Metro Olografix

Metro Olografix is an Italian cultural association founded in 1994 in Pescara, devoted to telematics, digital rights, information security and hacker culture. It is described as the oldest cultural association in Italy in the field of telematics. The association was created in response to the Italian Crackdown, a police operation that led to the search and seizure of around two hundred BBS systems. Its founder and first president was Stefano Chiccarelli. Over nearly three decades, Metro Olografix has organized digital literacy and awareness events such as "L'Hacker e il Magistrato", "TiG" and the Metro Olografix CAmp (MOCA), a quadrennial international hacker gathering inspired by northern European events such as the Chaos Communication Camp. Many members have become information security experts and founded companies in the sector; others have written articles and books on information technology, hacking and information security, including "Spaghetti Hacker" by Stefano Chiccarelli and Andrea Monti and "Segreti, Spie e Codici Cifrati" by Corrado Giustozzi, Andrea Monti and Enrico Zimuel. The association maintains physical spaces in Pescara and L'Aquila, where it holds weekly meetings and events. In January 2025 it reopened a physical space in Pescara on Viale Marconi after several years of exclusively online activity. In 2026, coinciding with L'Aquila being Italian Capital of Culture, it opened a second location in L'Aquila. Its activities include projects such as Abruzzo Off-Grid, Refurbish Ninja and the Stop Piracy-Shield campaign. In November 2024 it published a public appeal for the immediate suspension and review of the Piracy Shield anti-piracy system managed by AGCOM, criticizing blocks on legitimate web services. The association's president, Michelangelo Morrillo, stated that the initiative aimed at an overall review of the system, which it considers harmful to net neutrality and fundamental rights.

Metro Olografix was founded in 1994 in Pescara, Italy, as a cultural association devoted to telematics. Its creation was a direct response to the Italian Crackdown, a police operation that led to the search and seizure of around two hundred BBS systems across Italy. The founder and first president was Stefano Chiccarelli. The association is recognized as the oldest cultural association in Italy in the field of telematics. In its early years, Metro Olografix operated primarily online, building a community of hackers, security researchers and digital rights advocates. Over time it became known for organizing events that combined technical, political and social themes related to the information society, with a focus on privacy, information security and civil rights. Among its recurring events are "L'Hacker e il Magistrato" (The Hacker and the Magistrate), "TiG", and the Metro Olografix CAmp (MOCA), a quadrennial international hacker gathering inspired by northern European events such as the Chaos Communication Camp. The MOCA camp has been held in 2004 at the Stadio ex-gesuiti in Pescara; in 2008, 2012 and 2016 at the Parco della ex caserma Di Cocco in Pescara; and in 2024 at the International Camping Torre di Cerrano in Pineto. The 2024 edition, titled "Back to the r00t", took place from 13 to 15 September 2024 and coincided with the association's thirtieth anniversary. It was dedicated to manray, a historic member and treasurer of Metro Olografix who died on 14 August 2020. In December 2014, for its twentieth anniversary, Metro Olografix organized a free cultural promotion event on 6 and 7 December, aimed at spreading hacker culture, debating online rights and reflecting on future technological developments. After several years of exclusively online activity, in January 2025 the association reopened a physical space in Pescara on Viale Marconi. In 2026, coinciding with L'Aquila being Italian Capital of Culture, it opened a second location in L'Aquila. The association holds weekly meetings at its Pescara headquarters on Monday evenings and at its L'Aquila headquarters on Tuesdays. Many members of Metro Olografix have become information security experts and founded their own companies in the sector. Others have written articles and books on information technology, hacking and information security, including "Spaghetti Hacker" by Stefano Chiccarelli and Andrea Monti and "Segreti, Spie e Codici Cifrati" by Corrado Giustozzi, Andrea Monti and Enrico Zimuel. In November 2024, Metro Olografix published a public appeal for the immediate suspension and complete review of the Piracy Shield system, also known as the "anti-pezzotto" law, an anti-piracy platform managed by AGCOM. The association criticized the system for blocking legitimate web services. Its president, Michelangelo Morrillo, stated that the initiative aimed at an overall review of the system, which it considers harmful to net neutrality and fundamental rights. The association also runs projects such as Abruzzo Off-Grid, focused on off-grid communications for resilient communities, and Refurbish Ninja, which recovers electronic waste and extends the life of technology.

• 2026

  Opened second location in L'Aquila, coinciding with L'Aquila Italian Capital of Culture.

• 2025

  Reopened physical space in Pescara on Viale Marconi in January.

• 2024

  MOCA 2024 'Back to the r00t' held from 13 to 15 September at International Camping Torre di Cerrano (Pineto), coinciding with the 30th anniversary.

• 2024

  Public appeal against Piracy Shield published in November.

• 2020

  Death of manray, historic member and treasurer, on 14 August.

• 2014

  Twentieth anniversary event held on 6–7 December in Pescara.

• 2008

  MOCA held at Parco della ex caserma Di Cocco in Pescara.

• 2004

  First Metro Olografix CAmp (MOCA) held at Stadio ex-gesuiti in Pescara.

• 1994

  Metro Olografix founded in Pescara by Stefano Chiccarelli, in response to the Italian Crackdown.

A non-profit cultural association promoting free digital culture, digital rights, information security and hacker creativity in Italy.

• Metro Olografix CAmp (MOCA)

  Quadrennial international hacker gathering with conferences on technical, political and social themes related to the information society.

• L'Hacker e il Magistrato

  Digital literacy and awareness event.

• TiG

  Digital literacy and awareness event.

• Abruzzo Off-Grid

  Project for off-grid communications for resilient communities.

• Refurbish Ninja

  Project recovering electronic waste and extending the life of technology.

• Stop Piracy-Shield

  Campaign calling for suspension and review of the Piracy Shield anti-piracy system.

1. 1Home - Metro Olografixolografix.org
2. 2Metro Olografix - Wikipediait.wikipedia.org
3. 3Metro Olografix - Wikidatawikidata.org