Scotland resists big tech power

With:

• Nick Dearden, Director, Global Justice Now
• Dr Samer Abdelnour, Senior Lecturer at Edinburgh University
• Dr Craig Dalzell, Head of Policy and Research, Common Weal
• Rebel Tech Alliance
• Sarah Jaffe, reporter and writer covering labour and social movement in the U.S (joining online)
• Rachael Revesz, journalist campaigning against hyperscale data centres in Scotland
• Ben Parker, Scottish Green party Councillor in Edinburgh
• Ariane Burgess, Highlands and Islands MSP

The technology that underpins nearly every aspect of our lives is controlled by a tiny handful of corporations. These big tech companies surveil and monetise our every move, lock us into their platforms, and use their power to bully governments and shape the world to their advantage. In their search for profit they’re fuelling division and advancing the far right globally, facilitating a vast transfer of wealth upwards, intensifying automated warfare, and accelerating environmental destruction. Yet they pose as visionaries, shaping our future.

The encroachment of AI and big tech infrastructure can seem unstoppable. But the future does not need to belong to unaccountable tech monopolies. And in Scotland the fightback has begun with local resistance to hyperscale data centres; campaigns to end university contracts with big tech corporations with links to the genocide in Gaza, and calls for the Scottish parliament to implement a digital sovereignty bill.

We’ll be talking about these small but important steps to challenge corporate power, democratise digital technology and put human and planetary needs before profit, at the gathering. There will be plenty of opportunity throughout the day in the plenary, workshop sessions and in between, to think about action you can get involved with locally, and plenty of social time to meet other like-minded social justice campaigners and talk about campaigning together.

Organising together in Scotland is vital if we want to reclaim this technology as a public good and build a better future for everyone.

This is a free event, and lunch will be provided for a donation.

More about the speakers

Nick Dearden

Nick has been director of Global Justice Now since 2013 and a campaigner against corporate globalisation and for global economic justice for over 20 years.

He has written two books looking in depth at corporate influence on government, and corporate monopoly power: Trade Secrets (about UK-US trade deals) and Pharmanomics: How Big Pharma destroys Global Health.

He’ll be giving an overview on big tech’s monopoly power and how they are using the US trade negotiations with the UK and a direct line to the US President to push their own agenda across the world.

Samer Abdelnour

Samer is Senior Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, an institution with over 100 years of complicity in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. His current research critically interrogates innovation in the context of weapons development, including the role of Big Tech in the genocide in Gaza. He'll be talking about this on the panel in the morning session.

Craig Dalzell

Craig is head of policy and research at Common Weal, a people-powered ‘think and do’ tank in Scotland. He writes about social and economic equality, participative democracy, quality of life and peace and justice.

He’ll be talking about why and how we should take digital sovereignty more seriously in Scotland.

Rebel Tech Alliance

Rebel Tech Alliance are a non-profit whose main aim is to stop big tech spying on people and monetising their data. They do this by helping people to switch to different tech that doesn't involve such a data-hungry business model. They will run a workshop with a step-by-step guide to help people wean themselves off big tech in their personal lives.

Rachael Revesz

Rachael is a journalist who has been campaigning against new AI data centres in Scotland. She’ll be chairing a panel discussion on campaigning against data centres in the afternoon.

Ben Parker

Ben is the Co-Convener of the Green group of Councillors in the City of Edinburgh Council. He has previously been a member of the Council’s Planning committee and Development Management subcommittee where he participated in the decision to reject planning permission for the data centre in the Gyle. He has also brought forward motions to the Council to explore whether the city could introduce a moratorium on “green” data centres development in the city.

Getting to the venue:

Augustine United Church is a central Edinburgh venue, about a 10 minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley train station, Edinburgh bus station or Princes Street. This is the quickest way to get to the venue. It is quite a steep climb though. Alternatively, if you have mobility problems, you might find it easier to walk to the Mound (stop MD). Walk down Princes Street and take a left turn up the Mound and you'll see the bus stop on your left. Take either the 9, 23 or 27 bus to the Victoria street stop - one stop. Augustine Church is a 2 minute work from there.

George IV Bridge is also close to a number of cycle routes and there are cycle racks nearby.

If you do need to take the car, parking is limited in the area. The closest metered parking in on Chamber Street. The closest car park is Lauriston Place.

Accessibility information:

• There is step free access to the venue via a door to the right of the building, please ring the bell for attention.
• Access to the main hall and one of the breakout rooms is step free.
• Access to the downstairs break out room (used only for one of the workshops in the afternoon) is via a lift.
• If you have any particular accessibility needs please get in contact: scotland.office@globaljustice.org.uk

Sound/sensory

• We are sorry that the venue’s hearing loop is currently out of order.
• The invited speakers will use microphones in the main morning session and the afternoon panel session, and a hand held mic for Q&As.
• The afternoon workshops after lunch will not be microphoned but we expect to be in smaller groups, where it will be easier to hear. Please let us know if you are having difficulties hearing at any point and we will do our best to change that.
• There is no obligation to stay in any of the sessions. Please feel free to step into the reception area, or outside if you need a break.

Catering

• We will provide tea and coffee from 10.45am - feel free to go back for a refill at any time.
• We will be providing a vegan lunch. If you have any other dietary requirements, please email us and let us know when you book: Scotland.office@globaljustice.org.uk