[spectre] VIRUS TRACKING & SURVEILLANCE - Disruptive Fridays #4 - April 24, 5pm Berlin

[Tatiana Bazzichelli]

VIRUS TRACKING & SURVEILLANCE


DISRUPTIVE FRIDAYS #4 - https://www.disruptionlab.org/fridays
April 24 2020 - 5pm Berlin time

With: Lauri Love (Computer Scientist, UK), Joana Moll (Artist and
Researcher, ES), Julian Finn (Hacker and Media Artist, DE), Tatiana
Bazzichelli (Disruption Network Lab, IT/DE).

A live conversation on the implication of citizen tracking during the
COVID-19 Pandemic.

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During "Virus Tracking & Surveillance" we'll discuss about the
implications of tracking and data retention on everyday life, as well as
the necessity to implement technology for collective care while
respecting privacy and surveillance concerns.

Is tracking in public space becoming necessary to monitor individual
health conditions, or do we need to protect our citizen rights to keep
such data fully anonymous? In the last few weeks the necessity of
developing Corona tracking apps has become part of a very crucial
debate, but it is even more crucial to guarantee data protection.

As reported by Heise Online, one of more apps will be available in
Germany from mid-April onwards, on the basis of the PEPP-PT (Pan
European Privacy Protecting Proximity Tracing) project. This will enable
users to use Bluetooth technology to determine whether they have been in
contact with a Corona-infected person who also uses the system. But
there are already some concerns related to IT security problems,
connected to the use of Bluetooth technology, or about the possibility
to provide such system without accessing the location information on the
mobile phone. For example, Digitalcourage points out that under Android,
the use of the Bluetooth interface is only permitted if the use of local
services is enabled at the same time.

On the other side, the more physical control we have over tracking
devices the more information these devices can extract. While tracking
devices unfold as everyday objects, able to be run and operated by the
average citizen, the information that they collect becomes increasingly
undecipherable by the very same user that operates such device. Since
the appearance of the Panopticon in the 18th century, tracking devices
have gradually come closer to our bodies, yet COVID-19 crisis pushes
social control one step further. It requires to control biological
processes, and it requires to implement it fast.

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Lauri Love (Computer Scientist, UK)

Lauri Love is a computer scientist from Stradishall in the UK who has a
long history of involvement in political activism. He played a prominent
role in the student and Occupy movements in Glasgow during 2011-12.
Lauri faced potential extradition to the United States for his alleged
involvement in #OpLastResort, the series of online protests that
followed the persecution and untimely death of Aaron Swartz. Love is
increasingly being recognised as an expert on hacking, surveillance and
privacy issues in the UK and has made a principled stand against the
country’s forced decryption laws.

Joana Moll (Artist and Researcher, ES)

Joana Moll is an artist and researcher from Barcelona. Her main research
topics include Internet materiality, surveillance, social profiling and
interfaces. She has lectured, performed and exhibited her work in
different museums, art centers, universities, festivals and publications
around the world. Furthermore she is the co-founder of the Critical
Interface Politics Research Group at HANGAR [Barcelona] and co-founder
of The Institute for the Advancement of Popular Automatisms. She is
currently a visiting lecturer at Universität Potsdam (DE), Escola
Elisava (ES) and Escola Superior d'Art de Vic (ES).
https://www.janavirgin.com/

Julian Finn (Hacker and Media Artist, DE)

Julian Finn is a hacker and media artist. He has been part of the German
hacker scene for almost two decades. Founder of Mautinoa, a company
building digital banking solutions for developing countries and
humanitarian crises, he has been working in the field of disaster relief
and humanitarian aid for a few years. His specialty is in working with
and creating products for non-classical user groups, cognitive impaired,
and other vulnerable people.

-- 
Tatiana Bazzichelli // Artistic Director
Disruption Network Lab
http://disruptionlab.org
Twitter: @disruptberlin // @t_bazz
PGP: disruptionlab.org/pgp