Fighting that Terminator in our Pockets

re:publica 2015
Politics & Society

Kurzthese: 

Getting back control of the machines in the cyborg era.

Beschreibung: 

Have we become cyborgs? With chips, sensors and tactile surfaces prolongating our brains, nerves and fingers and beyond the romantic image of science-fiction, doesn't it appear that we we may have already merged with the machines?

Communications massively collected for further behavioural analysis and profiling (PRISM) and sabotage of any commercial product dedicated to protect our data and communications (BULLRUN) are just examples of how everyday technology, now part of ourselves, has been systematically perverted and turned against us.

In the 1984 movie "Terminator", Skynet, a powerful network of all computers on Earth, decides to eradicate Human race in 2029. In a much less theatrical and manichean fashion, aren't we already at the stage of machines raising against us? Where are the main difference with science-fiction?

In that scenario, maybe we have a collective capability of being Sarah Connor, at first passive and unconscious, but capable of breaking with the blind comfort of our everyday life to try to survive and learn how important is our role for enabling future generations to take back control of the machines?

Ignite Talk

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STG-4
Donnerstag, 7. Mai 2015 - 14:15 bis 14:45
Englisch
Vortrag
Beginner