Introducing Open Wafers: Exploring Technology, Society, and Power
Dear readers,
Welcome to Open Wafers, a space where we'll explore how technology is reshaping our world, and how we can shape it back. I'm Dhruv Deepak, a sociologist and researcher at George Mason University's Center for Social Science Research. My work investigates democratizing technology and social relations built on data (‘data relations‘), to empower communities. I have over 15 years of experience advising organizations and policymakers on the future of technology. But more than that, I'm someone who's deeply curious about where technology is taking us. Are we building a future that works for everyone, or just for a select few? Can we harness the power of digital technology to strengthen our communities and create a more equitable world?
These are the questions at the heart of my research. I'm investigating how communities can take control of digital resources - data and digital infrastructures - to build wealth and power from the ground up. It's a vision of a future that, while accepting the realities of technology in our lives, is more democratic, more inclusive, and ultimately more human.
Why focus on digital technology? Because it's everywhere, shaping every aspect of our lives - how we work, how we connect, how we understand the world around us. But too often, we treat technology as if it were inevitable or neutral. It's not. Technology is designed by people, for specific purposes. And that means we have the power to design it, govern it, and use it differently.
Why "Open Wafers"? Because I believe what is produced through the silicon “wafers” that form the circuitry in our digital devices should be open. We need to understand not just how algorithms, LLMs, and surveillance technology work, but how they are changing our lives, our communities, and our futures. And that there are alternate possibilities for technology & society, where technology’s democratizing potential is actively being realized.
My perspective challenges the idea that technological progress is always good or that it benefits everyone equally. Instead, I look at how technology intersects with power, with community, with our diverse human experiences. I'm interested in how we can democratize technology - not just in theory, but in practice.
On this page, we'll explore questions like:
How is AI changing the nature of work, and what can we do about it?
Who really owns our data, and why does it matter?
Can we build social media platforms that bring out the best in us, not the worst?
What would a truly democratic internet look like?
How can communities use technology to solve local problems and build local wealth?
These are big questions, and I certainly don't have all the answers. But I believe they're questions we need to be asking - and discussing - as we navigate our digital future.
Through this writing project, I hope to spark conversations, challenge assumptions, and imagine alternatives. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, I invite you to join me in this exploration. Let's ask difficult questions, imagine radical possibilities, and work towards a digital world that serves the many, not just the few.
Let's peel back the layers of our digital world together, wafer by wafer. Welcome to Open Wafers.