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On a Sunday evening in NYC’s East Village, hundreds of people gather in front of a giant papier-mâché face of a woman wearing a crown. She’s the backdrop of a play, which is one of the opening events of a modern Luddite festival.

The Summer of Ludd is a weeklong series of talks and activities like how to flirt and date offline, mending, and learning to fight against data centers, all focused on getting people off their phones and into community. The rules? Be present, and absolutely no phones, recording, or photos allowed.

Gowanus, a media puppet acting as the organizers’ spokesperson, said in a press conference: “We believe that the event is the medium to enact social change, where people can meet up in physical space. [...] We are striving to create an event that defies consumption.” www.wired.com/story/inside...

For staoue, a festival attendee, stepping back from social media translated into greater engagement in the world offline, particularly through attending more protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. www.wired.com/story/inside...

Andrew Maynard, a professor of advanced technology transitions at Arizona State University, doubts the Summer of Ludd will move the needle in a substantial way. Still, he says, “the questions a movement like this raises are critically important.”