Ep. 6 – “Stay safe Ezra” — Disconnected in 2050

Scene 1

ADRIEN
You hungry ? Wanna eat something?
I have only some bread left…
But it’s not bad.
I make it myself !
EZRA
I’m fine thanks.
ADRIEN
Suit Yourself.
EZRA
So, you were talking about public Institutions..?
OLD ADRIEN
Well, recessions became so intense and so frequent that, long story short,
States ended up being bailed out by Infinity.
It might seem crazy but even in the 2020s… wait listen to this, it’s from the
same interview with Martin Cronell
Scene 2
MARTIN CRONELL
“ Si on remonte derrière, sur un niveau qui est encore plus haut, sur des
niveaux étatiques. Et bien on se retrouve à avoir des entreprises qui ont des
simili de fonctions régaliennes, notamment sur la liberté d'expression, par
exemple sur des possibilités de censure ou d'absence de censure, sur des
possibilités de modes de fonctionnement qui qui ne vont pas forcément dans
le sens de ce qui est fait traditionnellement, qui ont des pouvoirs financiers qui
rivalisent avec des pays. Si on prend le chiffre d'affaire des GAFAM, c'est plus
gros que le PIB d'une bonne partie des pays en voie de développement.

Donc, est ce qu'on a vraiment envie d'avoir des entreprises privées qui sont
financièrement plus puissantes que certains pays ?”
Scene 3
ADRIEN
The distinction between the private and public sector got blurrier until it was
almost non-existent.
Regulation laws were dismantled.
Progressively allowing Infinity to complete its perfect hegemony.

(we can hear some “boom”, sacha is knocking their head on the table

SACHA
I’m good !
ADRIEN
What in heaven’s name are you doing up there?
Actually, scratch that, I don’t want to know.
SACHA
It’s nothing… just trying out stuff…
EZRA
But there must have been some resistance from the public, no ?
ADRIEN
Of course, even before Infinity came along, there was some defiance.
In the 2020s I met with all kinds of people from civil society who were actively
pushing for alternatives to Big tech.
Listen:
[zaps repeatedly]
Scene 4
YOUNG ADRIEN (still acoustic)
Hi André, thank you so much for taking the time.
Could you please start by introducing yourself for the recording ?

Andre (00:08)
I'm Andre. I live in Graz (for about ten years). I came here from my studies
and I began studying audio engineering (…) – And this always has been on
my mind at the moment. There's no way around YouTube and all those
platforms.
Andre (00:47)
On the onset of the Corona pandemic where we were sitting at home and we
had some time to figure some stuff out, I found an instance of those fediverse
platforms like under the name Graz Social (…)
ADRIEN
Okay…sorry, you said Fediverse, what’s that ?
Andre (02:00)
Yeah, the Fediverse I think put it down in a nutshell is like the sum of all
Federated social media or publishing platforms which are interconnected,
mostly server by server, but also possible from client or users to servers. So
Facebook and Co is not part of it at least yet (…)
ADRIEN
So it would mean that
Like it doesn't really matter where you have your account.(…). Just like for
emails, For example if I have a Signal account, I can still send a message to
someone on their Whatsapp. So you could look for the platform where you
feel most comfortable for making your account without the factor of who’s on
what platform.
Scene 5
SACHA
Sorry to interrupt… have you seen my screwdriver ?
ADRIEN
Yes…in the freezer…
Don’t open the freezer !
I put it back where it belongs…
The drawer Sacha ! (he opens a drawer and give it to sacha)

SACHA
Thanks… (he leaves and start working again)
ADRIEN
As a journalist, what I couldn’t wrap my head around was that you had all
those people working for alternative platforms, alternative online services, for
defending human digital rights.
But they were still very much unnoticed.
The public just seemed animated by a sense of fatalism.
Like there was nothing they could do about it.
ADRIEN
That’s what gave birth to my work on this topic – all those interviews I made.
I wanted to say : hey we do have a choice and we shouldn’t accept this drift of
the Internet to go on any further.
We shouldn’t let big tech companies be so powerful that they can…
Well and then you know what happened.
In the early 30s, before the revolution was completed, There was a wave of
protests and some attempts to save the democratic system and to bring
Infinity down.
The biggest civil-organisation at that time was led by Cy.
Ever heard of her ?
EZRA
No, I don’t think so.
ADRIEN
We made a lot of noise for a while and…
EZRA
And ?
ADRIEN
And… And now I need another drink…
(Pause) – We hear Adrian walking, after the loooong talk he is thirsty and gets
a glass of scotch.

——

EZRA
So what happened ?
ADRIEN
Then… (ominous voice) they came for us.
Authorities repressing opponents in a more or less legal way, that was not
new but…
Nothing like what happened then.
Infinity amongst all of its endless resources, offered a security service.
Patrol drones, defence drones…
So that came in handy to control crowds during protests.
It soon became way too dangerous to occupy the streets.
But they didn’t stop there.
Facial recognition, behaviour prediction, all of those so-called security
technologies developed in the last decades, it suddenly showed its true face.
All opponents to Infinity, or even those with political ideas that they disliked,
All tracked down.
Sent, god knows where.
Only some of us escaped their attention.
And here I am…

[pours himself another drink / turns up the volume of the music]

EZRA
Adrien, You need to talk about this !
ADRIEN
What now ?
EZRA
Everything you just told me !
They can’t prevent you from telling people the truth –
ADRIEN
Stop, stop, stop…
Look at me.
Do I look like a fucking influencer to you ?

EZRA
A what ?
ADRIEN
(angry) I don’t know how you call them now !
I mean that I don’t have an Infinity account and there’s a reason why.
See how easy it was for you to find me !?
How long do you think it would take the police if I give them reasons to start
looking for me.
EZRA
But it’s the only way you can raise awareness around the issue.
You can’t just stay here in your cave, keeping this to yourself.
—–
SACHA
There, take this…
EZRA
What’s that ?
SACHA
An old computer from back in the 20s.
ADRIEN
My computer to be exact, what do you think you’re doing ?
SACHA
You never use it anymore, what good is it here ?
Plus I’ve cracked it – it’s as safe as it gets.
There you go kiddo there’s all kinds of material on it.
Enough to get you on speed on everything you need to know.
EZRA
And this ?
SACHA
That old thing wasn’t used much in our time either,
That’s a map of the city.

Stay clear of those Infinity maps okay ?
If… when you’ll need a place to hide, someone to help, you’ll find your
answers on this map.
Go on take it…
EZRA
Adrien?
ADRIEN
It’s okay…if you want it, it’s your
They’re right : I don’t have any use for it anymore.
I’ve done my share.
Unlike Cy, I don't believe anything can be done anymore.
So I’ll let you agitate yourself whilst you still have the energy.
After a few years, you’ll get tired anyhow.
ADRIEN
But listen :
Use Infinity as little as possible, just enough so that they don’t ID you as
suspicious.
Don’t mention our name – don’t mention any of the people on here in Infinity
You don’t realise yet how much they know.
SASHA:
(pause) Also, stop with the scooter okay – they track all your movements.
If ever you… if ever you need to hide somewhere, look for the black stones.
ADRIEN:
Please, stay safe.
[Door slams]
Scene 6
EZRA (studio-voice)
And that’s how I entered the rabbit hole.
So what’s it gonna be for you ?
Want to continue ?