picture of Anouk's face

Anouk Ruhaak

I combine my experiences as a community builder, software developer, journalist and political economist to build governance models that enable all of us to control our data and to collectively challenge pervasive power imbalances around data collection and use. I currently research and develop data governance models as a Mozilla Fellow embedded with AlgorithmWatch.


Data Governance


We are recording and storing astronomical amounts of data. Data that could help us make better decisions, allocate resources in socially and environmentally optimal ways and help coordinate our collective actions. For that to happen we need to gain collective control over who collects, accesses and uses data about us. I research new data governance models, as a Mozilla Fellow, working on data trusts. In addition. I founded the Digital Commoners network to further this work and foster collaborations between practioners, academics, technologists, lawyers, communities and other working to create and protect digital commons.

Writings and Talks


I have written and spoken extensively about data governance models, privacy and surveillance.
Sample writings:

Sample talks:

Radical Engineers


Faced with the threat of mass extinction, a warming globe and rising inequality, we cannot afford to merely fight symptoms, but have to instead radically rethink the economic and social systems that produce them. I founded Radical Engineers to provide radical organisations with the technical resources they need to be effective.

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Community


Lasting change happens in collaboration. We need to grow communities of trust that bridge our different social layers and geographies. Communities that allow us to experiment with new forms of governance, economic systems and solidarity. I help build these communities as an ambassador for the Embassy Network, a community of intentional co-living houses and as a fellow at Newspeak House, a college for political technologists.

Want to find out more?
Contact me at hello@anoukruhaak.com