The Creeping Disempowerment of Users in the Digital Transformation and its Connection to (Un)Sustainable Development
On the 5th of June, 2025, we continued our Distinguished Lecture Series with a thought-provoking talk by Prof. em. Dr. Lorenz Hilty from the University of Zurich.
His lecture covered the following themes:
- Computing in the Context of Sustainability
- “Footprints” and “Handprints” of Digital Innovations
- Five Steps to the Disempowerment of the User and Why This Is Not Sustainable
Digital technologies are often designed in ways that take power away from users. For example, they make it hard to keep using your devices for a long time, hide how they really work, and collect your data to influence your behavior. This isn’t just bad for users, it also harms the environment and makes society less fair and less democratic.
The event featured a thoughtful and engaging discussion with participants, where critical perspectives and real-world implications were shared. The evening concluded with food and drinks, providing an opportunity for informal conversations and networking.
Missed it? No worries, the slides are available here.
Stay tuned for our future events!