Pursuing Digital Agency in the Era of Pervasive Surveillance and Disinformation

2025-04-28 - 2025-04-28

Online

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Date and Time: Monday, April 28, 2025 Time: 14:00-16:00 (8:00-10:00 CEST & GMT+2)

Place: zoom online forum (with QR code)

Zoom Link:

Forum Language : English

Event Overview:

Digital technologies permeate various aspects of our personal and public lives, transform socio-political and geopolitical landscapes, and impact state-citizen power relations. The increasing digitalization of the economy and society is closely intertwined with the increasing international battle for digital dominance.

The position of the U.S. as a dominant digital power has been challenged by the other actors. China’s vast digital expansion, particularly in developing countries, has raised questions regarding China’s access and control over data and technological infrastructure. To secure its digital sovereignty and competitiveness, the European Union introduced its own strategy, based on ‘European values,’ - the Digital Decade, that “puts people at the centre.”

This battle for digital dominance between powerful nations leads to the question of citizens’ agency and digital rights. Is the digital environment safe and secure? Do citizens have control over their own data? Are our epistemic rights in this digital era respected? By examining these issues, this webinar aims to foster a nuanced discussion on how digital transformations are reshaping power structures worldwide. This webinar brings together scholars and activists to discuss the global digital power struggle and its impact on state-citizen relations and digital governance models.

Moderator: 

Katarzyna Szpargała, Doctoral Candidate, Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies/ Researcher at the International Center for Cultural Studies, NYCU, Taiwan 

Speakers:

Hikvisionary Urbanism and the Patenting of Social Control
－Dr. Lungani Hlongwa, Independent Researcher

The Human Rights Implications of Urban Surveillance Technologies in Johannesburg and Beyond
－Thami Nkosi, Human Rights and Privacy Advocate

"Information Chaos," Generative AI and the Citizens in the EU
－Dr. Aqsa Farooq, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Amsterdam

Q&A and discussion session

 

Organizer: International Center for Cultural Studies, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University 【Subproject II: The Chip Era and Digital Governance】