Presentation & Expert Roundtable: 'From Software to Society — Openness in a changing world’

    Invitation

    The idea of openness has had a decisive influence on the digital age. Whether open source software, open standards or freely licensed content — many foundations are based on principles of accessibility, participation and transparency. Openness, understood as free access, free use, modification and sharing of knowledge, has established itself as a driver of innovation and social progress. However, despite all its successes, the concept of openness seems to be going through a crisis. Between political appropriation, economic instrumentalisation and technological upheaval, the concept of openness is coming under increasing pressure and threatens to become diluted. The reasons for this include contradictory definitions, the enormous concentration of power in a few tech companies, geopolitical tensions and internal conflicts in openness communities.

    The new study From Software to Society: Openness in a changing world by Dr. Henriette Litta and Peter Bihr takes stock and looks to the future: What does openness mean in the digital age? Is the concept still up to date? The study traces the development of openness and analyses current challenges. It is based on interviews with experts and extensive literature research.

    In this conversation, we will bring together senior members of the Open Knowledge Network from different continents and contexts to discuss the findings and recommendations of the study. Does the concept of openness have the same meaning everywhere? Can we learn lessons from local practices in defending openness and the digital commons?

    Event details

    🗓️ 12 June 2025
    🕒 12:00 CEST (10:00 UTC)
    📍 Online

    Registration

    Register now to receive the call link (and the event recording later).

    Speakers

    Renata Ávila, CEO, Open Knowledge Foundation, Guatemala/UK
    Peter Bihr, Independent advisor and researcher, Germany
    Nurunnaby Chowdhury, Journalist and Activist, Bangladesh
    Hille Hinsberg, Board Member, Open Knowledge, Estonia
    Dr. Henriette Litta, Executive Director, Open Knowledge Foundation, Germany
    Oluseun Onigbinde, Director, BudgIT, Nigeria

    Speaker

    Biographies

    Renata Ávila

    Renata Ávila (Guatemalan), CEO of Open Knowledge Foundation, is an international Human Rights lawyer specialising in the next wave of technological challenges to preserve and advance our rights and better understand the politics of data and their implications on trade, democracy and society. She is an Affiliate with the Center for Internet and Society at CNRS in France. She has been writing about Digital Colonialism since 2013 and was a fellow at the Stanford Institute of Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI). @avilarenata

    Peter Bihr

    Peter Bihr is a senior advisor at the intersections of tech, policy, public interest & philanthropy. Working with philanthropic foundations, non-profits and public sector, his focus is on how emerging technologies can benefit society. The through-line of his career has been to understand and shape how digital technology changes power dynamics, and to strengthen democracy and digital rights. In addition to working as a consultant, Peter served as Interim Director for the European AI & Society Fund. He served as special advisor to Stiftung Mercator’s Center for Digital Society. Peter co-founded ThingsCon e.V., a non-profit that advocates for responsible Internet of Things practices and was Executive Director of the independent consultancy The Waving Cat GmbH. His projects, ideas and antics have been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, SPIEGEL, The Guardian, ZDF, ZEIT and many other publications. His work has been shown at London Design Festival, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Fuori Salone. He blogs at thewavingcat.com.

    Nurunnaby Chowdhury

    Nurunnaby Chowdhury has been a journalist in Bangladesh for over a decade. He is an active supporter of the Open Movement and has been deeply involved with organizations like Wikipedia, Creative Commons and Open Knowledge Foundation for many years. Since 2006, he has contributed to various projects, including Open Source, Open Data, Open Education, Open GLAM, Open Science, Math, Science, Programming Olympiad. Nurunnaby is also the author of five published books and is working with the Centre for Open Knowledge (COK). He has extensive experience in digital initiatives, communication and related activities.

    Hille Hinsberg

    Consulting on governance in digital society: how to connect technology, regulations and organizations to create value and manage change. Innovation with data, design with users, open and accountable government principles. She is coaching teams of public officials who design person-centric services. Hille is supporting organizations design efficient governance processes and (digital) public services. With 15+ yrs of experience as a policy analyst, impact evaluation expert and digital transformation consultant, she has worked for the government, a non-profit think tank, the Open Government Partnership global network, and the OECD. She has Master´s Degree in Technology Governance and Digital Transformation. Hille is an active enthusiast of open government, open source technology and data re-use, being founder and board member of Open Knowledge Estonia.

    Dr. Henriette Litta

    Henriette Litta is Managing Director of the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany. The organisation was founded in 2011 with the goals to strengthen digital sovereignty of citizens, to enable democratic participation and to support an ethical approach to technology for the common good. Among other things, OKF is running Germany’s only open source fund for software prototypes (the Prototype Fund), has created Germany’s most comprehensive coding program for young people (Jugend hackt), and is heading Europe’s most influential freedom of information platform (FragDenStaat). OKF’s work focuses on the topics Transparency, Civic Tech and Open Education and is part of a global network of Open Knowledge organizations. Henriette regularly serves on diverse advisory boards of governments and civil society organizations in the field of digital transformation. She studied political science in Berlin, Philadelphia and Singapore.

    Oluseun Onigbinde

    Olusuen is a prominent figure in Nigeria’s civic realm, co-founding the organization to bolster fiscal transparency and institutional accountability. Garnering accolades such as the Ashoka Fellowship and the Quartz Africa 30 Innovators Award, he has presented at esteemed venues like Chatham House and the Skoll Foundation Summit. Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2023, Oluseun serves on various boards and advisory committees, including the Cost of Governance Reform Committee and the ONE Africa Policy Advisory Board. With a background in engineering and executive education from Stanford University, he tirelessly advocates for transparency and efficiency in Nigeria’s public sector. Oluseun Onigbinde is an expert in adapting technologies to transform civic experiences, including the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Oluseun holds a Masters Degree in International Policy and Practice at George Washington University.