DECODE Newsletter #3

DEcentralised Citizen Owned Data Ecosystem

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Welcome to the third edition of the DECODE newsletter. We're sending you this because you've signed up to hear from us, either on the DECODE website or at one of our events.

As always, we're super keen to hear from you - if you'd like to chat, drop us a line via email or Twitter.

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DDDC Pilot, Barcelona

In April DECODE’s Digital Democracy and Data Commons (DDDC) pilot finished a 6 month participatory process with two objectives: on the one hand, to test a new technology that will increase data sovereignty in the petitions function of the participatory democracy software Decidim; on the other, to articulate a debate on the data politics of the future, culminating in a Data Commons Manifesto, open for online discussion until the end of 2019. You watch the live stream from the final event (subtitles in Spanish), and read a synthesis of the pilot here

Internet of Things Pilot, Barcelona

The DECODE Internet of Things pilots have been busy hosting workshops with our target communities. These included co-creation sessions where people created a Future Newspaper “DECODE News 2020” to design a citizen science campaign. The next planned workshop will be focused on teaching users how to deploy their sensors and protect data with DECODE tech.

Claim Verification 18+ Pilot, Amsterdam

With our Claim Verification 18+ pilot, the City of Amsterdam prototyped a Passport Box and mobile web app that allow users to upload passport data from the RFID-chip (inside the physical passport) onto their phone. A physical box scans the passport’s chip, and then creates a QR code that the phone can scan using the DECODE web app. Also see our new deliverable, which provides an overview of all remaining pilot activities in Amsterdam in store for 2019.

Tech Update

Our devs have reached an important milestone, running the Digital Democracy and Data Commons petition on top of DECODE tech, using Zenroom and the Coconut crypto scheme using end-to-end encryption and a new native mobile app. We are now applying similar privacy by design principles to power the BCNNow dashboard. All this happening in a few months, demonstrating how easy is to customise and deploy DECODE's modular stack for different scenarios

Algorithmic sovereignty

Algorithms have an enormous power on those whom are treated like users: they can inflict injustice, induce affective and psychological breakdowns as well as exploit their labour. In this blog, Jaromil - CTO and co-founder of Dyne.org - outlines the problems we face and some potential solutions. The piece is a shorter, adapted version of a chapter published in the new book A Vision for Europe.

DECODE’s two pilot cities launched a campaign with UN-Habitat and NYC targeting 100 cities to join the Cities Coalition for digital rights in 100 days.
DECODE Project Lead Francesca Bria gave a lecture on Rethinking Capitalism at UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. She also took part in Wired Live; and spoke at re:publica about DECODE in a session on technological sovereignty and digital rights for cities. Francesca also addresses how we can achieve “People Power and the City” in discussion with Arnau Monty (DECIDIM Project Lead),
DECODE was presented at the German Federal Data Ethics Commission; and at Digital Day 2019, in a session on data economy, entrepreneurship and digital skills with the presence of Commissioner Marya Gabriel and DG Connect General Director Roberto Viola.
Larisa Blazic is a London-based artist, feminist hacker and educator. As artist in residence for the DECODE project, she's developing an artistic intervention based on the principles of a union. In April she hosted a second ‘Data Union Fork’ event in Amsterdam. Keep an eye out for a video of the event to be released in June.

After last year's Barcelona Sharing Cities Summit 2018, where around 50 cities agreed on the Common Declaration of Principles and Commitments for Sharing Cities, we are happy to announce the next Sharing Cities Stand Lab at the Barcelona Smart City Expo World Congress, November 19-21, 2019. During 3 days, there will be an intense programme exploring different aspects of the platform economy. Check out the programme and apply to be part of the community.

Registration is now open for 'New urban visions', the Digital Social Innovation (DSI4EU) final event. Join the project in Warsaw on 25 June to explore how city governments and digital social innovation can work together to improve people's lives.

You're thinking about smart cities in completely the wrong way, Francesca Bria
Blockchain and digital identity report the EU Blockchain Observatory
It’s not enough to break up big tech, by DECODE Advisory Board member Evgeny Morozov
Capitalism emerged in the interstices of feudalism. Now, we see the seeds of postcapitalism growing in Barcelona, writes DECODE advisory board member Paul Mason
DECODE Advisory Group member Carmela Troncoso explains what should be done to build systems that support privacy as right, freedom of speech, individuals' autonomy of decisions and self-determination
The European Commission has published a report on competition policy for the digital era

Ola Bini update
Recently DECODE Advisory Board member Ola Bini was detained in Ecuador. There is concern about the circumstances of his arrest. Find out more.

@decodeproject

decodeproject.eu

DECODE (DeCentralised Citizens Owned Data Ecosystem) is funded by the European Commission Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology, Net Futures, Administration and Finance, under Grant Agreement No. 732546.

DECODE is a project brought to you by (in alphabetical order): Arduino, City of Amsterdam, CNRS, Eurecat, dyne.org, Institut Municipal d'Informàtica (IMI) Barcelona, Nesta, Nexa Center for Internet & Society, Privacy and Identity Lab, Thingful, Thoughtworks, UCL, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Waag.

This newsletter was sent to you from Nesta. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. Our main address is 58 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0DS. You're receiving this email because you subscribed via the DECODE or Nesta website or opted in when registering for an event, creating a profile or in person to a member of the DECODE consortium. You can unsubscribe at any time.

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