Created in March, the University of Minnesota Luddite group aims to break down the barriers and difficulties that come with modern technology, with members connecting in-person to discuss aspects of building community outside of the internet.

The Luddites were a group of early 19th-century European workers who protested against textile mills that used automated machinery. The group was made up of textile workers whose jobs were being taken away by the factories mass-producing lower quality products.

Today, the Luddites live on in spirit, as their name has a connotation for those who oppose technology. For group creator Emma Bourne, their name is a symbol for resistance against the dangers of modern technology.  

Bourne said the club is not anti-technology, and neither was the Luddite movement that inspired the group. Bourne said the Luddites were against technology that took away their livelihood.

Meetings typically start with discussion points raised by members, while Bourne guides the conversation. The group usually does physical activity during the meetings as well, such as playing spike ball or throwing frisbee.

Bourne said the two main goals of the club are to create a space for people to explore their technology use and create a face-to-face community at the University. She added she transferred to the University in the fall of 2025 from a small California liberal arts college, and said she felt isolated. 

“I was just really frustrated trying to connect with people,” Bourne said. “So I wanted to create some sort of space where people feel welcome and can talk to other people, rather than like going on your phone.”

Bourne said she does not use social media, but she still uses the internet and has a cell phone. The club has an internal website for members to see announcements or readings they may discuss during meetings. 

“A website isn’t going to take away my livelihood,” Bourne said. “Instagram definitely could. Google Gemini or other forms of AI definitely could.” 

Bourne was inspired by other Luddite clubs forming across the nation. Advertising through posters and word-of-mouth, she said the club is open to anyone who wants to chat with other community members, regardless of their level of technology use. 

Bourne said the club discusses topics outside of just screentime, such as the ethical consequences of technology use. For example, the group’s focus has been on how Artificial Intelligence impacts the environment and how social media companies sell data.

“It is not just about how social media is sucking up our time,” Bourne said. “These companies are selling our data and making millions or billions of profit off of us and manipulating us through advertising.”

The Luddite club began with Bourne and her roommate, Bijou Acers, talking on the St. Paul campus without any technology or homework. Acers and Bourne shared a dislike of social media. 

“These tools of the digital age are marketed as being tools of connection,” Acers said. “We just felt that they ended up making the relationships or potential relationships so much more distant.”

Acers said she advocated for adding Luddite club outings, which are group events planned outside of their weekly meeting time. These events are planned during weekly meetings and are still technology-free.

Along with advocating for the outings, Acers said she added “joyful movement” to the meetings, as discussions can sometimes be draining and dark.

“As much as we are talking about algorithms, we’re also physical people,” Acers said. “We have to remind ourselves that we also have physical agency.”

Club member Alice Bauroth went to her first Luddite club meeting in February 2025 as the first official member, besides Acers. When she went to the atrium, it was just her and Bourne.

Bauroth said they talked for around an hour about their views on technology and felt the club was the social connection she was looking for.

“I wanted to build community, and I get kind of frustrated with how little people think critically about how we are using technology,” Bauroth said. “I feel like you really have to fight hard for spaces where you are meeting new people and getting to know them, not just on a surface level.”

Bauroth said she felt angry at how social media companies took over people’s lives, especially after COVID-19. She said the term Luddite is often used in a negative connotation, but to her it means critically considering what technologies are adding to her life.

“Being able to create these spaces where people are having discourses and bringing new ideas, it makes me hopeful,” Bauroth said. “It makes me think of what other things I could help bring into the world.”