[aleph_minus_one]

> Surveillance was the political topic of 2020, so there was quite a few talks about that, migration is the political topic 2025, so there are a lot of talks about that

There is one important difference: surveillance is a deeply computer-/hacking-related topics while migration isn't.

So I would say a talk about surveillance (as long as it is relevant for hacking topics) typically has its place while it is much harder to find a reason why a talk about migration has relevance for a hacking conference.

[pinkgolem]

The linked surveillance talk has nearly 0 references to computers and is all about media/reporting

[aleph_minus_one]

> The linked surveillance talk has nearly 0 references to computers and is all about media/reporting

(link to the talk: https://media.ccc.de/v/34c3-8969-die_sprache_der_uberwacher )

Surveillance has relevance to core CCC/hacking topics (privacy is a central topic against which hackers fight), so I can understand why the organisers decided to include this talk in the schedule: they considered it to be a good idea that the audience should also get a "non-computer perspective" on a topic that is highly relevant to hackers.

But I agree that for the decision to include or not include this specific talk, the organisers have to apply an exceptionally good judgement: if they make a "wrong" decision here, people will immediately (rightfully) complain that the talks are too political (or if they "wronged" by non-inclusion of this talk, the other side will complain that important topics are omitted).

[pinkgolem]

> Surveillance has relevance to core CCC/hacking topics (privacy is a central topic against which hackers fight)

Great, who exactly is making those rules for all hackers?

People have complained about this for atleast the last 15 years where I have been active, to political, not political enough.

Stop complaining, start creating.

[aleph_minus_one]

> Great, who exactly is making those rules for all hackers?

For example the Hacker Ethic by Steven Levy is very well-accepted:

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hacker_ethic&oldi...

> Stop complaining, start creating.

Who says that I don't do?