(this page is a work in progress!)
We are a diverse group of Canadians who aim to make sure that government agencies and tech companies are held accountable to the public.
Mission
Our goals are to:
- 🌱 Spur positive technological change for social good. We believe in progress defined by improved quality of life for all people.
- 💭 Provide an alternative perspective between “more tech is good” and “get rid of all tech.” (Replace “tech” with the latest hype like “AI”.)
We want governments and tech companies to care about the people who use their products and the people they affect, beyond maximizing revenue and market share.
We want to counter the prevailing voices in tech who care primarily about the latest trends and coolest new gadgets.
We give a voice to the tech workers who don’t want to be tech bros. This is a place for technologists with a conscience.
How We Do It
As a grassroots organization, we operate on transparent decision-making processes starting from suggestions by volunteers. Concretely, this includes processes like:
- Draft and comment: For public statements, a draft is written up by a volunteer, then circulated around for comments and edits. Afterwards, the document is published. This website underwent this process!
- Open membership: Anyone can volunteer or get involved! We meet weekly at Civic Tech Toronto on Tuesdays in person and online. Keep in mind that the in-person venue changes weekly. You can also sign up for updates here.
Our approaches focus on:
- Educating the public to grow awareness of issues
- Contacting lawmakers and relevant organizations to spur change
- Creating alliances based on shared values
Want to help? Click the button below!
Our Values
🫱🏽🫲🏿
Progress
We believe in progress not defined by novelty, but by flourishment for all.
⚖️
Equity
We believe in tech enabling disadvantaged folks rather than acting as another way to enforce power.
🗳️
Democracy
We believe that the power of tech should be used to serve the many, and not be concentrated in the hands of the few.
As a grassroots organization, we strive to operate democratically through our volunteers.
🔍
Accountability
We aim to hold companies, organizations and government agencies accountable for the responsible use of tech.
As a grassroots organization, we are accountable to our volunteers and to the public.
🔒
Privacy
We believe in the right to privacy both online and offline.
This means a user-centric approach for informed consent and control when giving away private information.
What We Don’t Do
We don’t currently accept accept donations.
We currently cover only Canadian issues.
Our content is not AI-generated. We are real people working on these issues.
Who We Are
We are volunteers coming primarily from Civic Tech Toronto! Most of us work in tech (but not exclusively) or are interested in the interplay between technology and society.
If you want to contact someone directly, please fill out the volunteer form or reach out to Khasir at khasir.hean@gmail.com.
