Empowering Hackers to Create a Positive Impact

Empowering Hackers to Create a Positive Impact

In March 2014 I spoke at the annual TED conference about why hackers are a vital part of the information age. I claimed that the world actually needs hackers, and that they play an important social, political and technology role. At first I thought I will encounter objection, but I found out I was preaching to the choir. Surprisingly, many of the smart, powerful, rich people at TED thought hackers were just great. Then I realized: I was preaching to the WRONG choir. It’s the hackers who are the change agents, and the only ones who can make a difference when it comes to the future of the net. That’s why this talk will speak to the heart of the hacking community about the practical things hackers can do to create a positive impact on the world. Essentially, it’s about being a good hacker while staying out of jail and making the world a better place – with things like community outreach projects, crypto parties, voluntary red teams, responsible disclosure and stopping the spread of FUD.

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