Joana Moll brings to the surface the material and political infrastructures of the internet. Because the internet is no weightless cloud, nor the glossy, transparent infrastructure suggested by the interfaces through which we communicate with it. The cloud consumes enormous energy resources and carries profound political implications: when we are connected, we are often the product, and the data we generate is worth millions and makes us vulnerable. Her projects have led her to investigate in depth the mechanisms of surveillance capitalism and the real energy cost of the internet. Remember Carbolytics, presented at Sónar+D CCCB in 2021: in collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Moll analysed one million websites to calculate the energy cost of advertising cookies (surprise: it ends up on our electricity bill).

This past year, Joana Moll has been awarded the Premi Ciutat de Barcelona in the Digital Culture category for the project The User and the Beast, a performative and interactive lecture that traces the history of telecommunications and that (no spoilers) leaves the audience speechless. Don't wait for someone to tell you about it: come to Sónar+D and experience it in person.