Hacking your local government

Presented at THOTCON 0x8 (2017), May 4, 2017, 1 p.m. (25 minutes).

We live in an age defined by an increasing prominence of technological improvements and innovations. As hackers, it is our responsibility to properly inform decisions in the public realm that have a direct consequence on technology-oriented decisions. An ideal way to enact such small, relevant changes is to become involved in local government. This has the benefit of both beneficially shaping local communities and serving as a platform to educate local politicians on technological issues as they seek higher office. As a case example, I will discuss my experience working to construct a municipally owned fiber network in a suburb of Springfield, MA.


Presenters:

  • Will Caruana
    I served on the a few committees for the town of Wilbraham MA. I have a BS in political science from Salem State Univ and enjoy high voltage.