Keynote · 27 November · 17:30 h. · UOC

The Small Web

by Aral Balkan

About the presentation

In the words of Melvin Kranzberg, “technology is neither good nor bad, nor is it neutral.” Technology, as a mechanism, carries the success criteria and amplifies the ideologies of those who fund, design, and develop it.

Mainstream technology under capitalism is funded, built, and works for those who aim to usher in a new global fascism. If we want a different – fairer, more equitable, and more just – world, we must fund and build technology differently. This is what Aral Balkan and Laura Kalbag are working on at their tiny two-person not-for-profit, Small Technology Foundation.

In this talk, Aral will introduce you a different, smaller, vision for technology and the web. Imagine a web where each of us has, owns, and controls their own place. A place where you can be public and follow each other but also, crucially, a place where you can be private – actually private; end-to-end encrypted private – when you want to be. This is what Aral is building with the Small Web.

About the presenter

Aral's been making things with computers since he was 7 years old.

(That’s approximately 43 years ago. And yes, he still thinks computers are magic portals into endless universes.) Along the way, he dabbled in Flash, did some consulting, taught some workshops, gave a few talks, organised a smattering of conferences, made some apps, helped launch an after-school coding initiative for kids, got rather enraged by Silicon Valley’s bullshit, and co-founded Small Technology Foundation to do something about it.

He’s currently working on developing the Small Web with Kitten, Catalyst, and Meow. You can learn more about him at aral.al.

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