“Beyond the Valley: The Challenges and Promises of a People-Centered Internet”by Ramesh SrinivasanAbstract: The past 20 years have profound the impact is of digital technologies to connect our world. What we may not have expected is how these technologies did not shape ‘connectivity’ but became so central in everyday life. From our economic systems to how we receive news, to how we automate the future, technological intermediaries have interwoven themselves into everyday life, not just in the West but across the world. But in whose image are these forms of connectivity created, and how can we ensure that there is appropriate balance between the values we aspire toward as human-beings with the ways we build and design such systems? This talk will be a sneak preview of some material from Srinivasan’s third book, which is built upon research conducted with leading figures in politics, economics, and culture/across the world. Srinivasan will share insights around how our future is being shaped by the decisions we make with technology right here and now.