The Maybe
@themaybe.org
The Maybe is a media studio, collective, and consultancy challenging the power and politics of tech.
Home to the Computer Says Maybe podcast.
Home to the Computer Says Maybe podcast.
Across the globe, tech companies are racing to capture public infrastructure, promising governments that their algorithms and technical systems will “modernize” public sector operations.
January 9, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Across the globe, tech companies are racing to capture public infrastructure, promising governments that their algorithms and technical systems will “modernize” public sector operations.
On this episode, hosts @alixdunn.com , Prathm Juneja, and Georgia Iacovou pick out the highlights of this year, play back some clips, and make some… interesting predictions.
December 19, 2025 at 8:31 PM
On this episode, hosts @alixdunn.com , Prathm Juneja, and Georgia Iacovou pick out the highlights of this year, play back some clips, and make some… interesting predictions.
@bencollins.bsky.social, sometimes affectionally dubbed “Tim Onion,” is the CEO of @theonion.com. He sat down with @alixdunn.com at Mozfest to tell us how they freed the satirist publication from the clutches of advertisers to make the best version of the paper they could.
December 18, 2025 at 11:50 PM
@bencollins.bsky.social, sometimes affectionally dubbed “Tim Onion,” is the CEO of @theonion.com. He sat down with @alixdunn.com at Mozfest to tell us how they freed the satirist publication from the clutches of advertisers to make the best version of the paper they could.
@alixdunn.com sat down with @audreyt.org at #Mozfest to learn more about how we can train algorithms away from breeding outrage, how to make social media platform-agnostic, and how this could be possible with Audrey’s six-pack of care.
December 18, 2025 at 2:35 AM
@alixdunn.com sat down with @audreyt.org at #Mozfest to learn more about how we can train algorithms away from breeding outrage, how to make social media platform-agnostic, and how this could be possible with Audrey’s six-pack of care.
@audreyt.org argues that we can actually enact care ethics if AI operated more like kami - rather than producing massive algorithms bent on global maximization, we could train these systems to attend to the health of hyperlocal community, reducing their power-seeking incentives.
December 18, 2025 at 2:35 AM
@audreyt.org argues that we can actually enact care ethics if AI operated more like kami - rather than producing massive algorithms bent on global maximization, we could train these systems to attend to the health of hyperlocal community, reducing their power-seeking incentives.
But as Luisa says, “everyone loves talking *about* the next generation, but I’m not sure they like talking *to* the next generation.”
Young people will inherit this world, which is why her organization EquiLabs engages youth to have a say in the technological decisions that inform their lives.
Young people will inherit this world, which is why her organization EquiLabs engages youth to have a say in the technological decisions that inform their lives.
December 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM
But as Luisa says, “everyone loves talking *about* the next generation, but I’m not sure they like talking *to* the next generation.”
Young people will inherit this world, which is why her organization EquiLabs engages youth to have a say in the technological decisions that inform their lives.
Young people will inherit this world, which is why her organization EquiLabs engages youth to have a say in the technological decisions that inform their lives.
Luisa Franco Machado believes we’re in a crisis of imagination. That our idea of what tech can be is too limited by what we already exist in—and that we desperately need to reimagine what our digital futures should look like.
December 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Luisa Franco Machado believes we’re in a crisis of imagination. That our idea of what tech can be is too limited by what we already exist in—and that we desperately need to reimagine what our digital futures should look like.
@alixdunn.com sat down with @abeba.bsky.social at Mozfest to hear how this all went down—and some of what Abeba wanted people at the UN to understand about how AI encodes and exacerbates existing societal injustices.
December 16, 2025 at 2:21 AM
@alixdunn.com sat down with @abeba.bsky.social at Mozfest to hear how this all went down—and some of what Abeba wanted people at the UN to understand about how AI encodes and exacerbates existing societal injustices.
Our founder Alix Dunn will sit down with @paulbiggar.com, lead at @techforpalestine.org; Mozilla Fellows @sarrahannachi.bsky.social tech activist, researcher, and @nadakabbary.bsky.social, tech justice researcher, organizer; and Tawana Petty, data justice organizer and ED of Petty Propolis, Inc.
November 6, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Our founder Alix Dunn will sit down with @paulbiggar.com, lead at @techforpalestine.org; Mozilla Fellows @sarrahannachi.bsky.social tech activist, researcher, and @nadakabbary.bsky.social, tech justice researcher, organizer; and Tawana Petty, data justice organizer and ED of Petty Propolis, Inc.
Tomorrow, we’re unlearning the inevitability of “scale” as the measure of success in tech. @alixdunn.com will chat with Jess Rimington, co-author of “Beloved Economies” and founder of Possible Futures; and @catherinebracy.com, author of “World Eaters” and CEO of @techequity.bsky.social.
November 6, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Tomorrow, we’re unlearning the inevitability of “scale” as the measure of success in tech. @alixdunn.com will chat with Jess Rimington, co-author of “Beloved Economies” and founder of Possible Futures; and @catherinebracy.com, author of “World Eaters” and CEO of @techequity.bsky.social.
Our founder @alixdunn.com is co-hosting this session on data centers with @justinhendrix.bsky.social CEO + Editor of @techpolicypress.bsky.social. Together we’ll hear from Paz Peña, Mozilla Fellow; @pjarandia.bsky.social, Pulitzer Fellow; and @tpang.bsky.social, Impact Editor at Lighthouse Reports.
November 6, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Our founder @alixdunn.com is co-hosting this session on data centers with @justinhendrix.bsky.social CEO + Editor of @techpolicypress.bsky.social. Together we’ll hear from Paz Peña, Mozilla Fellow; @pjarandia.bsky.social, Pulitzer Fellow; and @tpang.bsky.social, Impact Editor at Lighthouse Reports.
If you can’t make it in person, join us in the livestreams - links will be in the individual session pages. Hope to see you there! lnkd.in/engHkfQY
November 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
If you can’t make it in person, join us in the livestreams - links will be in the individual session pages. Hope to see you there! lnkd.in/engHkfQY
Computer Says Maybe is taking the stage at @mozilla.org Festival! This weekend, @alixdunn.com will be leading discussions on reclaiming scale in tech, tackling the role of AI in war, exposing the global footprint of data centers, and more.
November 5, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Computer Says Maybe is taking the stage at @mozilla.org Festival! This weekend, @alixdunn.com will be leading discussions on reclaiming scale in tech, tackling the role of AI in war, exposing the global footprint of data centers, and more.
@mozilla.org is one of the most known and liked brands in public interest tech. This visibility—and the resources from its market share—position Mozilla Foundation to play an important role today.
But what should a foundation like Mozilla do in an era of uncritical hype around for-profit AI?
But what should a foundation like Mozilla do in an era of uncritical hype around for-profit AI?
October 31, 2025 at 6:45 PM
@mozilla.org is one of the most known and liked brands in public interest tech. This visibility—and the resources from its market share—position Mozilla Foundation to play an important role today.
But what should a foundation like Mozilla do in an era of uncritical hype around for-profit AI?
But what should a foundation like Mozilla do in an era of uncritical hype around for-profit AI?
Can a chatbot therapist really replace a human one? The simple answer is, no of course not. But as always, it’s a little more complicated than that.
Access to (real, human-to-human) therapy is limited. You need money, and probably have to jump through a lot of hoops.
Access to (real, human-to-human) therapy is limited. You need money, and probably have to jump through a lot of hoops.
October 28, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Can a chatbot therapist really replace a human one? The simple answer is, no of course not. But as always, it’s a little more complicated than that.
Access to (real, human-to-human) therapy is limited. You need money, and probably have to jump through a lot of hoops.
Access to (real, human-to-human) therapy is limited. You need money, and probably have to jump through a lot of hoops.
If you breathe in too much nitrogen oxide, you are at a higher risk for heart disease, lung damage, and more.
So why is Elon’s supercomputer allowed to use 33 gas turbines that are pouring nitrogen oxide into Memphis’ air, increasing their NOx levels by 79% in a single year?
Turns out, it’s not.
So why is Elon’s supercomputer allowed to use 33 gas turbines that are pouring nitrogen oxide into Memphis’ air, increasing their NOx levels by 79% in a single year?
Turns out, it’s not.
October 22, 2025 at 5:15 PM
If you breathe in too much nitrogen oxide, you are at a higher risk for heart disease, lung damage, and more.
So why is Elon’s supercomputer allowed to use 33 gas turbines that are pouring nitrogen oxide into Memphis’ air, increasing their NOx levels by 79% in a single year?
Turns out, it’s not.
So why is Elon’s supercomputer allowed to use 33 gas turbines that are pouring nitrogen oxide into Memphis’ air, increasing their NOx levels by 79% in a single year?
Turns out, it’s not.
1/6
How do you run a city when tech companies are selling "solutions" for problems they helped create?
How do you run a city when tech companies are selling "solutions" for problems they helped create?
October 20, 2025 at 6:13 PM
1/6
How do you run a city when tech companies are selling "solutions" for problems they helped create?
How do you run a city when tech companies are selling "solutions" for problems they helped create?
There’s nothing sweet about Project Sucre.
Curious about this huge project with a euphemistic name? All you get is a fully redacted proposal from the parish. That’s what organizers like @kadeeja.blacksky.app are up against in Louisiana, a state with one of the most strained energy grids in the US.
Curious about this huge project with a euphemistic name? All you get is a fully redacted proposal from the parish. That’s what organizers like @kadeeja.blacksky.app are up against in Louisiana, a state with one of the most strained energy grids in the US.
October 16, 2025 at 3:16 PM
There’s nothing sweet about Project Sucre.
Curious about this huge project with a euphemistic name? All you get is a fully redacted proposal from the parish. That’s what organizers like @kadeeja.blacksky.app are up against in Louisiana, a state with one of the most strained energy grids in the US.
Curious about this huge project with a euphemistic name? All you get is a fully redacted proposal from the parish. That’s what organizers like @kadeeja.blacksky.app are up against in Louisiana, a state with one of the most strained energy grids in the US.
1/7
Why do all the platforms we love eventually become terrible?
There's a name for this all-too-predictable decline, coined by our guest this week, writer and activist Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy): enshittification.
Why do all the platforms we love eventually become terrible?
There's a name for this all-too-predictable decline, coined by our guest this week, writer and activist Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy): enshittification.
October 10, 2025 at 3:11 PM
1/7
Why do all the platforms we love eventually become terrible?
There's a name for this all-too-predictable decline, coined by our guest this week, writer and activist Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy): enshittification.
Why do all the platforms we love eventually become terrible?
There's a name for this all-too-predictable decline, coined by our guest this week, writer and activist Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic.net.web.brid.gy): enshittification.
1/6
Thought we were at peak scam? Well, ScamGPT just entered the chat. This week, we're talking about how generative AI is supercharging the global fraud industry.
Thought we were at peak scam? Well, ScamGPT just entered the chat. This week, we're talking about how generative AI is supercharging the global fraud industry.
October 4, 2025 at 2:35 PM
1/6
Thought we were at peak scam? Well, ScamGPT just entered the chat. This week, we're talking about how generative AI is supercharging the global fraud industry.
Thought we were at peak scam? Well, ScamGPT just entered the chat. This week, we're talking about how generative AI is supercharging the global fraud industry.
1/6
Want to be your own boss? Work from home and achieve financial freedom?
This week, we're talking about the original "innovation" that perfected that pitch: the Multi-Level Marketing scheme.
Want to be your own boss? Work from home and achieve financial freedom?
This week, we're talking about the original "innovation" that perfected that pitch: the Multi-Level Marketing scheme.
September 27, 2025 at 1:06 PM
1/6
Want to be your own boss? Work from home and achieve financial freedom?
This week, we're talking about the original "innovation" that perfected that pitch: the Multi-Level Marketing scheme.
Want to be your own boss? Work from home and achieve financial freedom?
This week, we're talking about the original "innovation" that perfected that pitch: the Multi-Level Marketing scheme.
1/2
Amazon planned to build a massive data center in Tucson. If built, Project Blue would have threatened the city’s already scarce water supply.
But the community fought back — and won.
Amazon planned to build a massive data center in Tucson. If built, Project Blue would have threatened the city’s already scarce water supply.
But the community fought back — and won.
September 24, 2025 at 1:40 PM
1/2
Amazon planned to build a massive data center in Tucson. If built, Project Blue would have threatened the city’s already scarce water supply.
But the community fought back — and won.
Amazon planned to build a massive data center in Tucson. If built, Project Blue would have threatened the city’s already scarce water supply.
But the community fought back — and won.
1/4
Why does your electricity bill keep going up?
A new neighbor might be part of the problem: the massive data centers powering the AI boom.
Why does your electricity bill keep going up?
A new neighbor might be part of the problem: the massive data centers powering the AI boom.
September 23, 2025 at 2:36 PM
1/4
Why does your electricity bill keep going up?
A new neighbor might be part of the problem: the massive data centers powering the AI boom.
Why does your electricity bill keep going up?
A new neighbor might be part of the problem: the massive data centers powering the AI boom.
1/3
Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer is polluting the air of historically Black neighborhoods in Memphis. Environmental racism meets the AI craze in this new chapter of corporate extraction in Tennessee, and Memphis residents are fighting back.
Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer is polluting the air of historically Black neighborhoods in Memphis. Environmental racism meets the AI craze in this new chapter of corporate extraction in Tennessee, and Memphis residents are fighting back.
September 22, 2025 at 2:21 PM
1/3
Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer is polluting the air of historically Black neighborhoods in Memphis. Environmental racism meets the AI craze in this new chapter of corporate extraction in Tennessee, and Memphis residents are fighting back.
Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer is polluting the air of historically Black neighborhoods in Memphis. Environmental racism meets the AI craze in this new chapter of corporate extraction in Tennessee, and Memphis residents are fighting back.
1/3
Who really benefits from the AI data center boom, and what are we sacrificing in return?
The public narrative is one of inevitable technological progress. But the reality on the ground for many communities is strained energy grids, drained water supplies, and rising utility costs.
Who really benefits from the AI data center boom, and what are we sacrificing in return?
The public narrative is one of inevitable technological progress. But the reality on the ground for many communities is strained energy grids, drained water supplies, and rising utility costs.
September 19, 2025 at 3:32 PM
1/3
Who really benefits from the AI data center boom, and what are we sacrificing in return?
The public narrative is one of inevitable technological progress. But the reality on the ground for many communities is strained energy grids, drained water supplies, and rising utility costs.
Who really benefits from the AI data center boom, and what are we sacrificing in return?
The public narrative is one of inevitable technological progress. But the reality on the ground for many communities is strained energy grids, drained water supplies, and rising utility costs.