Invitation

13.04.2026: Reclaim the Cloud! Contesting, Resisting and Reimagining Data Centers

Bits & Bäume and the research group “Digitalization, Sustainability, and Participation“ (Weizenbaum Institute) jointly present: Reclaim the Cloud! Contesting, Resisting and Reimagining Data Centers.

17.03.2026

📅 Datum: 13.04.2026, 17:00 Uhr
📍 Ort: Weizenbaum-Institut, Hardenbergstraße 32, 10623 Berlin& via Livestream
The Event will be in english.

Data centres are the backbone of the internet and the foundation for architecture of our digital lives. Around the world, large tech companies, such as Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and Google are investing billions in hyper-scaler data centres designed to provide computation and data capacity for generative AI and other digital products. These data centres are no abstract entities. They are built with tons of concrete, take up vast space and need lots of energy, water and resources to operate. Hence data centres influence, change and clash with local politics, ecologies and ideas about good digital futures. Their closed ownership structures also raise urgent questions of upstream power concentration, and undermines democratic oversight and accountability of technological development.

Recently, lines of conflict around data centre development have erupted around the globe. From Mexico and the US to France and Germany, protest movements against data centres led by local activists contest promises of technical innovation and regional development, and defend ecological and local interests. These protests are opening up a a space for an alternative vision of data centre infrastructure – and thus an alternative vision for the foundations of our digital life.

At this event, we want to discuss the challenges data centres bring, learn from data centre resistance movements and explore new ideas for the future of data centres.

We will combine political analysis from Paris Marx and Algorithm Watch with practical experience by the activists of La Nuage était sous nos pieds and discuss alternative visions of digital futures with the the Community Data Centers research project from the Weizenbaum Institute.

Parcitipants

• Anne Pasek – professor at Trent University, Cultural Studies and the School of the Environment

• Paris Marx – Author (Road to Nowhere), Journalist (Time, Wired, disconnect.blog etc.), Host (Tech Won't Save Us)

• Julian Bothe – Algorithm Watch

• La Nuage était sous nos pieds – French Data Center Resistance Group

• Weizenbaum Institute's “Community Data Centers“ research project

Registration

Please register here: https://tickets.weizenbaum-institut.de/byjxl/

Agenda

4.30 pm doors open
5.00 pm Inputs:

• Welcome at the Weizenbaum Institute
• Anne Pasek on Data Centre Ruins, the AI bubble and abandoned infrastructures
• Paris Marx on the growing negative implications of data centres
• La Nuage était sous nos pieds on Data Center Resistance in France
• Julian Bothe, Algorithm Watch on the Situation of Data Centers in Germany
• Community Data Centers Project with focus on democratisaton

6:30 pm short break
6:45 pm Panel: Future of Data Centers with our guests
8:00 pm Wine & Snacks - following the programme, we invite our guests and audience to continue the conversation with drinks and snacks.

The Organizers

The event is jointly organised by:

• the Weizenbaum Institute’s research group “Digitalization, Sustainability, and Participation“, as well as the research project “Community Data Centers“,
• and the Bits & Bäume movement for digitalization and sustainability.