Should you attend yet another virtual conference in 2023?

Probably not.

But MozFest isn’t just another virtual conference. We’re a party for artists, a playground for tech enthusiasts, a workspace for makers, and an energy tank for activists.

Officially, MozFest is a unique hybrid: part art, tech and society convening, part maker festival, and the premiere gathering for activists in diverse global movements fighting for a more humane digital world.

We’re the place where you arrive with an idea, and leave with a community.

MozFest Virtual takes place online 20-24 March, and we have five really great reasons why you should secure your ticket today.

1) You’ll get valuable ticket holder benefits!

The earlier you snag a ticket, the more benefits you’ll unlock: pre-festival events, on-demand children's activities and family resources (to keep little hands busy while you're attending sessions!), post-festival access to recorded content, and more!

2) Take advantage of a variety of FUN professional development opportunities!

Learn a new skill, gain fresh perspectives on your work, and meet with both peers and experts in your field. Here’s a sneak peek of a fun session we think you’ll love:

Participatory play : Come test cooperative data governance!

This workshop will run as an interactive problem-solving game. Drawing from Ostrom’s theory of governance of the commons, it will explore collective governance of data. Inviting attendees to vote on decision making (one member, one vote as in a cooperative) through deliberative process - we simulate a data cooperative structure. The goal of this session is to illustrate-through-experience, the concepts of Data Stewardship and participatory governance.

3) MozFest is the world’s best place to network with a global community.

With thousands of participants from over 145 countries, our community welcomes you in fun and unique ways. You’ll have a chance to chat in sessions, take a guided meditation break with friends, hang out in a virtual movie theater, collaborate on projects, and much more! And who knows, you might even meet someone who sparks a new project or business idea, like Mark Boas!

Here's the summary for a MozFest session from Apple Whistle Blower Thomas Le Bonniec that is sure to spark global conversation and connection:

"Is My Phone Listening To Me? and other political questions around privacy"

In 2019 Apple, Amazon, Google and Microsoft had their policies on vocal assistants exposed.

The suspicion was confirmed : not only did these firms record their users without their knowledge or consent, but they also employed workers to review said recordings. Thomas Le Bonniec was one of them. He listened to thousands of recordings on Siri for Apple in 2019, then quit and was one of the people who revealed their practices.

This discussion is intended to talk about the aftermath: there have been no consequences and little engagement on the wiretapping of hundreds of millions of people.

A political perspective is necessary, to discuss why privacy should be considered a common good, the privacy paradox, and not giving up the fight.

4) Broaden your horizons through music, art, film, tech, VR/AR, and more.

Last year, we held a science fair (among other events) in Mozilla Hubs, and a zine fair in Spatial Chat. The world premiere of "Afro Algorithms" took place on the Plaza, and there was even a live opera that took place! This year, we’re excited for Mozilla and the community to push the envelope even further, finding unique intersections to create engaging, virtual playgrounds. Here is an example coming to MozFest Virtual 2023:

AI-Musement Park

AI-Musement Park is an interdisciplinary project, developed within Mozilla Hubs to critically explore machine learning processes and AI imaginaries. Among other experiences, there will be a performance of an AI driven version of Moby Dick using Ai text, an AI 3D whale, and other AI driven animations, set amidst an old fashioned amusement park. Get ready for songs, animations, a roller coaster ride, and structured discussion!

Rave In Your Browser: Strudel

Strudel is a new live coding platform to write dynamic music pieces in the browser! It is free and open-source and combines the Javascript and TidalCycles. An after school club will be showing you how to get started and leading you in a collaborative performance (dancing optional). Make your own tunes, in code, in seconds.

5) Take care of yourself by taking advantage of the moments of quiet reflection that are baked into the festival.

Come when you can, how you can. The schedule runs for 12 hours a day, which means you can come and go as it fits into your schedule. You can also attend meditations, listen to podcasts, go take a walk and reflect, or read material provided by our Facilitators. Whatever makes the most of your festival experience – do it!

If you are ready to make 2023 a year of progress, social change, tech accountability, and digital justice, MozFest is the place for you. Get Your MozFest Early Bird ticket today!