Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer at the Center for Humane Technology, Casey Mock joins Johanna for a discussion on incentives for building safer and more humane technology. Casey and Johanna discuss designing platforms for people and not just profit, how to realign incentives in tech using the well-established concept of legal liability, what to expect from a Trump administration in regards to tech policy, creative ways to overcome legal logjams, and how – contrary to popular belief – cle...
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 42
Angie Abdilla, Professor and the ANU School of Cybernetics, founder of Old Ways, New, and co-author of the Indigenous Protocols for Artificial Intelligence, joins Johanna for an exploration of Indigenous Knowledge and the lessons we can all draw from it. Angie and Johanna talk about the value of viewing technology, science, and engineering through a non-western worldview, Indigenous Knowledge systems and Deep Time technologies, Country Centred Design Practices, the Closing the Gap reforms and ho...
Oct 07, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Taiwan’s inaugural Digital Minister, Audrey Tang, and author and founder of RadicalxChange Glen Weyl, join Johanna for an in-depth conversation on utilising technology to reduce division,improve governance, and regulate and the speed of innovation Audrey and Glen share their inspiring stories of grass-roots political action turned tech revolution and speak about Australia’s unique democratic inventiveness, their experiences unifying groups of people through new types of social media, opposing fo...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Brendan Dowling Australia's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology is Johanna's guest for this episode of Tech Mirror. Join them as they unravel the complexities of cyber diplomacy and Australia’s role in shaping tech policy on the global stage. The pair explore the intricacies of international tech alliances, the challenges, and motivations of attributing cyber threats—including Australia's recently attribution of APT40 to China—and the impact of recent cyber sanctions against Rus...
Aug 19, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Carly Kind assumed her role as Privacy Commissioner in February this year. In this episode of Tech Mirror, Commissioner Kind and Johanna traverse: what motivated Carly to accept the role (hint: it’s an exciting time in privacy in Australia) how the reinstated role of Privacy Commissioner works within the broader Office of Australia Information Commissioner (OAIC) Carly’s hopes for the privacy reform package to be introduced in parliament in August the role of OAIC as privacy regulator of Digital...
Jul 01, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Frances Haugen came to the world’s attention in 2021 as a whistle-blower, after filing a series of complaints about Facebook (now Meta) with the U.S. Federal Government about the harms caused by their business practices. She now works to champion accountability, transparency, and driving social media for the common good. In this new episode of Tech Mirror, TPDC Director Professor Johanna Weaver and Frances Haugen cover a lot of ground discussing topics including: - the importance of whistle-blow...
Apr 17, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 37
We’re excited to announce that the Tech Mirror Podcast will be returning to its regular scheduling very soon - we’re cooking up a great season with an all-star line-up of guests, so stay tuned! In the interim, here’s a quick update on what TPDC has been doing for the past few months. In particular, we’re especially excited to tell you about our brand new education program aimed at upskilling existing tech policy professionals and establishing a career pathway into the field. As part of the progr...
Mar 22, 2024•5 min•Ep. 37
This is a special episode of Tech Mirror on the imperative to protect civilians from digital threats during war. Johanna is in conversation with Dr. Cordula Droege, Chief Legal Officer and Head of the legal division of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Dr. Tilman Rodenhäuser, Thematic Legal Adviser at the ICRC. The trio discuss the work of a high-level ICRC Advisory Board, which was convened by the ICRC to develop concrete recommendations on the legal and policy challenges...
Dec 11, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Curious about the future of privacy in Australia? Join us as we delve into the world of privacy regulation in Australia. Our expert panel shares their thoughts on the Government’s response to the Privacy Act Review Report. It’s a follow-up to episode #22 ‘Privacy is Not Dead’. Returning guest Anna Johnston, founder and Principal of Salinger Privacy, is joined by Ryan Black, Head of Policy for the Tech Council of Australia, and Kate Bower, a fellow at the UTS Human Technology Institute, currently...
Nov 27, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Ever wish you could sit down with a real-deal AI technologist and ask them what’s on earth is going on? In this double-episode of Tech Mirror, Johanna chats with Bill Simpson Young and Tiberio Cataneo, CEO and Chief Scientist at Gradient Institute. This independent, non-profit research institute works to build safety, ethics, accountability and transparency into AI systems. In Part One of this wide-ranging conversation, the trio: - define key terms like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning,...
Oct 18, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Ever wish you could sit down with a real-deal AI technologist and ask them what’s on earth is going on? In this double-episode of Tech Mirror, Johanna chats with Bill Simpson Young and Tiberio Cataneo, CEO and Chief Scientist at Gradient Institute. This independent, non-profit research institute works to build safety, ethics, accountability and transparency into AI systems. In Part One of this wide-ranging conversation, the trio: - define key terms like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning,...
Oct 18, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 34
In this joint episode of Tech Mirror and the National Security Podcast, Anu Bradford and Johanna Weaver join Jennifer Jackett to discuss the global impact of technological advances, the challenges and opportunities they bring, and the evolving landscape of tech regulation. Anu Bradford is a Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organization at the Columbia Law School. She is also the author of ‘Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology’. Jennifer Jackett is a Sir Rola...
Oct 09, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Recorded on location in the margins of NetThing and the Asia Pacific Internet Governance Forum. Johanna, and guest co-host Tanvi Nair, canvass how the internet actually works, and what the internet of the future might look like, with a stella line up of guests, including: Jordan Carter, Head of Policy at au.DA Senator Jana Stewart, Senator for Victoria Brendan Dowling, Australia’s Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology Alex Caples, Director of Cyber Tech and Security at the Austral...
Sep 11, 2023•40 min•Ep. 31
Johanna speaks with Alice Dawkins, Executive Director of Reset.Tech Australia, an independent, non-partisan policy initiative wrestling with questions about online harms & safety, digital information markets, democracy and tech accountability. In a wide-ranging conversation, the pair discuss topics including: Alice’s experience in Myanmar working with public interest lawyers involved in that country’s pro-democracy movement Reset’s research on young people and privacy online in Australia Soc...
Aug 21, 2023•35 min•Ep. 30
Johanna speaks with Evelyn Douek, assistant Professor at Stanford Law School (and former corporate lawyer in Australia), about the public and private regulation of speech online. The pair discusses: the private and public regulation of speech online why 'everything is content moderation' and what it might mean to take a systems thinking approach the importance of platform transparency the history, significance, and politics of Section 230 institutional competence and the role of courts the state...
Jul 31, 2023•36 min•Ep. 29
In this episode Johanna speaks with author and journalist Tracey Spicer about her new book, Man-made: how the bias of the past is being built into the future. The book explores the history of discrimination in technology and the importance of diversity and inclusion in today's tech ecosystem. Spicer makes a case for a new social contract, one that would see people holding the power over machines. Relevant Links: Tracey Spicer website: https://traceyspicer.com.au/ Tracey Spicer new book, Man-made...
Jun 26, 2023•35 min•Ep. 28
In this episode of Tech Mirror, Johanna is in conversation with Gina Cass-Gottlieb, Chair of the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), one of Australia’s lead regulators in the area of technology and digital platforms. In a wide-ranging conversation the pair discuss: the ACCC’s Digital Platform Services inquiry 2020 – 2025, how regulators can develop the tech knowledge and capacity required for making good policy, the relationship between innovation and market power, unfair trad...
Jun 12, 2023•42 min•Ep. 27
Johanna speaks with Brett Solomon, co-founder and Executive Director of Access Now, about the state of digital rights in 2023. The pair discuss critical issues including internet shutdowns, the growth of the surveillance industry, and Australia’s role in defending human rights in the digital era. The conversation took place in the lead-up to the 12th edition of Access Now’s annual RightsCon summit (5 – 8 June 2023). Relevant Links: Rights Con, 5 – 8 June 2023, online and in person (Costa Rica) J...
May 22, 2023•37 min•Ep. 26
In this episode of Tech Mirror, Johanna speaks to Nitin Pai, co-founder and director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent think tank and school of public policy based in Bengaluru. In a thought-provoking conversation, the pair discuss the complex relationship between the tech industry and government, the global contest between open and closed information orders, hacking of minds, and how we can use technology to strengthen 21 century democracy. Relevant Links: The Takshashila Instituti...
Apr 24, 2023•43 min•Ep. 25
In this episode of Tech Mirror, Johanna speaks to Amit Singh, a member of the expert panel appointed by the Australian Federal Government to oversee an independent audit of the government digital services platform, myGov. The conversation covers the history, present and future of the Australian digital identity ecosystem. Johanna and Amit explore the challenges of designing smart digital identity policy and discuss the roles for government (described by Singh as ‘the sleeping gorilla waking up t...
Mar 27, 2023•49 min•Ep. 24
The theme of IWD this year is Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender equal future. In this episode Johanna interviews leading women in tech policy in the margins of the Raisina Conference in India. Prepare to be inspired as they share their career journeys, examples of how tech is driving gender inclusion, and offer advice for women consider a career in tech. Guests in order of appearance: Dounya Boughambouz, founder of Robo Kids Academy Rebecca Razavi, Head APAC Public Policy LinkedIn: @Reb...
Mar 07, 2023•27 min•Ep. 23
In this episode, Johanna brings together a group of Australian privacy experts to discuss the Federal Government’s Privacy Act Review and to share their perspectives on the reforms that have been proposed and what might happen next. Hot topics included the meaning and importance of privacy in the digital age, the scope of the Privacy Act, meaningful consent, data minimalization, deidentification, international harmonisation. Guests this episode were Anna Johnston, founder and Principal of Saling...
Feb 26, 2023•49 min•Ep. 22
Dr Catherine Ball, businesswoman, futurist, and ‘dame of drones’ sits down with Johanna Weaver in the studio to discuss her new book ‘Converge’, which takes readers on a (mostly) optimistic journey through technological breakthroughs that will shape our future. Catherine reflects on life experiences that brought her into the world of tech futurism, and details her thoughts and inspirations for writing the book. It’s a fast-moving conversation, complete with a 90’s duet from this dynamic duo. Enj...
Dec 15, 2022•56 min•Ep. 21
Professor Lee Bygrave, Director of the Norwegian Research Centre for Computers and Law in the University of Oslo, joins Johanna in the studio to discuss security by design. The pair discuss the importance and challenges of translating “by design” mantras from legal concepts to engineering concepts and vice versa. In the context of the Optus and Medibank hacks, they canvas the proposal for new penalties for privacy breaches in Australia, privacy reform, the EU’s proposed Cyber Resilience Act and ...
Nov 24, 2022•48 min•Ep. 20
This week we are bringing you a discussion that we recorded as part of NetThing 2022 – Australia’s Internet Governance Community Forum. Johanna was joined by Kate Pounder, CEO of the Tech Council of Australia, and Richard Windeyer, Deputy Secretary at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. Given the recent string of high profile data breaches in Australia – tech regulation is front of mind for many Australians in a way that it hasn’t been ...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 19
In this episode Johanna sits down with Professor Elanor Huntington FTSE, Executive Director of Digital, National Facilities & Collections at CSIRO, and Professor of Quantum Cybernetics at ANU. The pair canvass exactly what a quantum cybernetician does, Australia’s conditions of possibility, the great inflection point we find ourselves in, plus what the origins of Reggae can teach us about scientific development. Elanor also demystifies STEM, and shares thoughts on what she would tell her you...
Oct 27, 2022•58 min•Ep. 18
In this episode Johanna sits down with Sharad Sharma, a distinguished evangelist of public interest technology in India. Sharad co-founded the non-profit think tank iSPIRT in 2013 and has held senior leadership positions across tech companies in India and the US. The pair discuss digital public goods – both what they are and the rights and privacy implications of their design and use. They also delve into the importance of trust, how Australia and India can work together, and the imperative to m...
Oct 13, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 17
In this episode, Johanna interviews Luli Adeyemo, Director of TechDiversity and Founder of marketing firm Best Case Scenario . Prompted by Luli’s piece in InnovationAus calling for a wider review of diversity in tech than announced recently by the Australian government, the pair canvass why diversity matters, why we haven’t achieved as much progress as we hoped in the last decade, and how the tech sector can embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We ...
Sep 29, 2022•47 min•Ep. 16
In this episode, Johanna interviews Jamie Susskind, barrister and author of The Digital Republic: On Freedom and Democracy in the 21st century. The pair explore the ideas Jamie puts forward in his book for how societies can harness the power of digital technologies while preserving (and even strengthening) freedom and democracy. Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respect to elders past, present, and emerging. Professor Jo...
Sep 01, 2022•50 min•Ep. 15
In this episode, Johanna interviews Professor Ciaran Martin, former CEO of the UK’s Cyber Security Centre, and Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at Oxford University. The pair discuss cyber operations in Ukraine, the role of the private sector in cyber defence, the ethical and legal questions raised in Johanna’s interview with Cyber Partisans spokesperson Yuliana Shemetovets in Episode 9, and much more. Tech Mirror is recorded on Ngunnawal land. We acknowledge the t...
Aug 18, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 14
