Wellington public meeting on Digital Power and Social Control, Tuesday 12 May
On Tuesday 12 May at 6pm, two community groups will be hosting a public meeting and community discussion on digital
power and social control. It will be at St John's Church hall, cnr Dixon & Willis, Wellington. The meeting is organised by the What If? campaign & OASIS.
‘The State and corporations have ever increasing data about us, while we know less and less about what they are doing,’
said Leigh Cookson, from the What If? campaign. ‘In recent years we’ve seen a proliferation of this data, such as Real
Me, data-sharing agreements, social media databases and expanded global surveillance.
‘We are inviting Wellingtonians to join the discussion about this collection of personal data, and the ways in which it
is used by those with power (as well as by us in our common interest). We will also plan how we can resist this shifting
form of social control and understand what’s going on,’ said Leigh Cookson.
Speakers will include Thomas Beagle from Tech Liberty and Sandra Grey, Senior Lecturer, VUW. OASIS will speak on
surveillance and the Five Eyes, and What If? will talk on data and social control. The meeting will also be the launch
of the What If? Campaign.
What If? is a new grassroots education and action campaign working to stop data collection and sharing by the NZ State
and private corporations for the purposes of social control and exploitation, and working for community control of
information resources for the benefit of all.
OASIS is Organising Against State Intelligence and Surveillance. They formed after the NZ SIS Amendment Bill was
announced, and aim to raise awareness around the issues of state surveillance.
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/850275175062853/
ENDS