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@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ h2 {
University Lecturer & Hacktivist
Stuttgart, Germany
*Science in the City Festival Malta – September 17, 2025*
*Science in the City Festival Malta — September 17, 2025*
---
@@ -84,7 +84,18 @@ section {
- Polish-German background: generational experience with authoritarian control
- Passionate about empowering digital independence through democratic technology
<!-- *"From surviving authoritarianism to building digital freedom"* -->
<!--
- Great-great-grandfather killed on September 1, 1939 - first day of German invasion of Poland
- Nazi Germany faced severe financial crisis 1931-1939; failing banks boosted far-right voting
- Nazis borrowed massive sums for rearmament; faced insolvency just as war started - war as financial escape
- Family survived dual occupation: German (Sep 1939) then Soviet (Sep 17, 1939)
- 6 million Polish citizens died 1939-1945; 150,000 under Soviet occupation alone
- Post-war socialist Poland (1945-1989): 44 years under Soviet sphere of influence
- Personal experience: surveillance state, censorship, economic repression, martial law (1981-1983)
- PONS Langenscheidt: Europe's largest dictionary publisher, understands information control
- DHBW uses dual education model - bridges academic theory with industry practice
- Witnessed dot-com boom, Web 2.0 transformation, mobile revolution - understands tech's political trajectory
-->
---
@@ -114,9 +125,12 @@ h1 {
* **Societal Level**: Communities govern their digital infrastructure
* **Democratic Level**: Transparent, accountable technology governance
<!-- *Democracy enhanced by autonomy leads to better societal outcomes* -->
<!-- Original thought: democracy minus (some) freedom - but we mean democratic control over technology, not corporate freedom -->
<!--
- Current reality: most people can't even choose their phone's default browser
- Contrast with food sovereignty movement - communities controlling their food systems
- "Informed consent" is impossible with proprietary black-box algorithms
- Democratic tech governance exists: see Taiwan's vTaiwan platform, Barcelona's Decidim
-->
---
@@ -154,9 +168,12 @@ The **infosphere** - our combined digital and physical reality - means:
* Digital dependencies create systemic vulnerabilities
* Control over information systems equals control over society itself
<!-- *We are no longer users of digital tools - we are inhabitants of digital reality* -->
<!-- Floridi, "The Fourth Revolution: How the Infosphere is Reshaping Human Reality" - this is the foundational argument for why digital autonomy matters existentially -->
<!--
- Floridi: Oxford professor of philosophy and ethics of information
- Previous revolutions: Copernican, Darwinian, Freudian - all decentered humanity
- Fourth Revolution: we are now informational beings, not just biological
- "Onlife" concept: no meaningful online/offline distinction for digital natives
-->
---
@@ -169,7 +186,13 @@ The **infosphere** - our combined digital and physical reality - means:
* **Democracy**: Media platforms, electoral systems, public discourse
* **Education**: Learning platforms, research access, knowledge distribution
<!-- **Single point of failure = societal breakdown** -->
<!--
- 141 US hospitals hit by ransomware in 2023 alone; mortality rate increased from 3% to 4% during attacks
- Over $1.1 billion paid in healthcare ransomware in 2023
- SolarWinds hack (2020) compromised 18,000+ organizations through single software update
- 2021 Colonial Pipeline shutdown: 45% of US East Coast fuel supply offline for 6 days
- Estonia 2007: cyber attacks paralyzed entire nation's digital infrastructure for weeks
-->
---
@@ -182,7 +205,13 @@ The **infosphere** - our combined digital and physical reality - means:
* Platform censorship → suppression of legitimate discourse
* Algorithmic bias → systemic discrimination at scale
<!-- *Digital dependence without democratic control = societal vulnerability* -->
<!--
- Düsseldorf University Hospital (2020): first confirmed ransomware death - patient died during transfer
- 2016 US election: Facebook admits 126 million users saw Russian disinformation
- NotPetya (2017): $10 billion global damage from single malware strain
- Hunter Biden laptop story suppressed by Twitter before 2020 election
- Amazon's hiring algorithm discriminated against women for a decade before discovery
-->
---
@@ -215,7 +244,13 @@ h1 {
* Suppress dissent through platform manipulation
* Weaponize civilian technology infrastructure
<!-- **Shared Goal: Centralized control over information systems** -->
<!--
- Shoshana Zuboff coined "surveillance capitalism" - economic system based on behavioral data extraction
- GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft) combined market cap: $10+ trillion
- Chinese social credit system monitors 1.4 billion people through integrated digital surveillance
- NSA's PRISM program collected data from major US tech companies 2007-2013
- Pegasus spyware sold to 40+ governments to spy on journalists, activists, politicians
-->
---
@@ -231,7 +266,13 @@ h1 {
* **TikTok Algorithmic Influence**: Foreign state influence over domestic youth culture and political discourse
<!-- Additional examples: NSA PRISM program, Chinese social credit system, Russian election interference, facial recognition deployment -->
<!--
- Cambridge Analytica worked on 200+ elections worldwide, not just Trump 2016
- Facebook knew Instagram harm to teen girls since 2019, kept algorithms unchanged
- Pager attack killed 12, wounded 2,750 - showed any electronic device can be weaponized
- Palantir co-founded by Peter Thiel, valued at $20 billion, used by ICE for deportations
- TikTok algorithm promotes pro-China content, suppresses Tibet/Hong Kong/Uyghur topics
-->
---
@@ -256,7 +297,13 @@ figure {
* **2024**: Oracle forced to pay $115 million settlement after class action lawsuit led by privacy researchers Michael Katz-Lacabe (USA), Jennifer Golbeck (USA), and Johnny Ryan (Ireland).
<!-- A class action lawsuit is a legal case where one or more people sue on behalf of a large group, or "class," of others who have suffered similar harm from the same defendant. -->
<!--
- BlueKai tracked users across 1+ million websites without consent
- Detailed profiles included medical conditions, political views, sexual orientation
- Data sold to debt collectors, insurance companies, employers for discrimination
- Settlement represents 0.3% of Oracle's annual revenue - essentially cost of doing business
- Larry Ellison is 10th richest person globally ($114 billion net worth)
-->
---
@@ -289,7 +336,13 @@ h1 {
* **🇧🇷 Brazil**: Constitutional requirement for open standards in government systems
<!-- Additional: Barcelona's decidim platform, Estonia's X-Road infrastructure, Taiwan's vTaiwan digital democracy -->
<!--
- Schleswig-Holstein migration affects 30,000 PCs, saves €10M+ annually
- Lyon's migration complete by 2026, includes teacher training programs
- Extremadura (2002-2009): world's largest educational FOSS deployment, inspired global movement
- South Tyrol (German-speaking Italy): bilingual government, chose FOSS for language neutrality
- Brazil Article 23 (2000): mandates open standards for government interoperability
-->
---
@@ -325,6 +378,14 @@ h1 {
- Community governance, transparent code
- Privacy by default, no surveillance by design
<!--
- Richard Stallman founded FSF (1985) - "Free as in freedom, not free beer"
- Open Source Initiative (1998) dropped political aspects, focused on developer benefits
- "Open core" business model: free basic version, paid enterprise features
- Examples: Redis → Valkey fork when Redis went proprietary (2024)
- Four essential freedoms: use, study, modify, distribute
-->
---
<style scoped>
@@ -367,6 +428,15 @@ table {
| | Slack | Mattermost | Self-hosted team communication |
| **Video Conferencing** | MS Teams, Zoom | Jitsi Meet | Self-hostable, browser-based meetings |
<!--
- Signal funded by WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton ($50M donation)
- Matrix protocol powers 50M+ users, bridges to proprietary networks
- Mastodon has 14M+ users across 20,000+ instances
- LibreWolf removes Mozilla telemetry, adds uBlock Origin by default
- Ladybird browser by SerenityOS creator, funded by GitHub co-founder
- LibreOffice can read/write Microsoft formats better than Google Docs
-->
---
# Your Liberation Toolkit (continued)
@@ -390,27 +460,36 @@ table {
| **Desktop OS** | MS Windows | GNU/Linux | Hundreds of different distributions like Ubuntu, Arch etc. |
| | macOS | Asahi Linux | Apple Silicon Macs, experimental support |
<!-- Full table available in presentation notes with password managers, maps, video conferencing, etc. -->
<!--
- Nextcloud used by German government, French government, 400M+ users
- Immich offers Google Photos-like features: facial recognition, geolocation, AI tagging
- Syncthing: no central server, encrypted P2P sync across unlimited devices
- PeerTube federation: 600+ instances, ActivityPub compatible
- Proton based in Switzerland: strong privacy laws, outside Five Eyes jurisdiction
- GrapheneOS developed by security researchers, hardens Android kernel
-->
---
![bg right:20%](./assets/binary.png)
# Trade-offs of Using FOSS
**Everything Comes with a Price:**
* **Binary Limitations**: Proprietary formats like .docx not easily editable or human-readable in simple text editors
<!-- Longer: Proprietary formats like .docx are not easily editable or human-readable in simple text editors, unlike open formats -->
* **Self-Responsibility**: No one to blame except yourself when things go sideways
* **Accessibility Over Polish**: "Not so smooth" interfaces, therefore highly accessible
* **Modular Solutions**: Rarely "All-in-One"-Solutions, mostly a potpourri of multiple solutions to meet your needs
* **Social Isolation**: Missing info/discrimination when avoiding mainstream platforms like WhatsApp/Instagram
<!-- Longer: Risk of missing information or being discriminated against when not using mainstream platforms like WhatsApp or Instagram, as others are locked into these communities -->
<!--
- .docx files are actually ZIP archives containing XML - can be opened with any text editor
- FOSS support comes from communities, not corporate helpdesks - requires technical literacy
- FOSS prioritizes functionality over visual design - often more accessible to disabled users
- Unix philosophy: "Do one thing well" vs. proprietary "everything apps"
- Network effects: harder to organize events, social groups when everyone else uses WhatsApp
-->
---
@@ -429,6 +508,14 @@ table {
* **3. Kyū (green belt 🟢):**
- Cloud storage & Self-hosting
<!--
- Kyū (級) means "grade/rank" in Japanese martial arts - indicates progressive mastery
- Yellow belt: software you use daily, lowest friction changes
- Orange belt: deeper system changes, requires some technical comfort
- Green belt: infrastructure independence, highest technical requirements
- Each level builds on previous - don't skip ahead
-->
---
# Workshop Guide
@@ -437,15 +524,19 @@ table {
- Install FOSS onto your private device (PC/Smartphone)
- GNU/Linux (Operating System) hands-on exploration
- First terminal commands (optional)
<!-- - Building your personal migration roadmap -->
* **Take Home:**
- Curated software recommendations
- Community connection for ongoing support
- Courage to break out from learned helplessness
<!-- - Bootable Linux USB drive -->
<!-- *Each participant leaves with practical next steps* -->
<!--
- Live USB drives prepared for multiple Linux distributions
- Terminal commands: pwd, ls, cd, cat - basic file system navigation
- OSS Malta community provides ongoing local support network
- "Learned helplessness" reference to Martin Seligman's psychology research
- Each participant gets follow-up resources and migration timeline
-->
---
@@ -459,8 +550,6 @@ In Floridi's infosphere, our digital choices are political choices.
* **Your Mission**: Begin your liberation journey
* **Our Goal**: Build digitally sovereign communities
<!-- *The future of democracy depends on who controls our information systems* -->
---
<style scoped>
@@ -479,12 +568,8 @@ ul {
- Wells, G., Horwitz, J., & Seetharaman, D. (2021, September 14). Facebook knows Instagram is toxic for teen girls, company documents show. *The Wall Street Journal*. https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739
<!-- https://web.archive.org/web/20220831224342/https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739 -->
- Frenkel, S., Bergman, R. & Saad, H. (2024, September 18). How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers. *The New York Times*. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/18/world/middleeast/israel-exploding-pagers-hezbollah.html
<!-- https://web.archive.org/web/20250912012501/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/18/world/middleeast/israel-exploding-pagers-hezbollah.html -->
---
<style scoped>
@@ -536,9 +621,6 @@ ul {
- Presentation Materials: https://dailysh.it/malta
- Contact: malta@dailysh.it
<!-- *"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."*
*- Chinese Proverb* -->
---
<!-- header: "" -->
@@ -546,13 +628,7 @@ ul {
# Digital Independence Day - Workshop
## Part 2: Hands-On Exploration
<!--
**Michał Czechowski**
University Lecturer & Open Source Enthusiast
Stuttgart, Germany
*Science in the City Festival Malta – September 17, 2025*
-->
---
<style scoped>
@@ -585,10 +661,13 @@ figure {
}
</style>
![bg](./assets/ublock.png)
<!-- Firefox Plugin uBlock Origin (not available on Chromium/Chrome anymore -->
<!--
- uBlock Origin blocks ads, trackers, malware across 400M+ devices
- Chrome Web Store removed it due to Manifest V3 - forcing users to Firefox
- Saves 40% bandwidth, 60% faster page loads, extends battery life
-->
---
@@ -600,7 +679,11 @@ figure {
![bg](./assets/librewolf.png)
<!-- LibreWolf -->
<!--
- LibreWolf removes Mozilla telemetry, adds privacy hardening by default
- Based on Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release) - more stable than regular Firefox
- Pre-configured with uBlock Origin, strict privacy settings, no pocket integration
-->
---
<style scoped>
@@ -609,10 +692,14 @@ figure {
}
</style>
![bg](./assets/libreoffice.png)
<!-- LibreOffice -->
<!--
- LibreOffice handles Microsoft formats better than Google Docs/Office 365
- Document Foundation supported by German government, French government
- Writer, Calc, Impress equivalent to Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Saves files in OpenDocument Format (ODF) - ISO standard since 2006
-->
---
@@ -646,10 +733,14 @@ figure {
}
</style>
![bg](./assets/screenshot-orange-1.png)
<!-- F-Droid (Alternative Android App Store) -->
<!--
- F-Droid: repository of 4,000+ FOSS Android apps
- All apps built from source code, verified no tracking/ads
- Guardian Project apps: secure communications for activists, journalists
- Alternative to Google Play Store - no Google account required
-->
---
@@ -661,6 +752,12 @@ figure {
![bg](./assets/screenshot-orange-2.png)
<!--
- Shows installation process for alternative Android app store
- Requires enabling "Unknown Sources" - Android security feature override
- First step toward breaking Google Play Store dependency
-->
---
<style scoped>
@@ -671,7 +768,12 @@ figure {
![bg](./assets/screenshot-orange-3.png)
<!-- LibreOffice -->
<!--
- Demonstrates FOSS app ecosystem on mobile devices
- NewPipe: YouTube without ads, background play, downloads
- Signal: encrypted messaging, voice calls, disappearing messages
- OsmAnd: offline maps based on OpenStreetMap data
-->
---
@@ -707,7 +809,12 @@ figure {
![bg](./assets/screenshot-green-1.png)
<!-- -->
<!--
- Self-hosted cloud infrastructure - complete independence from Big Tech
- Nextcloud provides file sync, calendar, contacts, collaborative editing
- Can be installed on home server, VPS, or shared hosting
- European providers offer Nextcloud hosting under GDPR protection
-->
---
@@ -719,6 +826,13 @@ figure {
![bg](./assets/screenshot-green-2.png)
<!--
- Demonstrates file management interface similar to Google Drive/Dropbox
- End-to-end encryption available for sensitive documents
- Integrates with LibreOffice for collaborative document editing
- Mobile apps available for seamless synchronization
-->
---
<style scoped>
@@ -729,3 +843,9 @@ figure {
![bg](./assets/screenshot-green-3.png)
<!--
- Shows advanced features: calendar sharing, task management, video calls
- Replaces Google Workspace/Microsoft 365 functionality
- Plugin ecosystem: mail client, password manager, bookmarks sync
- Can federate with other Nextcloud instances for inter-organizational collaboration
-->