Bytes Against the Right
Bytes Against the Right is an evening dedicated to empowering the Berlin tech community to stand up against far-right ideologies, hate speech, right wing populist agendas and champion democratic values. Through discussion, collaboration and action, this event seeks to equip participants with the tools, knowledge and networks necessary to amplify their voices against misinformation and extremism, while fostering a culture of civic engagement and political participation.
Call to Action
This is more than just another tech event; it’s a movement. Together, we can use our skills, voices and networks to stand against hate and build a stronger, more inclusive future. Join us at Bytes Against the Right to take a stand, take action and make an impact.
Target Group
Tech community in Berlin including both German nationals and international people working here.
Potential to expand to other locations in Germany is high. Other countries too could use this format and the name if it’s successful.
Fears Addressed:
Fear of being targeted or worst case deported.
Fear of losing jobs, friends or family.
Fear of bureaucracy and self-expression.
Needs Met:
Safe space to discuss their fears and concerns.
Practical guidance for taking action.
Community support and solidarity.
Purpose
Speaking Out: Encourage participants to speak loudly and publicly against the growing noise of far-right rhetoric, acting as a counterbalance to hate and misinformation.
Awareness: Highlight the dangers of "silent" or "accidental fascism" and emphasize the responsibility to stand up for truth and counter manipulative narratives.
Political Engagement: Inspire attendees to engage politically by voting and advocating for democratic principles. Many tech professionals in Berlin, especially expats, may be eligible to vote but lack clear guidance on how to participate in the German electoral system.
Resource Sharing: Provide practical resources for identifying and combating misinformation, countering extremism, and effectively sharing verified information.
Actionable Steps: Equip attendees with tools and networks to amplify their reach and share democratic values online and offline.
Key Messages
Truth Matters: Silence allows extremism to grow. Speak up and counter misinformation.
Tech for Good: Harness technology and technical skills to safeguard democracy and counter harmful ideologies. What can the tech community do to fact check, to promote democracy, to assist each other and support each other - concrete outcomes desired.
Individual Power: Every vote, voice, and action matters. Small efforts can create significant ripples. Having a network that shares the messages and promotes each other will increase the reach on various algorithms
Shared Responsibility: Challenge small injustices and inaccuracies - they are the stepping stones of larger threats. If we stand by and don’t speak out, we will become complicit in the hatred being propagated currently.
Format
Date: Wed 12th of Feb.
Speakers & Panels: Short talks or panel discussions featuring tech leaders, political scientists, sociologists and activists who can provide context on the current political climate and strategies for combating the populist rhetoric.
Workshops & Breakouts: Interactive sessions for brainstorming slogans, creating posts and for taking immediate action by sharing content on social media. Attendees will actively promote, like, share and comment on each other’s posts to increase algorithmic reach.
Networking Opportunities: Create connections among like-minded individuals and organisations to foster ongoing collaboration, content promotion, and advocacy efforts.
Keynote speaker - Przemysław Witkowski
Dr Przemysław Witkowski will present the key conclusions from his research on the rising wave of right-wing populism and the growing political importance of the far right in Europe and the US, and will indicate areas where resistance to it is possible in order to preserve liberal democracy, also based on the Polish example, where civil society in 2023, in a peaceful way, removed from power the authoritarian-nationalist coalition that had been ruling the country since 2015.
Bio:
Przemysław Witkowski, Ph. D. (1982). Doctor of humanities in the field of political science. Two-time scholarship holder of the Minister of National Education and Sport (2005, 2006). Assistant professor at Collegium Civitas in Warsaw. Deputy director and senior research director at the Gabriel Narutowicz Institute of Political Thought, Warsaw, Poland. Cooperates with Counter Extremism Project (CEP), International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) and Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN). Author of the books like "Death to the Enemies of the Homeland. Political anatomy of the Independence March" (Warsaw, 2023), "The Upcoming Fascism" (Warsaw, 2024) and "The Russian Party. Pro-Russian organizations in Poland after 1989", Routledge, (in review).
https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Przemys%C5%82aw_Witkowski_%28dziennikarz%29