A new image website set up to try and capture an authentic, unfiltered snapshot of a user's life is finding a global user base. Could it be the future of social media? Plus, Australian investors have been left with nothing as cryptocurrency giant Celsius goes bankrupt. And the US city fighting back against surveillance. Guests Ariel Bogle, ABC Technology Reporter Michael Cowling, Associate Professor in Information and Communication Technology at CQUniversity Australia
Aug 11, 2022•28 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast Instagram has reversed some changes to the app following a backlash that saw influencer royalty Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian turning on the platform. Plus, TikTok stands up to the Chinese government by refusing to host a disguised account. And why we'll be seeing fewer "unicorns" and more "zebras" in a post-lock down world. Guests Sam Koslowski, Co-founder of the Daily Aus Manal al-Sharif, Author and presenter of the Tech 4 Evil podcast
Aug 04, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast An Instagram redesign has left thousands of people wondering where their friends went. What does this new direction mean for the app? Plus the surplus of streaming services has led to a renaissance in video piracy. Can it be stopped? And could Snapchat's ambition and ideas lead to it's resurrection? Guests Cam Wilson, associate editor at Crikey Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson, News Corp National Technology Editor
Jul 28, 2022•29 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast A global investigation has revealed how Uber secretly lobbied governments across the world on its rise to ridesharing supremacy. What can we learn from the leak? Plus, could a partnership between Netflix and Microsoft create a new model for online advertising. And are TikTok "kindness videos" really that kind? Guests Ariel Bogle, ABC Technology Reporter Reinhardt Sosin, co-host of the Tech 4 Evil podcast
Jul 22, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Death is unavoidable, but can technology play a role in making it easier for those who love you to remember you? We discuss the range of apps and services that can help you leave messages, and plan out your social media accounts after you die. Plus, the saga of one of the worlds richest men and twitter and why it could send them both to court in Delaware. And all you need to know about avoiding injury when doing a viral dance challenges on TikTok. Guests Angharad Yeo, presenter and journalist Me...
Jul 14, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Technology has created countless problems for humankind. Some, like global warming, or nuclear weapons, pose an existential threat. On today's episode, two transhumanists make the case for technology as the solution to our problems, but human life could be irrevocably changed in the process. Guests Elise Bohan, Senior Research Scholar at the University of Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute and author of Future Superhuman: Our transhuman lives in a make-or-break century Peter Xing, Cofounder o...
Jul 07, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast How many millions of dollars makes the difference between calling something water resistance and water proof? One tech manufacturer certainly found out the hard way. Plus, smart speakers want to bring your grandparents back from the dead to read you a story book. And why apps tracking periods could become legally dangerous in the USA Guests Tegan Jones, Global Reviews Editor at Finder, and co-host of Queens of the Drone Age Kunal Kalro, Founder and CEO of Eugene Labs
Jun 30, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast After 27 years Microsoft has retired Internet Explorer, a product which transformed the way people engaged with the web. A timely end, or gone to soon? Plus, new data reveals that Australian border force searched more than 40,000 mobile devices in five years. Can they all be justified? And, Instagram introduces parental controls to a curb mental health crisis. Guests Peter Marks, national technology editor, Access Informatics Alice Clarke, technology journalist
Jun 23, 2022•28 min•Ep 49•Transcript available on Metacast A senior Google software engineer who claimed that the company's artificial intelligence chatbot had gained sentience was suspended on Monday. Should we be wary? And the EU deal will force iPhones to use USB-C charger by 2024. Will charging technology have been moved on by then? Plus, Japanese scientists have developed a 'living human skin' on a robotic finger. Guests Seamus Byrne, Head of Content at Byteside Manal al-Sharif, Author and presenter of the Tech 4 Evil podcast
Jun 16, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Terms like e-sports and wifi all have their roots in the English language but given how wide reaching the web is, should it not reflect more languages? And, why one major tech company has been ordered to pay an Australian politician $700 thousand dollars. Plus, one of the most important people in the life of Facebook quits. Guests Amy Bainbridge, ABC National Consumer Affairs Reporter Michael Cowling, Associate Professor in Information and Communication Technology at CQUniversity
Jun 09, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast A controversial new website that allows users to search the internet for images of their face has proven to be astoundingly accurate. Could it be a privacy nightmare in the making? Plus, Twitter has been hit with a $150 million dollar fine in the US for selling user data. Will the tech giant change its ways? And Dyson is setting up a major robotics research centre in the UK in an attempt to develop home robots. Guests Natasha Gillezeau, product manager at Flux Finance Cam Wilson, associate edito...
Jun 02, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast The election is finally over. What role did online advertising play in the result? And are our rules and regulations up to the job in a world of disinformation? Plus, should tech companies be operating in Russia, even if they claim to be helping the opposition to Putin. And did Facebook block access to emergency services in Australia? Regulators are dealing with whistle blower allegations. Guests Meg Coffey, Managing Director at Coffey & Tea Josh Taylor, reporter at Guardian Australia
May 26, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast How do you feel about watching Netflix with ads? That might be coming before the end of the year. Why? Plus, just how many fake accounts are there on Twitter? And will it be enough to stop billionaire Elon musk from taking over the social media company? And a much much loved piece of technology is about to be killed off. Guests Elise Bohan, author of Future Superhuman: Our transhuman lives in a make-or-break century Jessie Hughes, Creative Technologist at Josephmark
May 19, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Remember when Facebook blocked all news outlets in Australia over a row about paying news providers, but then "accidentally" blocked fire and state health services? Whistle-blowers have claimed that it may have been a deliberate negotiating tactic. And, with Elon's takeover of Twitter apparently imminent, there's been some buzz around Mastodon as an alternative. Is it worth the hype? Plus, the Federal election is just around the corner and social media is being plastered with political advertisi...
May 12, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast The creators of snapchat have announced a new augmented reality online shopping tool. Is it likely to catch on? Plus, a crypto crimewave forces police online. And the Meta verse TikTok war ramps up. Guests Kunal Kalro, Founder & CEO of Eugene Labs Tegan Jones, Tech Journalist
May 05, 2022•29 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast In the UK, people using self-driving cars might be allowed to watch television on built-in screens. So who do we blame if something goes wrong? Plus, Netflix is losing subscribers and money. What does this mean for the future of streaming? And, Google, Meta, and others will have to explain their algorithms under new EU legislation Guests Alice Clarke, journalist and game reviewer Sam Koslowski, co-founder of the Daily Aus
Apr 28, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Facebook doesn't have the best track record when it comes to political advertising. Will things be different for election campaign 2022? Plus, Elon Musk ups the stakes in his bid for Twitter. And why your weather app might be selling your data. Guests Peter Marks, National Technology Editor, Access Informatics Manal al-Sharif, presenter of the Tech 4 Evil podcast
Apr 21, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has become Twitter's biggest shareholder. What does it mean for the future of the site? Plus, Telstra steps up to take on scam texts. Will it work? Guests Emily van der Nagel, Social Media Lecturer at Monash University Seamus Byrne, Head of Content at Byteside
Apr 14, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Facebook has been accused of contracting a political lobbying firm to help sway public opinion against TikTok. What does it say about the fight for social media dominance? Plus, is social media content moderation destroying potential evidence that could be used to prosecute war crimes? And Amazon workers unionize. Guests Natasha Gillezeau, product manager at Flux Finance Michael A. Cowling, Associate Professor at Central Queensland University
Apr 07, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Who makes Artificial Intelligence, and how should it be made differently – if at all? All technology is the product of humans. But just who are the people behind technology? Whose interests shape how it's created? Which values and voices are prioritised, and which ones are excluded? And what factors influence why technologies are designed in certain ways for certain purposes? Guests: Dr Jathan Sadowski, Research Fellow in the Emerging Technologies Research Lab & Centre of Excellence for Auto...
Mar 31, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Skyrocketing petrol prices mean that many Australians are consider going electric. Will this spur an uptake? Plus, a new announcement from Netflix means the days of sharing your account with others might be coming to an end. And should we vote in elections online? Guests Amy Bainbridge, ABC National Consumer Affairs Reporter Cameron Wilson, Associate Editor at Crikey
Mar 24, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Ukraine has raised millions of dollars in cryptocurrency in the weeks since Russia invaded. Could this be the future of donations? Plus, is violent speech online ok during war? Meta is trying to decide. And would you pay to get a background check on a Tinder date? Guests Ariel Bogle, journalist at ABC Investigations Daniel Van Boom, senior writer at CNET
Mar 17, 2022•29 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Russia's invasion of Ukraine has already proven to be a devastating conflict on the ground, for soldiers and civilians alike, but this has also been a battle over information and technology. This week, a special episode of Download this Show explores the Russia-Ukraine war in cyberspace - from DDoS attacks, to disinformation, to censorship. What impact might it have on the conflict in the real world? Guests Katherine Mansted, Senior Fellow in the Practice of National Security at the ANU National...
Mar 10, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, what can you do to tell truth from fiction in a fast paced war ready made for digital consumption? Plus, China launches a state backed cryptocurrency. And can Tumblr work without adult content? Guests Jocelyn Brewer, founder of Digital Nutrition Josh Taylor, reporter at Guardian Australia
Mar 03, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast A retinal-implant manufacturer has shifted its focus, leaving it's users with no product support. Where can you turn if your eye breaks down? Meanwhile, as millions are poured into NFT's, scammers are circling to try and take advantage. Plus, is Apple's Tim Cook really worth 99 million dollars? And has the New York Times ruined Wordle? Guests Jessie Hughes, Creative Technologist at Josephmark Peter Marks, software developer at Access Informatics.
Feb 24, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast The ASIO Director-General has suggested that dating apps are becoming a go to tool for foreign espionage, while Tinder is trying out a blind dating feature. Will it be a catch? Plus, are cars becoming too smart for their own boots? Guests Sam Koslowski, Co-founder of the Daily Aus & Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson, News Corp National Technology Editor
Feb 17, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Facebook's total user base has declined for the first time ever, while its parent company Meta is searching for solutions to stop harassment in the virtual world. Plus, a new scam alert triggers anxiety about the increasing prominence of cryptocurrencies. Guests Meg Coffey, social media strategist at Coffey & Tea Kunal Kalro, founder and CEO of Eugene Labs
Feb 10, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast American podcaster Joe Rogan has one of the most lucrative licencing arrangements in podcasting, but after playing host to COVID misinformation on his show, Spotify is facing a major backlash. Plus - Apple moves to stop stalkers, and TikTok takes on holocaust deniers. Guests Liam Ridgeway, Co-Founder INDIGITEK and NGNY Tegan Jones, Global Reviews Editor, Finder
Feb 03, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Wordle, the free online word game flooding social media, has attracted global engagement by embracing the best of online culture. Plus, the European Union plans to take on targeted ads, and the Australia government takes on online bullies. But will these legislators be able to make a difference? Guests: Alice Clarke, Freelance Award-Winning Technology Journalist Seamus Byrne, Editor of CNet Australia
Jan 27, 2022•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast It was a year of lockdowns and border closures, and for many of us technology was a key part of how we worked, played, and connected with loved ones. On this episode, the last for 2021, we look at the year that was in technology, culture and media, gleaning what we can learn from the year and forecasting what we can expect next year. Guests: Amanda Yeo, co-host of the Queens of the Drone Age podcast Cam Wilson, Associate Editor at Crikey
Dec 16, 2021•28 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 
