Visions of Grassroots Tech: Alternative Understandings and Uses of Technology in Barcelona

Keywords: digital geography, urban geography, platforms, STS,
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Technological development is often framed in research as either a solution or a curse, reinforcing deterministic or pessimist views of socio-technical futures. Yet, a growing body of scholars and activists is exploring a third path that seeks to reimagine the role of technology, not by eliminating platforms but by repurposing them for collective empowerment. This paper examines Reviu, a Barcelona-based housing portal launched in 2024 and funded through crowdfunding efforts. Reviu allows tenants to anonymously review rental properties, landlords, and property management agencies, countering traditional real estate platforms and the information and power asymmetries they reproduce. Through its focus on transparency and correcting information asymmetries in the housing market, Reviu empowers tenants, offering crucial insights into property conditions, landlord behavior, or the presence of short-term rentals in the area, among others—information typically omitted from conventional platforms. This case illustrates how technology can serve as a tool for social justice in the city rather than being solely driven by profit maximization. Here, technology functions as a means, not an end, supporting tenant rights and fostering community-based organizing. This intervention contributes to broader discussions on the social and spatial dimensions and affordances of technology in the urban setting, where digital platforms often exacerbate inequality. Alternatively, Reviu highlights the possibility of organizing technology around human needs, thus offering a community-centered vision of socio-technical urban futures.