Making the Invisible Visible: How the Internet Really Works

Making the Invisible Visible: How the Internet Really Works

Saturday 21 February 2026 | 10am–4pm

We use the internet every day, but where is it, really?

This friendly, hands-on workshop reveals the hidden physical world behind our digital lives: the cables under oceans, the data centres on land, the energy that powers our clicks, and the communities and environments affected along the way.

Through interactive mapping, group discussions, and real-world case studies, we’ll trace everyday digital actions, sending a message, streaming a video, using the cloud, and follow them across the globe. Along the way, we’ll explore the internet’s environmental footprint, its carbon and energy costs, and the often invisible inequalities built into digital infrastructure.

This is not a technical workshop. No prior knowledge is needed, just curiosity. Expect conversation and learning through making, and space to reflect on how global digital systems shape local lives and the climate.

  • How our messages, videos, and cloud use travel across a hidden global network.
  • The energy, materials, and carbon behind everyday digital life.
  • Who benefits and who pays the price for the internet we rely on.
  • How seeing these connections can inspire fairer, greener digital choices.

No prior technical knowledge is required—just curiosity and an interest in how the world really connects.

Venue: Cake or Dice, 89 Commercial Street, Dundee, DD1 2AF
Accessibility: The café offers a calm, welcoming atmosphere with soft lighting and gentle music, and is fully step-free with wheelchair-friendly access throughout. Full description here

This workshop series is inspired by DD Commons project (ddcommon.net) a Dundee based project that aims to establish an online network designed with care-led values in mind, providing a supportive and abuse-free community for collaboration and learning.

Generously funded by Dundee Changemakers Hub https://www.dundee-changemakers.net/