Presenting Copenhagen Catalog: a New Direction in Tech
Techfestival 2018: 150 digital thinkers and practitioners convened from all parts of the world in Copenhagen for an intense 48-hour session on the current state in tech. The result is a set of 150 guiding principles for everyone who shapes technology today, The Copenhagen Catalog, for a new direction for an tech industry that is slowly waking up to its societal challenges.
September 6–8th 2018, the think tank on technology progress ‘The 150’ convened for the second time during Techfestival in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The prelude for this year’s think tank gathering couldn’t have been more dramatic. A numerous series of events have deeply impacted the world of tech over the last 12 months: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appears in the US Senate to explain the platform’s role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal; the roll-out of European general data protection regulations (GDPR); A year of aftermath of the #metoo movement; Public push-back (identified as #techlash), against big tech companies such as Amazon; Firing of Uber CEO for creating a harmful work environment; EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager issuing record-high fines to Apple and Google for misuse of market monopolies to mention some of biggest highlights. Independently and collectively sending the same message; Tech as an industry is in public crisis.
From Ghana to Taiwan: Tech think tank of 35+ nationalities
Inaugurated in 2017, the think tank has set out to create a space for development of international, cross-sector guidelines for a tech industry engaging in new standards and ethics these years. This year, a group of 150 professionals from 35+ countries met in Copenhagen during the new international technology initiative, Techfestival. The group includes designers, developers, entrepreneurs, public officials, investors etc such as co-creator of the web Jean-Francoise Groff (Switzerland); former Wired reporter and IDEO’s Editorial director Shoshana Berger (US); data empathy researcher Phil Harvey (UK); co-founder of innovation hub by the Digital Minister of Taiwan, Shu Yang Lin (Taiwan); UNStudio’s Innovation and forecasting strategist, Ren Yee (The Netherlands); the world’s first government-appointed Tech Ambassador Casper Klynge (DEN) and many more.
Posters designed to be signed, printed and shared
Gathered into a single catalog, the principles are both instructions, good advise, provocations, and rules to build tech products, startups and communities by. In content, they send a clear signal of a growing tech community working actively to break with Silicon Valley-monoculture. Each principle is designed as a poster that you can sign, print and share. Their creators describe the principles like this:
“The tech principles are tools. They were made by humans for makers, not what’s made. They are meant to be owned, and are built for engagement, empowerment and regular exercise. They need fresh air and light”
Explore the Copenhagen Catalog now and sign the principles you believe in.
The Copenhagen Catalog is traveling the World for pop-up exhibitions
We are excited to announce that the Copenhagen Catalog will leave Denmark to travel around the world; from Lisbon to San Francisco, Berlin, Hamburg, Oslo, Toronto and beyond. Follow our social media channels to get updates on where the catalog is going next, and come say hi when we are in your city.
