Cory Doctorow: Ensh***tification

Canadian-British author, journalist, blogger and digital-rights commentator Cory Doctorow examines how the early internet’s utopian promise gave way to online platforms that increasingly work against their users. He maps the systems and incentives behind that decline and considers what it might take to reclaim a more open, useful and democratic digital future. Doctorow will be joined by host Professor Lisa M Given, Director of RMIT University’s Centre for Human-AI Information Environments. The conversation is designed for readers, technology professionals, students, policy audiences and anyone interested in the social, political and economic forces shaping the internet. The event takes place on Tuesday 25 August 2026 from 7pm to 8:30pm at The Capitol, 113 Swanston Street, Melbourne. General admission is advertised at $52. Book through the official Wheeler Centre ticket page; prices and availability should be confirmed when booking. Accessibility features reported for the event include mobility access, accessible toilets, assisted listening, Auslan interpretation, Companion Card acceptance and admission for service animals. For ticketing or access assistance, contact the Wheeler Centre on 03 9094 7800 or ticketing@wheelercentre.com.