Stefan Mey is an IT journalist. He wrote the tone-setting Darknet book in the German-speaking world, which is now also available in Hungarian and South Korean. As a digital expert, he has given more than 50 interviews, for television, radio, print, online and in podcasts.
Since the beginning of his journalism career, he has critically examined the power relations in the digital world: who calls the shots economically, why, and what are the consequences? He not only describes the problems of the digital world, but also has answers at the ready. In lectures and workshops on “digital self-defence”, he explains how one can use simple tricks and programmes to undermine surveillance, data collection and internet censorship abroad and make cyberattacks more difficult. Mey has been observing the big IT corporations for years. But he is also an intimate connoisseur of the non-commercial “digital counter-world” of projects like Wikipedia, Firefox or WikiLeaks, which oppose the Silicon Valley logic of Google, Facebook & Co. with a free and non-commercial internet.
With razor-sharp analyses, clear language and catchy images, Stefan Mey also picks up people without previous IT knowledge. He makes them fit to understand the digital world. When talking about the digital world, he keeps it very much in line with the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer:
“Use common words and say uncommon things.”
Stefan Mey Lecture topics
- The power of Big Tech: Who owns the internet?
Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft—five corporations control large parts of the digital infrastructure. This applies to operating systems and cloud services, search engines, app marketplaces, and social networks, for example. Hardly any company can avoid having its sales and data end up with the “Big Five.” What is the basis for their immense economic and data power? Who owns the IT giants, and how can we deal with the dominance of Big Tech in a meaningful way?
- Escaping the Silicon Valley trap: Digital alternatives and digital sovereignty
Beyond the world of Silicon Valley, there is a huge ecosystem of free digital projects that are data-efficient and versatile – even for companies. These include, for example, the Signal messenger, the Firefox browser, the OpenStreetMap map service, the Linux operating system family, and various free AI models. How does this “digital counterworld” work? Who is behind it? Who are its most important representatives? And how can these projects help break down the entrenched structures of the digital markets?
- Darknet and cybercrime: understanding the dark side of the internet
The darknet is a place full of contradictions. The technology is abused by criminals, but also used as a safe haven by journalists and opposition figures. For companies, the darknet is primarily a threat: a marketplace for stolen data, malware, and attack tools. This presentation explains how the darknet works, its role in the cybercrime ecosystem, and how companies can best protect themselves by raising their employees’ awareness of everyday cybersecurity.
- Doing business in the dark: how and why “dark commerce” works
Online retail has a secretive counterpart in the darknet. It’s not shoes or books that are traded there, but narcotics and much more. Dark commerce is similar to the legal e-commerce of Amazon, Zalando, and others. There are product policies, Black Friday discounts, and advertising models. User reviews ensure the necessary trust. What do we know about these marketplaces in the dark? How does the police investigate? And what does dark commerce reveal about the logic of digital markets?
- Free AI: What opportunities do free models offer?
Are we at the mercy of Big Tech when it comes to artificial intelligence? No. Paradoxically, some of the biggest AI players are making their billion-dollar models freely available—usable on your own hardware, without license fees, and without data leaving the company. The presentation provides an overview of free AI models, their possibilities and limitations – and explores the question of what strategic interests corporations are pursuing when they give away their developments.
- Digital self-defense: How companies protect their biggest vulnerability
A well-informed workforce is the most effective protection a company can have. Simple tricks and programs can be used to thwart cyberattacks, data collection, and industrial espionage. The presentation provides practical insight into the toolbox of “digital self-defense.” Topics include secure passwords, data-saving browser and smartphone settings, and warning signs for dangerous emails. The measures presented can also be implemented by laypeople.
- Bitcoin, blockchain, bullshit? A sober look at the world of cryptocurrencies
Everyone knows about Bitcoin. But what is behind Ether, XRP, Dogecoin, and Tether—and why are these cryptocurrencies also worth billions of dollars? What has become of the promise that blockchain would revolutionize the entire economy? This lecture brings order to an often confusing world: it explains in an understandable way how cryptocurrencies and blockchains work, classifies the most important terms – from stablecoins to NFTs to smart contracts – and soberly assesses where real innovation lies and where speculation prevails.