Dear people who own and use Android phones,
Have you come across the websites KeepAndroidOpen.org and KeepAndroidOpen.com yet?
People who know and care about privacy and the overreach of Big Tech are telling us that something important is happening to our Android phones from this September.
I'm worried the changes could…
- prevent protestors and political activists from organising on their phones, if they don't want to show their ID documents to Google (the owner of Android)
- make it harder for us to use apps Google doesn't favour (like the more ethical AI app Thaura or Proton apps), so that only people with loads of tech knowledge and willpower attempt to use them
- turn young people and hobbyists off making apps, because they don't want to hand over their IDs to Google either
- basically continue cementing Google into all our lives, a group that deals in our personal info, is best friends with Donald Trump and provides the tech infrastructure to support the genocide in Palestine
But to be honest, I don't quite know if that's all true! If you're an ordinary Android user, and not a very techy person - like me - it might seem bad, we might need to act quickly… but aaaaah I don't quite understand!
To help tackle the overwhelm of needing to quickly learn lots or actually think about the technology in our phones, let's come together with more knowledgeable, active tech/private enthusiasts for a conversation. Let's do this on Saturday 18 July, 10.30am-11.30am (UK time i.e. UTC+1).
In friendly, lightly-facilitated conversation, that goes at the pace of the non-experts, we'll piece together answers to questions like:
- What's happening to Android and when? How will I notice it happening?
- Does this link to other tech changes that seem to be coming, like banning young people from using VPNs and social media?
- What's the campaign to Keep Android Open? What are those organisers saying, how does that contrast to what Android/Google are saying, and why? What's the truth?
- What's the information that I need to understand this? What should I know about operating systems, phone hardware, Android, Google etc?
- What are the steps ordinary Android users are being advised to take? How will they affect us? And what are the steps others are taking as part of this campaign?
- What can I do if I'm a bit nervous or uncertain to respond on my own?
Who'll be there?
All Android users are invited - so send this link to others! We'll get to learn, discuss and digest the information from the KeepAndroidOpen campaign, as well as share any experiences and ideas we have around Android and Google. The people you meet in this call could turn into great buddies and mutual motivators for any personal tech changes you want to make.
I have also invited a small, lovely group of tech/privacy enthusiasts who are happy to share what they know about Android, Google and the KeepAndroidOpen campaign, in ways that work for us.
Big note: There are queer, trans, black, brown, disabled and antizionist people amongst the group that this event came out of. We don't want to entertain horrible nonsense, and we hope you don't either!
Ticket price money will be shared between the tech/privacy enthusiasts who help us
Our tech/privacy/Android/Google enthusiasts (including tech workers) are part of a tiny, informal community that has been building in the last year. In this time, it's clear they know a lot, and they share their knowledge generously.
It takes time and dedication to get knowledgeable about tech, and real care and listening to share that knowledge well with laypeople. We don't want to take the piss by organising a public event and asking them to help us all understand what's happening and what to do, unpaid.
If you are able to pay when you book, you'll be contributing to a collective cash pot. That hopefully guarantees a minimum amount of pay we can share amongst our tech/privacy enthusiasts.
Videocall platform, accessibility and cancelling your place
We'll use the Nextcloud Talk videocall platform, which you can use in your browser. You will receive instructions via email on how to join in your browser, nearer the event. You will not need any specific apps or an account to be able to get into the videocall.
Currently, this is a videocall in English, without sign language interpretation or captioning. If you have any videocall platform, accessibility or language-related needs or questions, please ‘Contact Organiser’ to let me know!
Lastly, free and low cost events like this often have a big proportion of no-shows. If you find out you can no longer come, please cancel your booking. I won't judge.
See you there!
Taz x