This is the first dispatch from the Alternative Tech movement. We are starting with a provocation: technology should serve human life, not extract from it.
For too long, we have accepted the terms of the attention economy as inevitable. We have allowed our social fabrics, our educational systems, and our private lives to be redesigned by algorithms that prioritize engagement over agency.
Alternative Tech exists to bridge the gap between those who see the problem and those who have the ideas to fix it. We are not just critiquing; we are building infrastructure for the alternatives.
Why Now?
The acceleration of Generative AI and the massive expansion of "sovereign" data centres—often built without public consent—marks a new phase of extraction. The stakes have never been higher. We need a coordinated response that centers the communities most affected by these decisions.
In the coming weeks, we will be launching the full Idea Bank and opening verification for semi-private submissions. We invite you to read the manifesto and join us in this work.