About the Series
Our lives are constantly influenced in new ways through social media, AI, and other technology. The Facing the Future series brings experts from around the world to Mid-Continent Public Library to share forward-thinking insights on navigating the ever-changing landscape of emerging technologies.
Previous speakers have included author Cory Doctorow (Enshittification), The New York Times tech reporter and author Kashmir Hill (Your Face Belongs to Us), and former Minister of Digital Affairs of Taiwan Audrey Tang.
Digital Innovation
Explore emerging technologies and the role they play in our everyday lives.
MCPL Online
Browse MCPL's digital collections including eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, eMovies, and eMusic!
Facing the Future: Cory Doctorow
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Enshittification
Enshittification
Antitrust
Antitrust
Technofeudalism
Technofeudalism
The Age of Extraction
The Age of Extraction
Move Fast and Break Things
Move Fast and Break Things
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Careless People
Careless People
The Everything War
The Everything War
Character Limit
Character Limit
The Internet Con
The Internet Con
The Bezzle
The Bezzle
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Past Facing the Future Speakers
Ruby Tandoh
Ruby Tandoh
MCPL hosted a conversation with author and The Great British Bake Off contestant Ruby Tandoh and Jill Silva, longtime food editor for The Kansas City Star, exploring how the internet has changed the way we think about and consume food.
Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow
Cory Doctorow joined MCPL to discuss how social media, software programs, large online retailers, and many other integral parts of our lives have slowly become inferior products by design and ways we can combat this degradation.
Kyle Chayka
Kyle Chayka
Author and New York Times staff writer, Kyle Chayka joined MCPL to discuss how algorithms influence and flatten culture—from the books we read, to the movies we watch, to the restaurants we eat at.
Audrey Tang
Audrey Tang
Taiwan's first Minister of Digital Affairs, Audrey Tang, joined MCPL to discuss how technology can enhance, rather than undermine, democracy when misinformation, propaganda, and polarization feel like the global norm.
Kashmir Hill
Kashmir Hill
The New York Times tech reporter and author, Kashmir Hill joined MCPL for a discussion about the ethics of emerging technologies.
Tobias Rose-Stockwell
Tobias Rose-Stockwell
Tobias Rose-Stockwell joined MCPL to discuss how digital advancements are shaping our perceptions, relationships, and personal identities.