unfork
Manifesto Docs 2026

Version 0.1-preview
A Living Document for Freedom Technology Gatherings

Summary

Unfork is a community-driven conference model for bringing together principled users and developers committed to individual sovereignty, privacy, and decentralization. This gathering explores the technical, philosophical, and practical foundations for building autonomous systems outside centralized control.

1. Pillars

(1) Sovereign Infrastructure

Mesh networks, self-hosting, Tor/I2P/mixnets, DNS alternatives, 3D printing, off-grid power, censorship-resistant routing, convivial tools

Building the foundational layer for autonomy and resilience—technology that operates without dependence on centralized providers or institutional infrastructure.

(2) Sovereign Economics

Bitcoin, privacy currencies, mutual aid networks, cooperative economics, prediction markets, self-custody, agorism, solidarity economies, gift networks

Censorship-resistant economic systems and financial autonomy that enable exchange and value creation outside traditional financial institutions.

(3) Sovereign Communication & Identity

Nostr, ActivityPub, AT Protocol, E2E encrypted messaging, P2P architectures, DIDs, pseudonymity strategies, federated systems

Decentralized social networks and self-sovereign identity systems that allow communication and coordination without intermediaries.

(4) Sovereign Knowledge

Censorship-resistant publishing, shadow libraries, decentralized search, information preservation, community knowledge, alternative education

Preserving and sharing information without centralized gatekeepers—ensuring knowledge remains accessible regardless of institutional approval.

(5) Anti-Institutional Principles

Cypherpunk manifesto, crypto-anarchism, anarcho-capitalism, agorism, autonomism, left-libertarianism, do-ocracy, forkability, creative deviance

The ideological foundations driving sovereign technology—diverse philosophical traditions united by commitment to individual autonomy and resistance to centralized control.

(6) Security & Privacy

Threat modeling, opsec practices, cryptographic tools, surveillance resistance, privacy-enhancing technologies

Operational security and cryptographic techniques for protection against surveillance, coercion, and control.

(7) Coordination Without Hierarchy

DAOs, do-ocracy, consensus mechanisms, community organizing, fluid organization, peer coordination, collective intelligence, temporary structures, exit over voice

Organizing without centralized authority—demonstrating that coordination doesn’t require hierarchy or permanent institutions.

(8) Parallel Structures & Creative Practice

Hackerspaces, maker culture, DIY ethics, experimental art, community workshops, autonomous zones, creative deviance, strange projects

Building parallel institutions and fostering sovereign communities through hands-on creation, experimentation, and cultural practice.

2. The Essence of Unfork

2.1 The Problem

Contemporary tech conferences have become exercises in corporate theater:

  • Pay-to-play dynamics where companies buy stages for product pitches
  • Sponsorship capture that dictates content and constrains conversation
  • Artificial hierarchies that contradict principles of decentralization
  • Sterile convention centers isolated from actual communities
  • Surveillance as default with photography, tracking, and data harvesting normalized
  • Credentialism over merit where “known names” circulate while new builders struggle for attention
  • Theory over practice with endless panels about “the future” but little working code

For those building freedom technology—tools for sovereignty, privacy, and resistance to control—these conferences fail to embody the values they claim to represent.

2.2 Core Principle: Embody Your Values

Unfork conferences don’t just talk about decentralization, privacy, and sovereignty—they demonstrate these principles through every organizational choice:

  • If we value decentralization, we organize through do-ocracy, not hierarchical committees
  • If we value privacy, we protect attendees through radical privacy measures, not surveillance
  • If we value sovereignty, we reject corporate sponsorship and financial gatekeeping
  • If we value open source, we make all conference infrastructure forkable and transparent
  • If we value community, we create spaces for spontaneous collaboration, not scheduled networking sessions
  • If we value merit, we evaluate ideas and code, not credentials and marketing budgets

The conference itself is a demonstration—proof that alternative models work.

2.3 Anti-Institutional Architecture

Unfork operates outside traditional institutional frameworks:

No Corporate Sponsors - Independence from companies that might compromise principles or steer conversation toward commercial interests.

No Commercial Activity - No vendor booths, no sales pitches, no exhibition halls. This is a space for knowledge sharing, not customer acquisition.

No Artificial Hierarchy - No VIP tickets, no exclusive areas, no special access. Everyone participates as equals.

No Centralized Control - Do-ocratic organization where contributors earn decision-making authority through actual work.

No Privacy Theater - Radical privacy protections that actually work, not policies that exist on paper while surveillance happens in practice.

This isn’t about purity—it’s about alignment. When organizing structures match stated values, different outcomes become possible.

2.4 Practical Sovereignty Focus

Every pillar, every session, every workshop demonstrates working implementations of sovereign technology:

  • Infrastructure you can run yourself - Mesh networks, self-hosting, anonymity networks
  • Economics you control - Bitcoin, privacy currencies, mutual aid, cooperative models
  • Communication without intermediaries - Nostr, Matrix, federated systems, encrypted messaging
  • Knowledge without gatekeepers - Censorship-resistant publishing, shadow libraries, decentralized search
  • Philosophy that informs practice - Cypherpunk principles, crypto-anarchism, individual sovereignty, creative deviance
  • Security you can implement - Threat modeling, opsec, cryptographic tools
  • Coordination without rulers - DAOs, consensus mechanisms, alternative organization
  • Parallel structures as practice - Hackerspaces, mutual aid, autonomous zones, experimental culture

The focus is always: Does it work? Can you deploy it? Will it resist capture?

3. Organizational Principles

3.1 Do-ocracy

Authority comes from contribution, not position:

  • Those who do the work make decisions within their domain
  • Initiative and execution earn decision-making power
  • No central committee controlling everything
  • Conflicts resolved through discussion among active contributors
  • Transparent processes allow others to fork and do differently

This prevents bureaucratic capture while enabling rapid, effective action.

3.2 Fork-Friendly

Everything is designed to be copied, modified, and improved:

  • All infrastructure code is open source
  • Organizational documents are forkable
  • No trademarks or legal barriers to running similar events
  • Learnings shared publicly
  • Explicit encouragement to take the model and build your own version

If you disagree with decisions, don’t argue endlessly—fork it and prove your approach works better.

3.3 Privacy by Default

Privacy is not optional or added later—it’s fundamental:

  • Minimal identity requirements for participation
  • Photography and recording restricted to protect attendees
  • No surveillance systems or tracking infrastructure
  • Encrypted communication channels
  • Pseudonymity and anonymity explicitly supported
  • Privacy measures explained transparently

This protects whistleblowers, activists, privacy advocates, and anyone who values pseudonymity.

3.4 Radical Transparency

Within the bounds of privacy protection, everything is open:

  • Budgets published
  • Decisions documented
  • Conflicts discussed publicly
  • Organizing conversations happen in public channels
  • No backroom deals or hidden agendas

Transparency enables accountability and allows others to learn from both successes and failures.

4. Venue Philosophy

4.1 Urban, Accessible, Alive

No convention centers on city outskirts. Instead:

  • Urban spaces with character and history
  • Accessible via public transit
  • Integrated into actual communities
  • Multiple connected venues creating intimacy
  • Spaces that feel human, not corporate

The venue choice itself makes a statement about values.

4.2 Hacker Infrastructure

The space is equipped for doing, not just listening:

  • Hackerspaces throughout with tools for spontaneous building
  • Fabrication equipment for physical sovereignty (3D printers, electronics workbenches)
  • Network infrastructure demonstrating sovereign technology (mesh networks coordinating the venue)
  • Quiet zones for focused work
  • Collaboration areas for impromptu discussions

Attendees can start hacking immediately, test ideas in real-time, and build together.

4.3 Community as Infrastructure

Rather than hired services and commercial vendors:

  • Self-organized food - Open community kitchens where people cook together
  • Assembly spaces - Self-organized communities around projects and interests
  • Tool libraries - Shared resources accessible to all
  • Skill-sharing areas - Peer-to-peer teaching and learning

The venue facilitates community building, not passive consumption.

5. Content Principles

5.1 Bullshit-Free Zone

No tolerance for:

  • Marketing speak disguised as technical content
  • Vaporware presentations about future products
  • Empty promises without working implementations
  • Product pitches masquerading as knowledge sharing
  • Credentialism that substitutes credentials for substance

Expectations:

  • Show working code or acknowledge current limitations honestly
  • Provide actionable knowledge that attendees can use
  • Technical depth over simplified narratives
  • Philosophical rigor over platitudes
  • Practical focus over theoretical speculation

5.2 Merit Over Fame

The goal is learning and building, not celebrity worship:

  • Ideas evaluated on their merits, not speaker reputation
  • New builders given platforms alongside established projects
  • Anonymous or pseudonymous contributions welcomed
  • Focus on what works, not who built it
  • Resistance to commercial gaming and “known name” circuits

5.3 Theory Meets Practice

Every philosophical discussion should connect to implementation:

  • “Here’s the cypherpunk principle” → “Here’s how it works in this protocol”
  • “Here’s the economic theory” → “Here’s how we tested it”
  • “Here’s the governance model” → “Here’s what failed and why”
  • “Here’s the vision” → “Here’s the code”

Attendees should leave with both deeper understanding AND practical capabilities.

6. Community Norms

6.1 Intellectual Honesty

We expect:

  • Good faith engagement with ideas
  • Willingness to acknowledge limitations and failures
  • Honest disagreement over performative consensus
  • Admitting “I don’t know” when appropriate
  • Learning from criticism rather than deflecting

This creates space for actual progress rather than defensive posturing.

6.2 Nuance Over Purity

The world is complex:

  • People work in institutions while maintaining personal principles
  • Perfect solutions don’t exist, only tradeoffs
  • Different approaches can coexist without one being “right”
  • Implementation challenges are real and deserve respect
  • Theory and practice both matter

Binary thinking and purity tests prevent the coalition-building necessary for meaningful change.

6.3 Respect for Autonomy

Every individual:

  • Controls their own level of identity disclosure
  • Makes their own security decisions
  • Determines their own participation level
  • Sets their own boundaries
  • Takes responsibility for their choices

No one is forced to use real names, show their face, or participate in ways that compromise their security model.

6.4 Non-Violence

All interactions are:

  • Peaceful and voluntary
  • Based on mutual respect
  • Free from coercion or intimidation
  • Resolved through dialogue, not force

We reject violence and do not platform calls for aggression or coercion.