The MSC, which will take place from February 26 to March 2, will kick off with an artivism action at the gates of the MWC and throughout the week will host panel discussions, talks, family games and a live podcast.
The Mobile Social Congress (MSC), held in Barcelona at the same time as the Mobile World Congress (MWC), will emphasize the real costs of the technology we consume, especially the social and environmental costs currently caused by the production of phones and tablets. The MSC will begin February 26th at the gates of the Fira de Barcelona with an artivism action aimed at raising awareness about the effects of the technology industry not addressed at the MWC.
With this same objective, a live episode of the podcast Carne Cruda will be held on February 27 at Paral·lel 62, on the 29th there will be live and online panel discussions in the Auditorium of the Espacio Calabria 66, and on Saturday March 2 a talk and children’s games for the whole family will take place in the courtyard of the Aigües School.
The MSC is a space open to citizens, which offers a critical look at the current model of production and consumption of electronic devices and information and communication technologies, as well as an opportunity to learn about alternative models and projects based on technological sovereignty, sustainability and respect for human rights.
The electronics industry is one of the most dynamic and important sectors of the world economy and Barcelona becomes its main showcase every year with the Mobile World Congress, where transnational companies in the sector present their technological advances. At the same time, it is also necessary to draw attention to the social and environmental costs currently involved in the production of new phones and tablets.
The Mobile Social Congress was created as an alternative space to the Mobile World Congress, the objective of which is to promote reflection and awareness about the impacts caused by the production and consumption of electronics, as well as engaging in critical analysis from the points of view of ecology, feminism and human rights. At the Mobile Social Congress, the goal is to denounce the injustices of a model of global production and consumption based on extractivism and the externalization of social and environmental impacts in the Global South; to highlight projects and initiatives that propose new ways to produce and consume electronic devices, respecting the rights of people and the environment and making responsible use of resources, in order to last until future generations without violating the fundamental rights of other peoples and territories.
What scenarios of the future can be proposed in the face of this growing digitalization?
This year, industry impacts in different areas will be addressed and there will also be a reflection on what future we want: do we have to accept digitalization at any price? What alternatives can we propose?
Electronics and in particular information technologies have gained increasing prominence in recent years. However, what do we know about how this technology is produced, what future scenarios are emerging in the face of this growing digitalization, and what challenges are posed from a human rights and environmental perspective? These and other questions will be addressed, bringing together different voices to provide a critical outlook, in order to be able to take an active role as citizens in choosing policies and consumption options that contribute to a more sustainable, healthier and fairer world.
