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World Congress 2024 • Aug 20, 2024 • Session details

Opening Keynote: Civic Coding, A Framework for Democratic Tech

David Simas

From the Obama White House to the era of deepfakes, one truth emerges: technology is ethically neutral. Discover how civic coding empowers engineers to become true developers of democracy.

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#1 about 3 min

Immigrant roots and lessons from the West Wing

Reflecting on personal history and public service demonstrates the importance of remembering one's community and responsibilities.

#2 about 4 min

Centering daily work on human needs and empathy

Reading letters from struggling individuals grounds daily work in the real-world needs of regular people over political prestige.

#3 about 4 min

Navigating societal disruption and technological transformation

Economic dislocation, cultural shifts, and instantaneous information overload drive polarization that professionals must actively address.

#4 about 3 min

Defining civic code and democratic responsibility in technology

Because technology lacks inherent ethics, software creators must embed democratic principles and civic responsibility into their work.

#5 about 2 min

Practicing leadership of self through humility and awareness

Interrogating personal biases and maintaining intellectual humility allows professionals to discover optimal solutions without ego interference.

#6 about 2 min

Embracing diversity and shared expertise for team leadership

Effective collaboration requires an openness to opposing viewpoints and the wisdom to defer to others' expertise.

#7 about 2 min

Applying leadership to serve the broader public good

Prioritizing community resilience and interdependence equips the tech industry to combat destabilizing forces like deepfakes and misinformation.

#8 about 7 min

Stepping up as developers of democracy and society

Personal stories of policy impact and presidential gratitude underscore the crucial role of tech professionals in upholding democratic values.

Matching moments

3:58 min

The ethical and civic responsibilities of software engineers

Constantijn van Oranje Constantijn van Oranje +3 · WWC 2024

2:23 min

Tech leadership responsibility to rebuild society

Phil Bennett · WWC 2021

4:09 min

Overcoming introversion and conflict avoidance in tech leadership

Sumit Gupta · JS Congress

1:04 min

Required leadership skills for modern technology transitions

Annabella Bassler Annabella Bassler +3 · WWC Europe 2026

2:00 min

Speaker background and current technology implementations

Manjuri Sinha Manjuri Sinha · WWC 2025

2:34 min

Prioritizing societal impact and responsibility in software development

Yiyang Lu Yiyang Lu · WWC Europe 2026

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