Cybersecurity Disguised as a Party: Brooklyn Bar Hosts 'Break Up With Google' Events
At Wonderville Bar in Brooklyn, Imani Thompson arrives looking ready for a night of dancing or DJ sets, but her mission is far more serious: leading a cybersecurity workshop called "Break Up With Google." This event, organized with the New York City-based Cypurr Collective, aims to help attendees reduce their vulnerability to surveillance by major tech services while having fun. Thompson, 26, describes it as "cybersecurity disguised as a party," where participants sip cocktails, flirt with strangers, and learn to scrub personal data from search engines or enhance phone privacy settings.
Why People Are Turning Away From Big Tech
Big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Apple make life more connected but leave users exposed. According to Luc Rocher, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, data collected from online activities allows inferences about sensitive details, such as who has suffered sexual violence or has low net worth. This information is broadcast globally through real-time bidding auctions, akin to a data breach occurring 747 times daily, as reported by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.
Surveillance concerns extend to government agencies. The FBI has overstepped authority to spy on Black Lives Matter protesters, and Congress increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement's budget to $85 billion, partly funding contracts with Palantir and Paragon for surveillance. Daly Barnett of the Electronic Frontier Foundation notes we live under "the most sophisticated surveillance apparatus in all of human history," with authoritarian movements escalating alongside it.
Taking Back Control From Tech Giants
Across the U.S., workshops and parties are emerging in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh to teach communities how to regain digital agency. A YouGov poll from December reveals 61% of Americans worry about digital security, but only 33% take action. Events like Thompson's provide support without requiring tech expertise. For instance, at a Los Angeles workshop by TAPE, a participant created a voicemail exporter to protect messages from loss or surveillance.
Organizations like Resist Tech Monopolies in Seattle, part of the Co-op Cloud federation, promote libre software—tools like LibreOffice that are transparent and democratically built. Fairouz, a volunteer with RTM, reports surging interest, with political and grassroots groups seeking training. These efforts focus on building systems that reduce reliance on tech monopolies, empowering users through collaboration.
A Future Free From Powerful Tech Monopolies
While a tech monopoly-free future isn't imminent—organizers still use platforms like Instagram—tools like Privacy Badger and ProtonMail offer easy ways to mitigate data risks. Thompson continues hosting de-Googling parties, aiming to empower people in their tech relationships. "I just want people to feel empowered in general in their relationships to technology," she says. "I'm finding when people dip their toes, they get really excited and creative."
