Google Doc WITH FOOTNOTES
Transmediale Report
Background
On Friday afternoon a group of roughly fifty individuals gathered for an hour and a half to discuss the planned Google Campus project in Kreuzberg, Berlin. The workshop titled “Fuck off Google! Rebel ‘Kiez’ vs. the Hyper-Crapitalist Life-Colonizing Colossus” aimed to mix local organizers with new perspectives to brainstorm ideas of how to keep Google Campus out of Kreuzberg, Berlin.
The name Google Campus is slightly deceiving for those unaware of its exact connotation. Google Campus does not mean a location for Google offices; it is instead a very specific project. There are currently six Google Campuses in operation: Tel Aviv, London, Seoul, Madrid, Warsaw, and São Paulo. Each of these six locations offer entrepreneurs and startups a workspace a cafe, classrooms, coworking areas, and large event spaces… for free! Anyone from the community can use all of the Campus’ resource for no charge. What does Google get from this arrangement? Campus is “a Google farm for harvesting Kreuzberg’s brains and talents, or a Google mine in which ideas and data will be extracted out of Berlin.” It additionally gets to inject its products and tools into workflow of startups and entrepreneurs, “draw[ing] in the Google users of tomorrow.”
Opposers to the project are concerned about the gentrification of the neighborhood from all the additional tech business Google’s presence will inevitably attract. The gentrification will cause increased rent, drive out local businesses, and change the communities unique vibe with one activist claiming, “the complete area that was there before simply gets replaced by other people and other businesses.” Those who oppose the project also take issue with the site chosen for the Campus and its prominent facade and therefore prominence in the neighborhood. This is especially worrying for them because many view Google as evil because “the company routinely engages worldwide in Human Rights violations meanwhile its power extends alarmingly to key aspects of our everyday lives.”
Activist with Fuck Off Google have organized a variety of events to raise awareness and drum up support in the community. The “Anti-Google Café” is open every second and fourth Sunday of the month and offers a space for discussion sharing of thoughts and ideas. The Icelandic style protest, “Make some NOISE!”, is a auditory protest utilizing pans, pots, whistles and other noise making implements. Additionally, the entire neighborhood is covered in bill postings with messages in both English and German.
Review of Workshop
The workshop began with an announcement that it would not be recorded. Then the group agreed to an established middle ground that is halfway between on and off the record. While I did not catch the exact name, by the group all agreeing to this framework journalists in the room were free to quote what was said but not attribute it to who said it. While we at Parsons often talk about licenses and copyright, it was interesting to hear about other types of agreements.
The main presentation lacked a lot of background information by assuming that everyone in the room fully understood what Google Campus was and why the public should be critical of Google as a company. I, myself, did not release the distinction between Google Headquarters and Google Campus until halfway through the workshop. This led to a large portion of the discussion being people asking questions to the two workshop leaders. Eventually a solution was proposed that unspecified ‘people’ should stop using Google products. One individual stated that while he agreed with the boycotting of Google products, he needs Google Maps to navigation his home city. I found it interesting that even in a room of individuals interested in technology, many people were making comments that revealed that they were unaware of any alternatives to these Google apps out there.
One of the leaders mentioned they were in the process of organizing a workshop with CryptoParty. CryptoParty is worldwide decentralized movement whose goal is to pass on knowledge about protecting oneself in the digital space including “encrypted communication, preventing being tracked while browsing the web, and general security advice regarding computers and smartphones”.
An interesting point was raised that there is no established recipe or guidelines for people who quit platforms such as Facebook like there is for vegetarianism. The word ‘vegetarian’ carries implications that are immediately understood when used to describe oneself. However this type of guideline does not exist for leaving a digital platform; if someone says they do not use Facebook, how do you get in contact with them? Do you ask for their phone number? Their twitter handle? Their mailing address? The speaker implied that the uncertainty caused weakens the action, or at least understanding of the individual’s action.
The last point of interest I will mention was that the Fuck Off Google fight is a peer to peer fight against Google’s central network. The best way to take down Google is not with large campaigns marketed to large groups, but engaging with the individual and empowering them with information, knowledge, and know-how.
