The Social Code is an experiment I started. It is about finding alternative ways to raise money for technology-driven public services, and about sharing the benefits and any profits. The aim is to decrease the large information and benefit gaps that exist between governments and businesses on one side, and people and citizens on the other, when it comes to why and how technology is used.

“The higher the number of people affected by a technology, the bigger the group of people – including those directly affected – that must be part of the decision-making processes surrounding the application of such technology.”

Technology is all around us. And so are the limitations that are decided for us. Think about the way we express or educate ourselves on social media (excessive censorship), how we spent our hard-earned money (in the near future we risk restrictions through programmable money or CBDCs), what we do and where we move (location tracking and biometric identification), or how decide to co-exist (what are the moral justification of drone attacks to civilians in countries around the world). Or what about the technologies that are about to decimate or heavily alter many of the jobs currently in existence (A.I. like self-driving cars, image generators and services like ChatGPT). Is the way these technologies are being applied the best for all, or has there been a strong monetary or political incentive?

The Social Code is explicitly not against technology. On the contrary, it’s very much in favour of it and its potential for humankind. But how about we use the technology in such a way that all humans on this planet profit from it equally, instead of only the few who own it, have control over it, or those who aim to suppress.

The Social Code has high ambitions and aims to be part of a new economy. One that steps away from the traditional world of venture capital, investors, and shareholders. Not everything should have to revolve around making large amounts of money and around centralising profits. That way of thinking can lead – and has already clearly led – to bad incentives. Since we all share one home, let’s try making the most of it for all inhabitants of our planet, a society where all can participate equally. We’ll be better off in the long run.

The projects — privacy tools, language and education campaigns, books — are how that experiment shows up in public. I would love to collaborate with activists, educators, volunteers and foundations to turn it into a viable alternative way of co-existing.

Let’s meet!