The Modern protester believes connectivity is a basic human right.
The future of technology in protest looks dark. The hyper-militarization of law enforcement has become widespread as global governments attempt to suppress dissent and monitor their citizens. There is a huge disparity between the amount of technologies used by the authorities and the technologies available to protesters and activists during protests and riots.
Backslash explores the colorful global culture of dissent and challenges the role of technology in protests of the future. The project critically examines current parameters to expose the imbalance, implant questions and start a conversation about the tense relationship between technology and protest.
In future protests, how will the underground fight back?
The Kit - Survival gear for future protestors
The Backslash kit is a collection of functional devices designed and built to facilitate safe and effective communication in areas of conflict.
Could we develop devices to help activists communicate during a network blackout or to aid protesters in avoiding conflict with the authorities? The Backslash kit is a collection of fully functional devices that explores existing and accessible technology in novel and unconventional ways. They stand to provide a strong argument for the necessary debate about the role of technology in protests.
The kit includes a range of devices developed after extensive research of diverse protest conditions around the world: A fast deployment router, a wearable that can notify others blocks before entering a conflict area, or a way to keep your phone from being track and identified. This is just the start.