Monday 4th August - 07:20 PM BST
Solo: Privacy is Power
Reclaiming Power in the Age of Surveillance
Every day, without noticing, we give away pieces of lives, where we go, what we like, who we talk to, and our vulnerabilities. This data doesn’t just vanish into the void, it’s bought, sold, analyzed, and used to shape the choices we’re offered and the lives we lead.
In this eye-opening talk, Oxford University philosopher, Carissa Véliz, explores how the data economy is quietly shifting power away from individuals and into the hands of corporations and governments. Far from being a niche concern, privacy is emerging as one of the defining political and moral issues of our time.
Join us for a timely conversation about privacy, power, and what it will take to regain control in a world built on surveillance. A short Q&A will follow the talk.
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Carissa Véliz
Oxford Philosopher
Carissa Véliz is a leading philosopher of the digital age, reshaping how we think about autonomy, technology, and the invisible data architectures that govern our lives. An acclaimed ethicist, author, and professor at the University of Oxford, she is a vital voice calling for privacy to be recognized not as a luxury, but as a fundamental human right. Her groundbreaking book Privacy Is Power has become a manifesto against surveillance capitalism, arguing that personal data is not a commodity to be exploited, but an extension of ourselves.
Véliz’s work addresses digital profiling, informed consent, algorithmic bias, and the ethical design of technology. As a senior fellow at the Institute for Ethics in AI, she advises policymakers on how to ensure innovation respects human dignity. Her writing, featured in The Guardian, Wired, and The New York Times, offers clear, urgent insights into the moral challenges shaping our digital future.