Your organisation’s tech stack – email provider, cloud services, communications tools, website setup – tells a story. But is it the story you want it to tell?
In this Lab, we’ll expose how default tools and platforms quietly undermine autonomy, extract data, and leave users vulnerable even when they appear secure. Then, we’ll flip the script. Participants will explore how small shifts in infrastructure can align tech choices with values like privacy, safety and digital sovereignty.
What you’ll experience:
- A live teardown of “typical” organisational tech setups (no need to share your own)
- A walkthrough of what a real audit looks like, from security gaps to ethical red flags
- Case studies showing how organisations have moved towards transparent, secure and autonomous tools without sacrificing usability
- A guided diagnostic worksheet to reflect on your own organisation’s digital risks and possibilities
Whether you’re a non-profit, cooperative, campaign group or small business, this session will help you:
- Understand where your digital infrastructure reinforces extractive defaults
- Visualise what a safer, values-aligned stack could look like
- Ask smarter questions when hiring tech support or choosing platforms
This session is accessible to non-technical participants but led by a technical expert with experience rebuilding infrastructure for privacy, cybersecurity and sustainability. You’ll leave with a concrete reflection tool to take back to your team.
Perfect for anyone responsible for digital tools but unsure where to begin making them safer.
Come curious. Leave equipped and inspired to rebuild your digital house on stronger ground.
Paula Mesa Macías is the founder of Pau&Company (https://pau.company/), a consultancy focused on ethical technology. With a background in telecommunications engineering and English studies, Paula specialises in privacy, cybersecurity and sustainability. Her work supports organisations in adopting responsible tech practices that prioritise digital sovereignty, transparency and user protection. With years of experience in web development, consulting and education, Paula helps businesses transition to more secure, ethical and environmentally-friendly digital infrastructures. She is passionate about empowering individuals and organisations to make informed tech choices, reducing the harms of default systems and data extraction. Through her work, she promotes the adoption of tools that align with core values and fosters a future where technology serves people and the planet.