How we avoid dystopia

For years, the tech industry has quietly reshaped how societies function, while governments and institutions struggled to keep up. Johnny Ryan examines how Europe became vulnerable to the influence of Big Tech and what that means for democracy, security, labour, and especially children’s mental health. He digs into the internet’s history to unearth tech’s biggest scam and asks what kind of action is needed now to avoid dystopia.

Drawing on his work at Enforce and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, where he has led major investigations into online advertising, surveillance, and data abuse, Ryan has become one of Europe’s most prominent critics of the adtech industry. His campaigns and regulatory interventions have put pressure on some of the world’s largest tech companies and helped shape the debate around digital rights and privacy in Europe.

Dieser Programmpunkt wird durch die Stiftung Mercator unterstützt. / This programme session is supported by Stiftung Mercator.