. In this talk, Jade will present a manifesto of Neighbourhood-First software, and discuss how it can help support local-first software, the Fediverse, and other key open source initiatives while also providing local resilience in an age of climate uncertainty.

---

These talks were both previously given at Everything Open 2026, and don't require technical knowledge.

We will provide some plant-based nibbles. Probably not enough for dinner, please feel free to bring anything of your own that you'd like to eat.

This event will be hosted on the stolen, unceeded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

Accessibility info:

Balam Balam place is wheelchair accessible via lift. Wide corridors and accessible toilets are situated on each level. The grounds are entirely accessible via flat concrete paths and ramps.

Mask wearing is very welcome. Our speakers will be unmasked while presenting.

Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help you feel more able to attend this event.