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Since 2014 Disruption Network Lab has worked to expose systems of power and injustice. Like many nonprofit organizations that have been working on culture and social justice for many years, we cannot ignore the current humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, in Ukraine, and in other warzones in the world. We demand a collective effort to bring an end to the hostilities and we call for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the cessation of attacks on health care and other vital infrastructure. The extreme suffering of innocent people, who pay the highest price of any war, demands that we respond immediately and concretely with humanity and compassion and contribute to uncover the wrongdoing of the powerful.
— Disruption Network Lab, November 2023

Corruption Unveiled: Austria's Troublesome Path from Strache to Kurz · Julian Hessenthaler · Frederik Obermaier. Watch all videos from Organised Crime.


Launched September 11 2023

Disruption Network Institute: Investigating the Kill Cloud


Our next conference: ORGANISED CRIME: A Global Business


Events

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ARTIVISM

The Art of Subverting Power

The 30th conference by the Disruption Network Lab! Watch it now!

 

Whistleblowing for Change – The Book

The courageous acts of whistleblowing that inspired the world over the past few years have changed our perception of surveillance and control in today's information society. But what are the wider effects of whistleblowing as an act of dissent on politics, society, and the arts? How does it contribute to new courses of action, digital tools, and contents?



Smart Prisons Insight Reports

by Barrett Brown & Jacopo Anderlini · Read now!

Read two texts commissioned to inform debates and influence civic society on the topics of tracking and surveillance in the framework of prisons and detention centers.


Previously at the Disruption Network Lab:



Upcoming Programme

We are planning a full programme of conferences, meetups, discussions & workshops. Check the upcoming dates.

Upcoming events: Subscribe to our Newsletter and stay up-to-date!


dnllogoround

Examining the intersection of politics, technology, and society, the Disruption Network Lab exposes the misconduct and wrongdoing of the powerful.

Support us with a donation! The Disruption Network Lab e. V. is a registered non-profit based in Berlin, Germany.


Our Conferences

Here are some highlights from our previous conferences, going back to 2015. You can find all conferences documented on the Disruption Network Lab YouTube channel.


ORGANISED CRIME · Corruption Unveiled: Austria's Troublesome Path from Strache to Kurz · Julian Hessenthaler · Frederik Obermaier

ORGANISED CRIME · Undercover: Combating Organised Crime in Africa · Stephanie Busari · Anas Aremeyaw Anas


ARTIVISM · Unmasking Power as Art: Sharing Tactics & Practice · Mike Bonanno & Jeff Walburn / The Yes Men (Artists & Activists, US), Cornelia Sollfrank (Artist, DE). Moderated by Klara Hobza (Visual Artist, CZ/DE).

Smart Prisons · Targeted by Surveillance · Stella Assange (Julian Assange's wife, Lawyer, UK), Kevin Gosztola (Journalist, Dissenter Newsletter Editor, US). Introduced and moderated by Stefania Maurizi (Investigative Journalist, IT).


Madness · Art and Survivor Empowerment · Marcello Lussana (Sound Designer, Researcher, IT/DE), Anika Krbetschek (Artist, DE), Dolly Sen (Artist and Activist, UK). Moderated by Lily Martin (Researcher, Pop-up Institut, Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences, DE).

Transitioning · Insurgent Hearts · Dahlia Damoiselle (U.S. Military Veteran, Educator, Sex Worker, US). Moderated by Jay Bernard (Writer & Activist, UK/DE). · More from Transitioning


The Kill Cloud · The Future of War: Drone Surveillance, Killer Robots & Lethal AI Weapons · Laura Nolan, Jack Poulson, Taniel Yusef, Theresa Züger · More from The Kill Cloud

Whistleblowing for Change · United States VS. Reality Winner · Reality Winner, Billie Winner-Davis, Sonia Kennebeck, John Kiriakou & Anna Myers

Whistleblowing for Change · Crowd-Sourced Civic Action · Barrett Brown, Naomi Colvin, Lauri Love, Mustafa Al-Bassam & Tatiana Bazzichelli


HATE NEWS vs. FREE SPEECH
Polarization and Pluralism in Georgian Media

Within the 2020 collaborative project “HATE NEWS vs. FREE SPEECH: Polarization and Pluralism in Georgian Media”, Disruption Network Lab and the Georgian non-profit organization Regional Democratic Hub – Caucasus collaborate on programme exchange between Germany and Georgia.

Read more


Powers of Truth · Sharon Hom (Executive Director, Human Rights in China, HK/US).Moderated by Magnus Ag (Journalist, Human Rights Advocate, Founder of Bridge Figures, DK/NO).

Powers of Truth · Surveilling a Surveillance State: An Ethical Dilemma · Simone Pieranni (Journalist, IT), Jack Poulson (Executive Director, Tech Inquiry, US), Tatiana Bazzichelli (Disruption Network Lab, IT/DE).


Behind the Mask · Whistleblowing & Covid-19: Telling the Truth at the Center of Crisis. Erika Cheung, Eileen Chubb, Delphine Halgand.

Behind the Mask · Julian Assange: Repression, Isolation & Lockdown. Suelette Dreyfus, Stefania Maurizi, Felicity Ruby, Anna Myers.


Data Cities · Making Cities Smart for Us: Subverting Tracking & Surveillance . Eva Blum-Dumontet, River Honer, Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman , Tatiana Bazzichelli.

Data Cities · Google Maps Hacks. Simon Weckert (Artist & Designer, DE)


The Human Rights Solution: Tackling the Housing Crisis

#DNL19: EVICTED BY GREED: Global Finance, Housing & Resistance · May 2020
With Leilani Farha (Global Director, The Shift & Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing, PS/CA) in conversation with Justus von Daniels (CORRECTIV / Wem gehört Berlin, DE).

▶ All videos from EVICTED BY GREED

An Autopsy of Online Love, Labour, Surveillance and Electricity/Energy

#DNL18: ACTIVATION: Collective Strategies to Expose Injustice · November 2019
Joana Moll (Artist and Researcher, ES) in conversation with Tatiana Bazzichelli (Founding Director, Disruption Network Lab, IT/DE).

What Independent Investigators Don’t Usually Disclose

#DNL17: CITIZENS OF EVIDENCE: Independent Investigations for Change · September 2019
Matthew Caruana Galizia (Investigative Journalist & Software Engineer, MLT).
Moderated by Crina Boros (Investigative Reporter, UK).

▶ All videos from CITIZENS OF EVIDENCE

"WHAT IS A FEMINIST AI? Possible Feminisms, Possible Internets"

#DNL16 #AITRAPS: Automating Discrimination

Charlotte Webb (Co-founder, Feminist Internet & Even Consultancy, UK). Moderated by Lieke Ploeger (Community Director, Disruption Network Lab, NL/DE).


THE TRACKED & THE INVISIBLE: From Biometric Surveillance to Diversity in Data Science

#DNL16 #AITRAPS: Automating Discrimination

Adam Harvey (Artist and Researcher, US/DE), Sophie Searcy (Senior Data Scientist at Metis, US). Moderated by Adriana Groh (Head of Program Management, Prototype Fund, DE).


HIDDEN TREASURES: How the Global Shadow Economy Drives Inequality

#DNL15 DARK HAVENS: Confronting Hidden Money & Power · April 2019
Nicholas Shaxson (Journalist, author of Treasure Islands, and Finance Curse, UK/DE), Maíra Martini (Senior Policy Advisor, Transparency International, BR/DE). Moderated by Simon Shuster (Reporter for TIME, RU/DE).

▶ All videos from DARK HAVENS


INFILTRATION: Mapping the International Far Right

Julia Ebner (Terrorism and Extremism Researcher and Author, AT/UK) Patrik Hermansson (Anti-racist Activist, “Hope Not Hate" Researcher, SE/UK) Christopher Schiano (Journalist at Unicorn Riot, Decentralized, Non-profit Media Organization of Artists and Journalists, USA) & Heartsucker (SecureDrop Maintainer, DiscordLeaks Developer, USA/DE). #DNL14 NFILTRATION: Challenging Supremacism · Sept 2018

KLAN-DESTINE RELATIONSHIPS: How & Why A Black Man Befriended White Supremacists.

Daryl Davis (R&B and Blues Musician, Author, Actor, USA) Moderated by Anna Müller (Mobile Counselling Team against Right-wing Extremism /MBR – Mobile Beratung gegen Rechtsextremismus in Berlin, DE). #DNL14 NFILTRATION: Challenging Supremacism · Sept 2018


BETWEEN HATE AND HOPE: Lessons from Kenya on Hate Speech and Political Manipulation on the Internet.

Keynote with Nanjala Nyabola (Kenyan Political Analyst, Writer, and Humanitarian Advocate, KE). #DNL13 HATE NEWS: Manipulators, Trolls & Influencers · May 2018

UNCOVERING CORRUPTION: On Strategic Harassment, Mexican Trolls and Election Manipulation.

Keynote with Andrea Noel (Mexico-based Journalist, Covering the Drug war, Politics & Gender-Based Violence, USA/MX). #DNL13 HATE NEWS: Manipulators, Trolls & Influencers · May 2018


FRACTURED LANDS: Confronting the Islamic State.

Keynote with Abdalaziz Alhamza, Aaron Y. Zelin, Heba Y. Amin. #DNL12 TERROR FEEDS: Inside the Fear Machine · Nov 2017 · Berlin

▶ All Videos from Terror Feeds


DOING TIME LIKE A SPY. On Prison Survival And The Cia's War On Terror.

Keynote with John Kiriakou (CIA anti-torture whistleblower, USA). #DNL11 PRISONERS OF DISSENT · May 2017


50 DAYS OF LULZ

Keynote: Mustafa Al Bassam, Gabriella Coleman, #DNL10 TRUTH-TELLERS · November 2016


INSIDE THE PREDATOR

Keynote: Brandon Bryant (former drone operator and US Air Force veteran, founder of Project Red Hand / projectredhand.org). #DNL1 DRONES · April 2015


Disruption Network Lab:
Exposing Systems of Power & Injustice

Disruption Network Lab is an ongoing platform of events and research focused on art, digital rights and disruption. The programme takes shape through a series of conference events at Studio 1, Kunstquartier Bethanien in Berlin and internationally. The goal is to present and generate new possible routes of social and political action within the framework of human rights, digital culture, art and hacktivism, focusing on the disruptive effects of technology in society and everyday life. The Disruption Network Lab presents projects that disrupt the field of information technology in unexpected ways, shedding light on interventions that provoke political and social change. The Disruption Network Lab is a conceptual and practical zone where digital rights advocates, investigative journalists, whistleblowers, artists, hacktivists, and critical thinkers enter into dialogue. The programme is developed through keynote presentations and panel discussions. Directed by Tatiana Bazzichelli.


PARTNERS 2023

Disruption Network Lab is part of New Perspectives for Action (2023-2027). A project by Re-Imagine Europe, a collaboration between Paradiso and Sonic Acts (NL), Elevate Festival (Austria), A4 (SK), INA GRM (FR), Borealis (NO), KONTEJNER (HR), RUPERT (LT), Semibreve (PT), Parco d’Arte Vivente (IT), Disruption Network Lab (DE), BEK (NO), Kontrapunkt (MK) and Radio Web MACBA (ES).

Co-funded by the European Union.


Thank you to all our previous partners and supporters.