On December 28, 2025, Dr. Marco Wähner, research associate in the “Research Data & Methods” department at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS), will give a talk in the Science Track of the 39th Chaos Communication Congress (39C3). Under the title “In the Long Run, Only Power Helps: Challenges for Decentralized Networks from a Sociological Perspective,” he will speak from 4:35 pm to 5:15 pm in the Fuse Hall. His talk will be recorded.
About the Talk
In his talk, Dr. Marco Wähner examines the challenges of decentralized networks from a sociological perspective. Decentralized networks are understood as technical infrastructures that are not provided by a central authority but are distributed across multiple instances. Users benefit from such networks – for example, the Fediverse or the Tor network – without contributing to the provision of the infrastructure themselves. At the same time, these networks depend on substantial resources that must be mobilized by individuals or organizations. This results in a fundamental instability of decentralized networks unless the commodification of user behavior is pursued.
Against this backdrop, the talk discusses the conditions under which collective goods such as decentralized networks can be sustainably secured on an organizational level rather than primarily through technical means. Topics include models of participation and the idea of public basic funding. In addition to sociological approaches and empirical data, the talk is also shaped by questions of sovereignty and autonomy in the context of digitalization.
About the Event
The 39th Chaos Communication Congress will take place in Hamburg from December 27 to 30, 2025. The four-day event on technology, society, and utopia is organized by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) together with volunteer helpers. This year’s congress is held under the motto “Power Cycles”. The program includes numerous talks, workshops, and other formats covering a wide range of topics, with a particular focus on information technology. The congress is also characterized by a critical and creative engagement with technology and discussions of the societal impacts of technological progress.
More information about the talk by Marco Wähner:
https://events.ccc.de/congress/2025/hub/de/event/detail/auf-die-dauer-hilft-nur-power-herausforderungen-fur-dezentrale-netzwerke-aus-sicht-der-soziologie
More information about the congress can be found on the website:
https://events.ccc.de/congress/2025/infos/startpage.html