Workshop Statement

The Hacktivism Seeds for Discourse workshop increases awareness and understanding for the many issues associated with hacktivism. For the purposes of this workshop, hacktivism can be defined as a modification or creation that addresses a political or social issue. The hacktivist goal is not necessarily an act of opposition. A topical issue in the local news will serve as a catalyst for dynamic discussion. Using role play, we will co-create and respond to a conceptual action created by ‘our group of hacktivists’. The goal is to use civil debate and informed opinions to proactively take ownership of issues and identify local solutions. There are no specific requirements, as the workshop stresses the various perspectives concerning the hacktivism, rather than technical expertise. Duration: Half Day

• Carmin Karasic (USA/NL), artist, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. I’m interested in issues of data ownership and data privacy. Our personal information is used and abused in ways that are both known and unknown, whether we consent or not. It is important to challenge any notion of universal truths given the potential lack of data integrity. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to education all people in digital literacy skills. Hacktivism is only one of unlimited options for the tech savvy. I’m a founding member of the Electronic Disturbance Theater. We popularized hacktivism in the late 1990s. I design and facilitate technological workshops to encourage people to use technology for self-empowerment. My contributions as a hacktivist, and those of many other artists activists show that the hacker community is not limited to white males, nor is hacktivism criminal by nature. Seeing our work inspires others to say, “If they can do that, so can I.” carminka.net