In particular, the first session “Introduction to Creative Hacktivism” was divided in two parts: one presentation and one interactive together with a guest speaker. The first introductory part presented a roundup of Creative Hacktivism projects from around the world, aiming at allowing participants to learning about:
- Forms and goals of Digital Activism and Hacking to inspire action taking in online and offline communities
- creative forms of peaceful protests that can invigorate communities and generate collaboration.
The presentation also aimed at raising awareness of the hidden side of the technology we daily use, bringing examples of “technological black boxes” that - by performing seamless experiences for the users - are in the background feeding systems of exploitment and surveillance. The session aimed also at sharing toolkits for growing technological literacy during media and the internet navigation, and providing actionable resources that can help validate information and investigate topics.
This document provides only a summary of the initial segment of the webinar. You can access the complete webinar recording here.
The second segment of the webinar welcomed the presence of a guest speaker from Kampala: the Ugandan musician, DIY synth maker, and entrepreneur Brian Bamanya, also known for his debut album and hardware platform ¢Afrorack.
The Creative Hacktivist - composition of the term
The Creative Hacktivist combines technology and art to:
- Criticize the way technology is used by people.
- Criticize the way people are manipulated by technology.
- Explore the ethical dilemmas within the digital realm.
The Creative Hacktivist merges the ethos of an artist and an activist to:
- Challenge societal norms.
- Provoke change in society.
- Raise awareness.
The concept of Creative Hacktivism finds its roots within the realm of internet activism. Leveraging electronic communication technologies, including various online and digital tools, it strives to facilitate swifter and more efficient communication among grassroots movements. This involves generating ideas pertaining to potential movements, defining their positions, and highlighting causes that deserve public attention and support.
The following paragraphs show diverse examples of Creative Hacktivism and its related topics.
The Critical Engineering Manifesto is written by three people and includes 10 points and was written in 2011. It was inspired by the philosopher Bruno Latour
»When a machine runs efficiently, when the technology responds to the need we have when we use it, one need focus only on its inputs and outputs and not on its internal complexity. Thus, paradoxically, the more science and technology succeed, the more opaque and obscure they become.« by Bruno Latour
Explanation with example of Bruno Latour's statement:
In light of Bruno Latour's statement, let's consider the scenario where there is a desire to conduct an online meeting. To fulfill this need, one opts for a video conferencing tool (e.g., BigBlueButton, Zoom, Jitsi, etc.). While the tool satisfactorily meets this need and is user-friendly in its application, only a few individuals are capable of comprehending the technical intricacies operating in the background that make such an online conference possible. If we apply Latour's assertion, for instance, using a telephone (in the last century, not a smartphone) is comparable in terms of fulfilling the basic need of exchanging information over long distances through speech, but the technology behind it is considerably more accessible to understand. Latour perceives this condition – where technology and progress become increasingly user-friendly and accessible, yet simultaneously more complex and challenging to comprehend – as a potential threat.
The Critical Engineering Manifesto
Two very important quotes from the Manifesto:
0. The Critical Engineer considers Engineering to be the most transformative language of our time,
shaping the way we move, communicate and think. It is the work of the Critical Engineer to study
and exploit this language, exposing its influence.
5. The Critical Engineer recognises that each work of engineering engineers its user,
proportional to that user's dependency upon it.
The manifesto defines today's engineering, especially in the digital realm, and elucidates the responsibilities of a Critical Engineer. The manifesto can be found here.
»The term Hacker has acquired a very negative sub meaning in the last decades, while it actually describes only a researcher, having a deep interaction with a computer in order to extract as much as possible from it.« by Danja Vasilev
In his presentation from 2019, Danja Vasiliev discusses "dark internet topologies" in the context of a collaborative project called Vending Private Network with Julian Oliver. Instead of viewing the internet as a digital common or public space, Vasiliev uses network administrator tools to reveal a significant level of privatization. He suggests that we need new "dark abstractions" to create the kind of public space we envision on the internet. In essence, he demonstrates that "darknets" are technical counterparts to the rights and structures we cherish and protect in our physical public lives.
The presentation can be found here.
Anatomy of an AI System
Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler describe the Amazon Echo as an anatomical map of human labor, data and planetary resources. They examine the extensive networks supporting the entire lifecycle of a single Amazon Echo smart speaker, summarizing this large amount of information into a detailed diagram, accompanied by an essay in 21 parts. Together, this becomes an anatomical map of a single AI system.
The map can be found here.
Per million protest
"Both protest tool and measurement reference, Per Million centers what may be the most important number of our time: the amount, in parts-per-million, of carbon dioxide in our planet’s atmosphere."
The project can be found here.
The following examples illustrate three movements that utilized various online media to educate and mobilize people.
Extinction Rebellion Symbol
Extinction Rebellion (abbreviated as XR) is a global environmental movement founded in the UK. Its stated goal is to use nonviolent civil disobedience to pressure governments into taking action to prevent tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse.
Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA - Can You Hear Me Now? #MeToo
The #MeToo movement is a social movement that began in 2017, originally on social media. It aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault, particularly in the workplace. People, mainly women, shared their personal experiences using the hashtag #MeToo to show the widespread nature of such incidents. The movement seeks to empower survivors, hold perpetrators accountable, and foster a culture of respect and equality. It has had a significant impact on public discourse, advocacy, and policies related to sexual harassment and assault.
Fibonacci Blue from Minnesota, USA - Black Lives Matter protest against St. Paul police brutality
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is a social and civil rights movement that originated in the United States. It focuses on addressing systemic racism, particularly the unjust treatment of Black individuals by law enforcement and within the broader society. BLM advocates for equality, justice, and an end to police brutality against Black people. The movement gained prominence through protests, advocacy, and public awareness campaigns, aiming to bring about social and policy changes to ensure the fair treatment and protection of Black lives.
BBC - Defaced pages urged Chinese people to stage their own protests
Website defacement is the unauthorized alteration of the visual appearance or content of a website, often for political or hacktivist purposes.
In April 2012, Anonymous hacked 485 Chinese government websites, some more than once, to protest the treatment of their citizens. They urged people to "fight for justice, fight for freedom, [and] fight for democracy"
More information can be found here.
02 Lindsay Grime Lufthansa subvert London 22 Sep 2022
Subvertising is a form of culture jamming or guerrilla art that involves altering or satirizing advertisements, often in public spaces, to convey a critical or subversive message. It's a way of using advertising against itself to challenge consumerism or social issues.
"After a summer of record breaking temperatures exacerbated by global heating, advertising billboards across Europe have been hacked with more than 500 satirical artworks, unveiled today, to highlight the role of airline marketing in driving up greenhouse gas emissions. Campaigners are calling on the EU Commission to introduce tobacco-style advertising bans to curb demand on flights and prevent emissions from rising further."
More information can be found here.
The Yes Men are a group of political activists and pranksters known for their satirical and creative actions to raise awareness about social and environmental issues. They impersonate powerful entities and corporations, often making statements or promises that draw attention to issues like corporate greed, environmental degradation, and social justice.
The "Bhopal Hoax" is a specific action by The Yes Men. In December 2004, they appeared on the BBC World Service posing as representatives of Dow Chemical, which had acquired Union Carbide, the company responsible for the Bhopal gas disaster in 1984. During the interview, they announced that Dow would take full responsibility for the Bhopal disaster and would compensate the victims. This was, of course, a hoax designed to draw attention to the ongoing lack of justice and compensation for the Bhopal disaster survivors.
The Yes Men's actions are intended to provoke thought and discussion on critical issues, often by using humor and satire to reveal the absurdity of certain corporate or political practices.
The "Bhopal Hoax" can be found here
Pope Francis in puffy winter jacket AI-Created: 23 May 2023
In May 2023, a fabricated image created by Midjourney depicting Pope Francis donning a puffer jacket gained significant traction, with many viewers mistaking it for a genuine photograph. This incident underscores the importance of fostering media and investigative literacy skills to discern the authenticity of content in an era where misinformation and manipulated visuals can easily deceive.
Screenshot - Digital Enquirer Kit e-learning course
The Digital Enquirer Kit is an e-learning course that guides learners through lessons on how to prevent the spread of misinformation, available on the free platform atingi.org. The course covers topics including media literacy, verification, and how to navigate the internet safely.
The Digital Enquirer Kit is available in English (including West African, East African, South African, and Southeast Asian dialects), Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Hausa, Hindi, Sinhala, and Swahili, among other languages.
The Digital Enquirer Kit is interesting for:
- Journalists, Researchers, investigators and evidence seekers
- Civil society organisations and rights groups
- Experts & decision-makers
- Other organisations or individuals interested in building and expand their skills in verification
The first four modules have been authored by Tactical Tech:
- Module 1: Identifying and Responding to Misinformation
- Module 2: Verifying Online Information
- Module 3: Collaborating on and Documenting Your Digital Enquiry
- Module 4: Examining and Sharing Your Findings
The Digital Enquirer Kit can be found here
Exposing the Invisible - The Kit
Exposing the Invisible's Kit, part of Tactical Tech's project, is a user's guide for investigating information. It offers methods for verifying, uncovering, and filtering information, from scraping websites to supply chain investigation. It's a resource for those seeking truth, from uncovering corruption to understanding local communities, promoting safe and thorough investigative techniques.
The content was developed collectively by a group of researchers, activists, journalists, developers, artists and others eager to share knowledge on how to conduct investigations using a wide range of skills, tools and techniques.
The Exposing the Invisible kit can be found here