Amid India's intensifying climate crisis, Hyderabad’s gig workers, already toiling under extreme precarity, are bearing the brunt of life-threatening heatwaves. This piece lays bare the glaring infrastructure gaps—no drinking water, shade, or rest spaces—that worsen their plight. As urban gig economies expand, the article details demands urgent state action to upgrade public facilities and safeguard workers’ rights, exposing the government's failure to address the intersecting crises of labor and climate.

As AI tightens its grip on global priorities, a new battleground emerges: access to computing power. Government-led “public compute” initiatives, ranging from GPUs to supercomputing access, aim to democratize tech resources, but risks abound. Without careful planning, public funding may inadvertently entrench monopolies, exclude non-research uses, and worsen environmental tolls. This report calls for a computing ecosystem that balances innovation, equity, and sustainability while resisting corporate capture.

AI will reinforce the historical trend of depriving Black workers of their autonomy and compelling them to produce more while receiving a smaller share of the economic pie. It is important to unionize, organize, and advocate for provisions to limit the intrusiveness of AI technology.

In turning sanctuary cities into zones of relentless surveillance, Silicon Valley fuels anti-migrant regimes. As facial recognition, data tracking, and digital IDs weave into urban life, this book shows how borders migrate inward, targeting migrant communities and dismantling networks of care and resistance. Grounding his critique in theories of racial capitalism and tech’s complicity, the author argues for collective refusal to reclaim cities from machines that criminalize mobility and life on the move.

Grassroots data activists across the U.S. and Canada are using spreadsheets, databases, and social media to expose gendered and racialized violence against Indigenous, Black, trans, and regional communities. They honor victims by amplifying erased stories and confronting the failings of mainstream media while building solidarity online and off. But as this paper highlights, their work, rooted in care and resistance, comes with a heavy emotional toll as they face the weight of documenting trauma and public scrutiny.

Right-wing media’s ecosystem has found a slick hustle by blending populist anger, magical thinking, and profiteering. Ads nestled in this ecosystem push get-rich-quick schemes and miracle cures, preying on fear and distrust of elites while hawking escapist fantasies. With doctored celebrity endorsements and clickbait headlines, this paper details how these scams tap into the same conspiracy-laced logic underpinning modern right populism: systemic issues downplayed, replaced with “secrets” promising personal salvation, all while perpetuating the very inequality they decry.

AI is reshaping the future of justice, but our legal systems aren't ready. This article suggests that LexOptima, a bold vision for AI-enabled, decentralized, and community-driven law, could boost fairness, access, and efficiency by tailoring legal services and democratizing policymaking. Yet, challenges like data privacy, algorithmic bias, and entrenched power structures loom large. Balancing innovation with transparency and oversight could redefine how justice is served—if we act with equity and care.

Data is reshaping global value chains, not by consolidating power in the hands of monopolies, but through a division of labor where multiple actors vie for value. By categorizing data by its source—transactions, product use, or processes—this study reveals how data fuels intangible assets and reshapes power dynamics. Using German case studies, it shows data-driven innovation creates new opportunities for upgrading but keeps competition alive, challenging fears of runaway monopolization.

AI promises freedom from drudge work but risks creating a high-tech plantation economy if we ignore its moral implications. As developers inch toward ever-more capable systems, the question of AI consciousness looms. Should machines gain awareness, their use as tools for human convenience may look uncomfortably like slavery. The piece challenges us: will we extend ethical consideration to conscious creations—or repeat history, exploiting those we deem beneath us?

AI could be a game-changer for struggling public services, boosting productivity in areas like healthcare and social welfare. But without oversight, it risks exacerbating inequality, entrenching surveillance, and undermining trust in public institutions. To harness its potential, this dialogue suggests that governments must adopt clear regulations, prioritize transparency, and center public good over profit-driven tech interests.