On Why We Designed ‘Data Cyborg Stories’

I want to start to talk more about this program because I think it's one of the most important programs we've put out into the world. Signals, a program which focused on hidden communication in times of authoritarian regimes which we ran in 2022, was also one of these.

The world we are currently living in is ridiculous. Criminality is happening in front of our faces daily, innocent people are dying daily, most governments are complicit, and we have no way to stop any of this. The easiest thing to do is feel defeated or to check out completely but we can't let that happen because then they win.

We created this program because we are motivated by those taking power into their own hands, whether artists, independent investigative journalists, or simply concerned citizens who give enough of a damn to dedicate their lives to exposing truth. We want to support these individuals with a deeper understanding of current technologies to do their work more effectively, and to create systems offline so that their work isn't so easily compromised by the algorithms and the people that seek to control us.

So please, share this program with all the people you know who might benefit from this work and the supportive community that stems from it. We all need to support each other in being brave, being safe, and doing the work that needs to be done so the future doesn't become even more dystopian than this.

We also have two scholarships for Berlin artists with relevant work on this topic. Deadline to apply for Berliners is 30. April. Please help us spread the word. <3

Data Cyborg Stories: Investigative Storytelling for Liberation using Data and AI

1. June - 26. June

For more info and to apply: https://www.schoolofma.org/summer-2026/data-cyborg-storie