8:00pm, Saturday Oct 25 at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa — "Remember when the internet was young and alive, vibrant and accessible and free? Cory Doctorow does, and he knows what’s gone wrong—and he sees a way forward. This is a magnificent book." - James Gleick

EVENT DESCRIPTION At last, a word has been coined that encapsulates our modern era, that eloquently sums up the pressing issues of our times: Enshittification. The term—which creator Cory Doctorow describes as a diagnosis about the state of exploitative online services, and the disheartening digital world as a whole—resonated so strongly that the American Dialect Society named it the 2023 Word of the Year, and it was cited as an inspiration for the 2025 season of Black Mirror. With incisive urgency as well as humour, Doctorow will speak with author and political commentator David Moscrop about how we reached this point, and what we can collectively do to move beyond hopelessness about our enshittified fate, and back toward the optimism promised by the earliest days of the internet.  Presented in partnership with Raincoast Books.  ACCESSIBILITY INFO We do our best to make our events low-barrier, accessible experiences for our community. If you have accessibility needs or questions, please reach out to our Festival Box Office by emailing boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca or phoning 778-658-0462, Mon - Thurs 11am - 3pm.  We have not arranged for this event to include ASL interpretation. However, we invite you to request it with at least two weeks notice by contacting our box office. For more information about accessibility at the Vancouver Writers Fest, including specific information about this venue, please click here to be redirected to our website. BOX OFFICE INFO This event is in-person. Details are subject to change. Check out our Box Office Info for more information. For phone sales and technical assistance, please call Showpass support at 1 (844) 307-7469. Mon - Fri: 8am - 6pmSat and Sun: 9am - 6pm We offer no exchanges or refunds except if an event is cancelled. Check your order carefully before you click Pay. View all upcoming events