El Mobile Social Congress 2026 in Barcelona arrives in the neighborhood of Sant Andreu as the critical alternative to the city's major technology conference. For three days, the event organized by the SETEM Foundation It will bring together talks, workshops and debates on technology, digital decolonization, extractivism, techno-feudalism y community resistance, with activities in the Canòdrom, The Nau Bostic and also in format online, with free registration.
El Mobile Social Congress (MSC) It is a social and technological event held in Barcelona and that It has no relation to the Mobile World Congress.
Mobile Social Congress 2026: the B side of Mobile in Sant Andreu
El Mobile Social Congress convert Sant Andreu at the epicenter of the critical technologyThree days of talks, workshops, and debates on techno-feudalism, extractivism y global justice far from the spotlight of the big official congress.
What is the Mobile Social Congress?
El Mobile Social Congress (MSC) It is an annual event that offers a critical look at the global technological model. Unlike the Mobile World Congress, the MSC is not a trade fair, but a space for reflection on:
- social and environmental impact of technology,
- digital rights,
- extractivism and supply chains,
- technological colonialism,
- community resistance,
- global justice.
Its aim is to open up debates that are usually left out of major technology conferences.
How Congress Works
Talks and round tables
Experts, activists, and organizations analyze topics such as:
- mining for the manufacture of devices,
- biases in artificial intelligence,
- digital surveillance,
- data centers and energy consumption.
Decolonizing technology: voices you won't hear at MWC
Activists, communities, and collectives question the power of the Big Tech and the impact of the dominant digital model. A space to talk about technological decolonization y digital rights.
Workshops and practical activities
Participatory spaces for:
- learn ethical digital tools,
- to understand how Big Tech works,
- explore community alternatives.
Screenings and discussions
Documentaries and discussions on global justice, human rights and technology.
Free entry: sign up for the Mobile Social Congress
El Mobile Social Congress 2026 offers free activities in the Canòdrom, The Nau Bostic and in online format. Open enrollment.
Theme 2026: “Let’s decolonize technology”
This year's edition revolves around the idea of decolonize technologywith special attention to:
- el extractivism in countries of the Global South,
- el techno-feudalism and the concentration of power,
- labor exploitation in the production chain,
- the community resistance that propose alternative models.
Where is celebrated
The MSC 2026 is divided between three spaces:
- Canòdrom – University of Digital and Democratic Innovation (Sant Andreu)
- Nau Bostic (La Sagrera / Sant Andreu)
- online activities
The district of Sant Andreu It thus becomes the center of critical technological reflection in Barcelona.
Why is this important for Barcelona?
The Mobile Social Congress offers a perspective that complements and challenges the dominant discourse of MWC. Its value lies in:
- to give a voice to communities affected by the technology industry,
- to make invisible impacts visible,
- promote ethical alternatives,
- connecting the local with the global,
- to foster critical digital citizenship.
FAQs
It's free? Yes, all activities are free.
Do I need to register? Yes, but only to control capacity.
Is it an alternative event to MWC? Yes, but it doesn't compete: it offers a critical and social perspective.
Can I attend only one activity? Yes, the program is modular.
El Mobile Social Congress 2026 It's a unique opportunity to understand technology from a social, critical, and community perspective. An event that invites reflection, debate, and the development of alternatives from Barcelona and the surrounding neighborhood. Sant Andreu.
