At a time when hatred spreads across social networks and within impersonal technological interactions, we find ourselves longing for peaceful coexistence in digital culture. This desire is expressed, amongst other ways, through cuteness. This is what moves us—from an economic, affirmative, or artistic perspective. Suspicious of its potentially Janus-faced nature, i.e. triggering not only positive but also negative emotions and destructive behavior, the workshop focuses on the ambivalence of cuteness and investigates the “manipulative and polarizing aspects of affect” that give the festival its theme. This concern is explored through the micro and tangible levels of Smart Toys. Participants will discover how cuteness can be harnessed as an active subversive strategy in larger contexts. Hands-on cuteness!