Technological Testing Grounds: Migration Management Experiments and Reflections from the Ground Up

Immigration detention of people in every single case. Deportation of 7000 students accused of cheating on a test. Invasive drone surveillance instead of maritime rescue. What do these examples have in common? In every case, technological experimentation had serious consequences for people’s lives. Mozilla fellow Petra Molnar will discuss her new report, Technological Testing Grounds, illuminated by photography by Kenya-Jade Pinto, based on conversations with refugees and people crossing borders. Our report highlights how states are experimenting with high-risk, violent use of technology exacerbating systemic racism and surveillance of marginalized groups. Whose priorities matter when discussing innovation? What does critical representation look like – including the imagery used? Is there space for abolitionist conversations when discussing technology at the border?