Mozilla is convening technologists, activists and artists this October to tackle the biggest problems facing the web
By Mozilla
The internet is sick.
From ransomware and trolls to misinformation and mass surveillance, the health of the Internet is at risk.
Says Mark Surman, Mozilla’s Executive Director: “The Internet is layered into our lives like we never could have imagined. Access is no longer a luxury — it’s a fundamental part of 21st century life. A virus is no longer a nuisance consigned to a single terminal — it’s an existential threat that can disrupt hospitals, governments and entire cities.”
But much of the Internet’s best nature is flourishing, too. Each day, new communities form despite members being separated by whole continents. Start-ups and artists have access to a global stage. And open-source projects put innovation and inclusion ahead of profit.
In an effort to heal the bad and uplift the good, Mozilla is reimagining MozFest, our annual London-based festival. We will address these issues head on.
This October, our eighth-annual festival will draw nearly 2,000 technologists, hackers and activists from around the world to participate in:
- The Glass Room, a sister event also hosted by Mozilla and Tactical Tech. The Glass Room is a London pop-up shop that’s like a ‘Black Mirror’ episode come to life. A faux technology store open for three weeks in central London, the Glass Room doesn’t sell products — it features interactive art about the role of technology on society. 69-71 Charing Cross Road, London WC2. Open October 25 to November 12 between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- A week-long festival. Three days isn’t enough time to heal the Internet. So for the first time ever, we’re making MozFest a week-long festival. Monday, October 23 through Friday, October 27 is “MozFest House” — workshops, talks and film screenings at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) in London. Programming will include MisinfoCon London, an event exploring solutions to misinformation online; Detox & Defend for Women, an online privacy workshop for women; and much more. The week culminates with the traditional MozFest weekend at Ravensbourne College
- 19 big-name keynote speakers from nine countries, like Audrey Tang (Digital Minister, Taiwan), Gisela Perez de Acha (journalist and lawyer, Derechos Digitales) and Alan Knott-Craig (founder of Project Isizwe). Speakers will discuss hacking, botnets, digital rights and misinformation. Meet all 19 speakers
- 320 hands-on sessions on Saturday and Sunday, led by international experts and spread across five tracks: Privacy and Security; Digital Inclusion; Decentralization; Web Literacy; and Openness. Here’s a peek at just five of them:
- Privacy in Virtual Reality, unpacking how our most intimate data can be used against us online
- Decolonizing the Net, showing how communities across the global Black diaspora wield the internet to counter false narratives and spark change IRL
- Make a 3D Body Scanner, empowering participants to build seemingly-complex hardware using Rasberry Pis
- CryptoZombie, an interactive introduction to the fundamentals of encryption
- Fighting Fake News in the Library, exploring how librarians can combat misinformation online
To learn more about MozFest, visit https://mozillafestival.org/.