November 5, 2026 01:00 PM to 02:00 PM
Simple Sabotage was a document written by the US Office of Strategic Services in 1944 to train everyday citizens to thwart the forces of fascism (a resource garnering renewed attention in this particular political moment). This quick fix workshop is a tongue-in-cheek update to train citizen-saboteurs to thwart the predetermined inevitability of corporate AI from micro to the macro: a history of GenAI, opportunities for data liberation, local LLMs, resisting corporate software by switching to Linux, everyday data privacy practices like turning of Connected Experiences in M365, and more. We'll explore tangible everyday practices to motivate the saboteur (you!) and provide them with specific suggestions for tools, targets, timing to resist and re-imagine AI futures.
No experience except your lived experience is necessary. While we aren't all against all AI, understanding how it works and making intentional decisions about how, when, and whose data is used is increasingly important. Join us to talk tactics!
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the history of GenAI and how it works
- Identify potential sources for data liberation
- Choose alternative platforms or configure settings to protect your privacy
- Propose possible pathways to re-imagine AI futures.
Details: Any preparatory work for the session can be found on its information page. This virtual workshop will be recorded and shared on the same page, and discoverable via the Sherman Centre's Online Learning Catalogue.
Certificate Eligibility: This workshop is eligible for the Sherman Centre's certificate program. For more information, visit scds.ca/certificate-program. It is also eligible for the Canadian Certificate for Digital Humanities. To learn more, visit ccdhhn.ca or contact scds@mcmaster.ca.
