Rewinding the Future HCPP24

Talk presented at Hacker’s Congress Paralelní Polis on 5.10.24. Rewinding the Future: The Cultural Anarchism of Cassettes Abstract Cypherpunks rejoice! We finally have a private, anonymous, and censorship resistant media: the compact cassette. Historically, cassettes have toppled governments, sparked moral panics, and spread subversive messages. But are they still relevant today besides hipster nostalgia? Join me as I recount the transformative history of cassettes, uncovering the parallel societies they have built and explore their modern applications. In today’s age of pervasive surveillance, the portable, offline, and analog nature of cassettes offers a renewed sense of relevance and freedom. I’ll cover cypherpunk applications of cassettes including innovative uses in backups, ecash, steganography, and analog and digital encryption. And just for fun, you will learn how to make tape loops and DIY sound on sound recording as well. So, get ready to press record and learn how analog recording can aid us in the fight for self-sovereignty and freedom. Call 1-877-BIT-LOFI and leave crazy messages on a real cassette! How to get a physical tape: Mail a postcard with your return address to P.O. Box 273029 Fort Collins, CO 80525 I will mail you the tape for free when the issue is out. You return the value with your time, talent, or treasure. I thank you by adding your name/nym to the jcard (if you provide it).