RightsCon Toronto 2018

Does civic tech as a movement have values? If so what are they? What is the future of civic tech? Is it around for the long-term? Will it eventually make itself obsolete? Is civic tech even a useful term? Is it different in different places, and does it matter if so? What is the desired impact of civic tech? Is it having that impact? How can civic tech be used to strengthen the relationship between civil society and government?

These are just some of the questions we'll explore in this exciting session about the state of civic tech as part of both government and civil society. Bringing together speakers with perspectives that are local to Toronto, national to Canada, and global (with a focus on megacities around the world), this session will provide a rich space to explore some of the pressing issues facing the future of the civic tech movement specifically and more generally, civil society, government, and the interplay between them. The speakers will discuss these questions together then in collaboration with the audience through Q&A and dialogue.

We would like to identify some of the common threads that are being seen in Toronto, across Canada, and globally around this topic in order to bring civic tech into the broader conversation about civil society's changing role and relationship with government. We'll also seek to build connections and bridges between the local, national and international organizations and voices working on these issues. Expect a dynamic, thought-provoking session bringing a multidisciplinary set of speakers together for the first time!