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Presentation Media and Civics
Open social tech and geopolitical risk
Ivan Sigal ·
@ivansigal.bsky.social
Saturday, March 28, 2026
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM PT
Performance Theatre
Available in-person & via livestream — Stream 2 (Performance Theatre)
The AT Protocol was developed as a decentralized alternative to big tech; it wasn’t envisioned as a response to authoritarian state power. Now, however, ATProto’s openness is also potentially a source of vulnerability. What are the potential threats, and how can they be countered? We’ll explore a brief history of networked authoritarianism, and consider options and strategies to manage ATProto in adversarial political environments.