Disruptive Communication: Privacy, Autonomy, and the Technology of Speaking Freely

Speaker: Dr. Tiffany Ford

From phone phreakers cracking AT&T in the 1960s to mesh networks that route around censorship today, this session traces the rebellious technology behind private, decentralized communication. We'll examine the history and evolution of systems built outside institutional control, covering everything from Phrack magazine and the Cypherpunk movement to HAM radio and Meshtastic. Along the way, we'll explore why every IT and cybersecurity professional needs to understand where these tools came from, how they work, and what it means to build infrastructure that no one else owns.