Kicking off a new season of For Tech’s Sake, hosts Elaine Burke and Kelly Earley discuss recent developments in age verification for social media and online platforms within the EU and the UK. They assess the practical challenges, examine the privacy risks and debate the implications of relying on tech alone to solve this problem. Listen to the end for our suggestion of something good you can find online today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 24, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 1
For Tech’s Sake is back with an all-new series, a brand new co-host and lots more tech stories to talk about. Join Elaine Burke and Kelly Earley as they look at tech through a critical lens – not evangelising or demonising it, but definitely throwing a bit of shade when it’s deserved. Follow us for updates: Instagram Bluesky TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 17, 2025•2 min
Cybersecurity researcher Dr Hazel Murray has developed a knack for guessing Irish people’s passwords. But is it really our fault that our passwords have become predictable? Listen to this episode to find out why some of the standards enforced on passwords are actually making our accounts less secure, and what you need to do to start the new year with better password protection. You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and...
Dec 11, 2024•44 min
Are you confused by quantum? You’re not alone! 100 years on and even the science hasn’t settled on quantum mechanics and how they can be applied to technologies such as computing. But how we harness this emergent technology from the outset could have long-term impacts, which is why researchers at the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications are exploring not just quantum computing and quantum networks, but the policy and communication around such technologies. So st...
Dec 04, 2024•40 min
From cross-stitching your research proposals to diagramming the quantum internet, there are many ways that art and science can intersect – and it’s when artists in research are treated as equals that you get the best, most transformative results. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion as we dissect the concept of STEAM and try to word the world better with Dr Jessica Foley and Dennis McNulty from the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications. You can check out Fo...
Nov 27, 2024•38 min
You know we love sustainability so we were very excited to learn about plans for digital product passports, which could slow down fast fashion, boost our right to repair and help shoppers make more informed choices. Explaining this transformative tech for us are Dr Grace Walsh and Dr John Dooley from the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications. You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and ke...
Nov 20, 2024•26 min
Jenny and Elaine are back in studio and catching up after Elaine was zooming around San Francisco in a driverless taxi. But how close are we to seeing fully autonomous cars on every road? Will Tesla’s Cybercab have enough in its computer vision system to see where it’s going? And how safe are self-driving cars, really? We put all these questions to Dr Aisling O’Driscoll, a researcher at the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications. At CONNECT, Aisling is discovering...
Nov 13, 2024•39 min
For Tech’s Sake is back with a very special mini-series in partnership with the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications. Starting from Science Week, we’ll be releasing a new episode every week for five weeks, exploring the intersection of science, art and society with CONNECT researchers. In this preview episode, hear from CONNECT’s director Prof Dan Kilper about what to expect. You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about...
Nov 06, 2024•8 min
Despite all our “wireless” connectivity and “cloud” computing, the internet we enjoy today relies on extensive cables that cross seas and oceans, and our island on the edge of Europe has had a crucial role to play in this global network, both in the past and present. In this episode, we get a history lesson in telecommunications from Deryck Fay, author of Connecting A Nation, who appears alongside Elaine in the upcoming documentary, The Cable that Changed the World. We also follow this developme...
Aug 07, 2024•46 min
CrowdStrike learned some valuable lessons in software deployment recently – lessons that it should have known already, arguably, as they would be concerned golden rules and best practices. Jenny and Elaine talk through the software disaster that was, and the ill-advised gesture of goodwill that back-fired on CrowdStrike. They also have a public service announcement regarding how X is sneakily assuming your consent for training AI for Grok and xAI. For links to the stories discussed in this episo...
Jul 31, 2024•20 min
In this episode, Elaine and Jenny look at the risks of working with robots – and it’s not just that they might steal your job. For this discussion, they are joined by Tom Deegan, a health and safety consultant at Mackin EHS who has become the go-to guy for risk assessments in workplaces introducing robotics and cybernetics, ensuring that the bots behave and everyone is safe. (You might even say he’s a robo-cop.) You can find out more about Mackin EHS at MackinConsultancy.com or connect with Tom ...
Jul 24, 2024•44 min
This week we are celebrating Irish techin’ legends Réaltra and Dr Lisa Heffernan, for their roles in the ESA’s Ariane 6 rocket launch and LISA mission, respectively. We also have new names for our recent tech bugbears: aggressive eventing and the AI sludge populating the internet. For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and videos of a giant robot and terrible images generated by AI, check out ForTechsSake.info . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 17, 2024•24 min
We often look at the mental and emotional effects of technology on For Tech’s Sake, and this episode we have expert help in understanding it all in the form of cyberpsychologist Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton, a lecturer on the topic at IADT. You can follow Nicola on Instagram @nicolafoxh and on X @foxnic, and check out her work on her website, NicolaFoxHamilton.com . And head to ForTechsSake.info for some relevant links and resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 10, 2024•41 min
It’s a bold title for an episode in which Elaine didn’t come prepared, but thank god we have Jenny, who’s calling out Perplexity’s plagiarism and hailing the creator of OneMillionCheckboxes.com . And while Jenny is in a trance ticking boxes on the internet, Elaine is also mesmerised by a phenomenon she calls ‘TikTok hands’. She’s also got a terrifying tale of robots with human-like skin and Billy Roll faces. For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and images of horrifying robot skin,...
Jul 03, 2024•30 min
Algorithms – they’re everywhere! But what the hell are they, how much influence do they wield and what makes them tick? This episode we’re joined by Megan Nyhan to explain it all. Megan is a PhD researcher at D-Real where she is working on a framework for designing ethical and trustworthy AI recommender systems. Be sure to find her on LinkedIn if you are interested in Encode Justice and AI 2030. And head to ForTechsSake.info for all the links and resources for this episode. CONTENT NOTE: This ep...
Jun 26, 2024•51 min
We’ve got all the AI updates covered in this episode, from Apple Intelligence and elephant intelligence to user backlash and self-driving car crashes. And we end with a shout-out for legendary computing pioneer Lynn Conway, who passed away earlier this month. For links to the stories discussed in this episode, check out fortechssake.info . CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains some swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 19, 2024•36 min
In this episode, we're looking at health data all the way from the cradle to the grave, and beyond! Helping us on this journey is Prof Ciara Heavin, co-director of the Health Information Systems Research Centre at University College Cork and founder of CommPAL, a software platform using AI to better allocate specialist palliative care. Follow Ciara on X @c_heavin and get links and resources for this episode at ForTechsSake.info . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 12, 2024•42 min
In this bonus episode from For Tech’s Sake, Elaine and Jenny weigh up whether Canva’s cringe-inducing rap announcement was junk or genius, and stick it to Spotify for junking Car Thing (a decision they thankfully rowed back on after recording). For links to the stories and embarrassing videos discussed in this episode, check out fortechssake.info . CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains some swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 05, 2024•19 min
Everyone's talking about kids and tech, but is the internet responsible for young people's anxieties? And are bans an effective way of moderating behaviour? We looked at the research and spoke to an expert in early childhood education, Paula Walshe, who believes we can do better at teaching positive tech use from a young age. Paula is a PhD researcher and assistant lecturer with Dundalk Institute of Technology. You can find out more about her work on TheDigitalEarlyChildhoodEducator.ie and you c...
May 29, 2024•51 min
In this bonus episode from For Tech’s Sake, Elaine and Jenny assess where we’re at with the current AI hype cycle (with some help from a scathing op-ed from tech writer Julia Angwin), though they still find some gen-AI to have fun with. There are also more robots to talk about, because we clearly have a type. For links to the stories discussed in this episode, check out fortechssake.info . The song, Triumph of the Tech Queen, was made with Suno. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...
May 21, 2024•25 min
Did you know there are bins in Dublin connected to the internet? They are part of what’s known as the internet of things, or IoT, which is turning into something of an internet of trash for reasons other than the bins. To explain this, we have Prof Dirk Pesch, the director of Advance CRT, which is a Science Foundation Ireland centre for research and training focused on advanced networks for sustainable societies. You can follow Dirk on X (@DirkPesch) and you can find links to the stories and sil...
May 15, 2024•37 min
In this bonus episode from For Tech’s Sake, Elaine is joined by special guest host Dr Jessamyn Fairfield, a physicist and performer of science stories. Jessamyn came to talk about the co-founder of LinkedIn being cringe with his AI double and the incredible story of how NASA has managed to get Voyager 1 back online, even though it’s in interstellar space. Meanwhile, Elaine has some stories about sus social media activity in Ireland, a Miss AI beauty pageant, and a doorbell you can ring to help f...
May 08, 2024•34 min
2024 is a major year for voters worldwide, but with tech being used to push all sorts of manipulative messaging and agendas, how can we trust what we see online during an election cycle? In this episode, we have Liz Carolan explaining how she remains (mostly) hopeful in the face of these threats to democracy, and giving us tips on how to muddle through the misinformation. Liz is a strategist and campaigner for tech and democracy, and the founder of Digital Action, a globally connected organisati...
May 01, 2024•47 min
In this bonus episode from For Tech’s Sake, Elaine and Jenny are laughing at Grimes’s disastrous Coachella set and squealing at an impressive and terrifying new robot from Boston Dynamics. They also take Amazon’s Just Walk Out retail tech to task, chuckle at the reviews of Humane’s AI pin, and discover a new way that AI is being used for good. For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and the creepy robot video, check out fortechssake.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...
Apr 24, 2024•26 min
In this episode of For Tech’s Sake, Elaine and Jenny draw parallels between the tech industry and ‘fast fashion’ – notorious for its short production cycles and disregard for the environment and sustainability. Joining us for this conversation is Luísa Vasconcelos E Sousa, the new country manager of Swappie in Ireland, who introduces us to a more circular alternative for smartphone purchases. For links to the stories and reports discussed in this episode, and other resources, check out fortechss...
Apr 17, 2024•48 min
In this bonus episode from For Tech’s Sake, Elaine and Jenny single out their techin’ eejits and techin’ legends from recent tech news. Listen in to find out why Elaine is calling for a fight between YouTube and OpenAI, Jenny is mad at AI image generators, and both agree that scarecrows are due an upgrade. For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and some helpful visual aids, check out fortechssake.info. CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...
Apr 10, 2024•21 min
We’re back! And we’re catching up on all the AI news, good and bad, that’s been happening. And to prove there really are good applications of AI out there, we spoke to Dr Mark O’Sullivan, co-founder and CEO of NeuroBell, which is developing a device using AI to help detect seizures in newborns. You can find out more about their work at NeuroBell.com. You can also check out the following stories discussed in this episode: — The problematic Tessa chatbot: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/...
Apr 03, 2024•45 min
It’s just us, your hosts, for this bonus episode of For Tech’s Sake. Following on from our round-up of 2023, we’re giving out the For Tech’s Sake awards for Biggest Techin’ Eejit of the Year and Techin’ Legend of the Year, among others. This episode makes a lot more sense if you’ve listened to episode 15 in our main feed, and here are some other episodes we mentioned that you might enjoy: — Our robotics episode with Niamh Donnelly: https://pod.fo/e/1fd892 — Our sex-tech episode with Dr Caroline ...
Dec 20, 2023•25 min
This week it’s just Elaine and Jenny as we round up 2023’s tech news – which took a long time to get through! And even at that, things have changed since this recording and the EU AI Act did in fact enter the next stage of its development, and we’ll be following up on that in the new year. In the meantime, we have plenty of suggestions to entertain you until we come back with season three. You might also enjoy reading the New Yorker’s report on the ‘Turkey-Shoot Clusterfuck’, or you can get lost...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 1 min
In this extended interview with Padraig Hennessy, chair of AgTech Ireland, you’ll hear more about how he built a successful agri-tech start-up as CEO of Terra Nutritech (from 2:20), as well as Ireland’s role in the global context of sustainable farming and some of the agritech innovations that most excite him (from 19:30). You can find out more about Terra Nutritech and the other agritech start-ups we mentioned on SiliconRepublic.com, and you can find us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choi...
Dec 06, 2023•27 min
