The latest installment of the MozFest Dialogues & Debates series will explore the state of privacy and security in consumer tech gadgets
Can the smart speaker you bought mom for Christmas eavesdrop on her? Is your connected coffee maker vulnerable to hackers? And who is your daughter’s gaming console sharing her data with?
These days, when you’re purchasing a gadget as a holiday gift, price and performance aren’t the only things that matter. Privacy does, too. As more and more products connect to the internet, consumers need to know: Can this product’s camera, microphone, or GPS snoop on me? What data does the device collect and where does it go? And, what is the company’s track record for protecting users’ data?
On Thursday, December 17, Mozilla will host a virtual MozFest Dialogues & Debates to explore these questions and others. The panel is inspired by *Privacy Not Included, Mozilla’s annual shopping guide to help consumers determine which connected products they can trust — and which ones they should avoid.
Audience members are able to submit their questions ahead of time by tweeting @mozilla with the hashtag #DialoguesAndDebates.
Our 40-minute panel will feature:
Amira Dhalla, @amirad. Amira has spent over a decade in technology working on issues related to digital rights, education, privacy, and equity with global organizations and communities. Together, she works with educators and activists to design participatory curriculum and resources to make emerging technology more inclusive, open, and safe. She currently works at Consumer Reports as the Associate Director of Engagement focused on issues like digital privacy which allow her to give people the skills and tools to protect themselves in our increasingly digital lives. She completed her Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University, focused on the intersection of human rights and technology.
Jen Caltrider, @caltrider. Jen began her career as a journalist at CNN. From there she moved into digital media, pioneering creative uses of digital media strategies, messaging, and communications for social impact. At Mozilla, she leads our work creating the *Privacy Not Included buyer’s guide to help consumers better understand issues around privacy, security, and artificial intelligence.
Xavier Harding, @iamxavier. Xavier is a writer on the content team at Mozilla. Formerly, Xavier was a journalist covering consumer tech and the tech industry. In the past, Xavier’s written for Popular Science, BuzzFeed, Lifehacker, Mic, Newsweek, Fortune and Vox. Most recently Xavier worked at The Markup, but not before earning a Webby Award in 2019 for his story on how one cinematographer properly lights the HBO show Insecure for black faces — a story watched by millions. Now, at Mozilla, Xavier assists on advocacy projects like the Newsbeat, Privacy Not Included and Misinfo Monday. He also hosts the Dialogues and Debates interview series, discussing tech topics like misinformation, contact-tracing and the role technology plays in addressing racial injustices.
Nicole Shadowen, @nshad314. Nicole leads the Product Integrity program at Mozilla. This is a new program that works across product, policy, law, and ethics to design and develop products that help users succeed and uphold basic human rights in society. Nicole is passionate about making human lives better through the use of technology.
MozFest Dialogues & Debates is Mozilla’s our speaker series that usually occurs in-person each year. We’re expanding the series into virtual terrain, to bring internet users the information they need to understand and advocate for a healthy and humane digital world. Watch past MozFest Dialogues & Debates here.