Best Brussels To Beijing Podcasts (2024)

1
Battling to regulate AI: Brussels, Beijing & Brexit 38:16

1y ago38:16

38:16

The EU's outsized influence on tech regulation beyond its borders raises a lot of political issues: e.g. the UK having little ability to effectively regulate AI. Besides this, we also discuss how China approaches AI ethics and regulation differently. I'm joined by Oxford University researcher Huw Roberts. 8.50: EU priorities in AI regulation 13.50:…

1
Why Cute Robots are Dangerous [From the Archives] 43:48

1+ y ago43:48

43:48

Robots are designed to elicit emotions in us, especially empathy. I chat to philosopher Dr Joanna Malinowska about the benefits, and dangers, of robots designed to be cute. That's especially in the context of sex robots, and the treatment of women. Send us your questions here!

1
Sex Robots and Christian Ethics 43:09

1+ y ago43:09

43:09

How can religious ethical traditions make sense of dating apps and sex robots? I chat to Kate Ott about her new book, 'Sex, Tech, and Faith'. 5.05: How digital avatars are replacing clothes 6.50: Reflecting on Dating Apps 15.05: Virtual relationships and Christianity 25.46: Sex Robots

1
How Hype Obscures the Future 40:55

1+ y ago40:55

40:55

One of the key drivers of investment in autonomous vehicles and other kinds of automation is hype. With all the headlines about failings in the crypto industry this week, it's clear hype can be dangerous and self-fulfilling. So how can we understand it? In this episode from the archives, we chat to Gemma Milne. Tweet us here, or email ethicsforacha…

1
The Tech Paradox facing Muslim Women Human Rights Defenders in East Africa 31:54

1+ y ago31:54

31:54

I'm joined by Mardiya Siba Yahaya to talk about her report on how such HR defenders deal with censorship, authoritarianism and societal pressure. Also check out our recent episode 'Digital Safety for Women in the Workplace'.

1
Netflix, Spotify, and Local Culture in Costa Rica 35:52

1+ y ago35:52

35:52

We all have a relationship with recommendation algorithms like Spotify or TikTok, but how do different people manage that relationship? How can we understand TikTok addiction? And how do these recommendation algorithms from global companies affect and play into local culture? Today I'm joined by Ignacio Siles from Costa Rica to talk about his fasci…

1
How digital doorbells are used for surveillance of delivery workers 27:34

1+ y ago27:34

27:34

Digital doorbells are increasingly common, and, at first glance, seemingly harmless. But a new report sheds light on how they are often used to surveil, and even punish delivery workers, not just by their bosses, but by doorbell owners. I am joined from New York by the report's authors, Aiha Nguyen and Eve Zelickson from Data and Society. You can r…

1
Freedom, AI Regulation, and The Climate Crisis 25:58

1+ y ago25:58

25:58

AI Regulation and the Climate Crisis are both huge, seemingly different challenges, but they're both underpinned by the same question: how can we tackle them without resorting to authoritarianism? My guest today, tech philosopher Mark Coeckelbergh, offers a new, more constructive way of thinking about these challenges. Subscribe to stay up to date …

1
The Surprising Place of Privacy in US Politics 35:14

1+ y ago35:14

35:14

Without support from political representatives, legislation on issues like privacy just doesn't happen. Today I'm joined by legislative activist and former journalist Hayley Tsukayama to talk about how, in the gridlock of American democracy, progress on privacy legislation can still be made. 1.18: Hayley's background as a tech journalist in DC 5.10…

1
Neoliberalism's Work Paradox and Finding a New Work Ethic 1:06:36

1+ y ago1:06:36

1:06:36

Is work just a way to pay the bills, or is it fundamental to what it means to be human? And with technological change, do we need a new kind of work ethic? Today I'm joined by philosopher of work Jean-Philippe Deranty to reflect on our cultural, societal and philosophical attitudes to work. 4.48: Neoliberalism's Paradoxical Relationship with Work 2…

1
Digital Safety for Women in the Workplace 34:22

1+ y ago34:22

34:22

In many parts of the world, women can face harassment online, and understandably, that can discourage them from using online platforms. But in a world where platforms can be really useful and important in work, that can put women at a serious disadvantage. My guest today is working to tackle that problem in Africa. 4.45: Concerns about women's digi…

1
Future of Trade Unions II: Protecting Gig Workers Down Under 42:13

1+ y ago42:13

42:13

Trade unions are not the force they once were in Australia. But in the struggle for protections and rights for gig workers, could unionisation be the solution? Joining me to discuss how to reform trade unions to face declining membership and the gig economy is Professor Anthony Forsyth, author of The Future of Unions and Worker Representation: The …

1
Future of Trade Unions I: Memes and Work in China 39:11

1+ y ago39:11

39:11

With the gig economy, algorithmic management, and the internet, trade unions are having to adapt. In this episode on labour relations in China, I chat to Kevin Lin about how internet memes are affecting labour relations, what an effective trade union should look like, and China's tech crackdown. 5.15: What should a trade union look like? 9.40: Atte…

1
How to protect employees' data 25:03

1+ y ago25:03

25:03

Quantification and algorithmic management of workers gives employers a huge amount of data, but it isn't properly protected. Joining me to talk about changing that is Aiha Nguyen, Labor Futures Director at Data and Society. 5:00 Why focus on algorithmic management not automation? 9:05 What makes it easier to shift risks onto workers? 11:30 Employee…

1
The Quantified Worker 32:16

1+ y ago32:16

32:16

What does evermore tracking and surveillance mean for workers? I'm joined by Dr Phoebe V. Moore, a Senior Policy Adviser at the International Labour Organisation and Professor of Management at the University of Essex. 2.15: Origins of quantification 7.22: Algorithms and responsibility in management 13.15: Is productivity (especially in ideas-genera…

1
Planetary Labour Market: Africa and the Gig Economy 33:48

1+ y ago33:48

33:48

What is gig work like in Africa, and how does it exacerbate existing gender and socioeconomic inequalities? To discuss this, I am joined by Dr Anwar, Lecturer in African Studies and International Development at Edinburgh University. He's also the author of a new book, 'The Digital Continent'. 1.17: Sketch of the Gig Economy in Africa 4.51: Why ther…

1
Domestic Workers in the Gig Economy 35:12

1+ y ago35:12

35:12

Has the gig economy helped or worsened conditions for domestic workers, who are disproportionately women? Domestic workers lack some of the legal protections that other workers have. Given the legal status of gig workers as self-employed contractors, does this give them more flexibility or just even fewer employment rights? I am joined by Dr Natali…

1
Your Boss is an Algorithm 41:36

1+ y ago41:36

41:36

How do we make sure that innovation is used to benefit workers, and not just increase surveillance of them? To talk about their book 'Your Boss is an Algorithm', I am joined by Antonio Aloisi, Assistant Professor at IE Law School, and Valerio de Stefano, Associate Professor at Osgoode Law School. In this wide-ranging episode, we chat about politics…

1
A Platform for Platform Workers 41:44

1+ y ago41:44

41:44

What is it like for workers in the platform economy, and how does this differ across the world? In this episode, I am joined by Sarrah Kassem, Lecturer in Political Economy at Tuebingen University. 2.45: What is it like working for Amazon Mechanical Turk? 7.08: Remote work and outsourcing 9.50: How the platform economy organises workers 19.38: How …

1
Automation and Inequality in China and southern Africa 58:10

1+ y ago58:10

58:10

How is technology changing work across the world? And what impact will it have on inequality? I chat to Dr Jiwei Qian and Professor Imraan Valodia about automation and its widespread social impacts in these two very different contexts. 3:54: Automation in China 9:17: Why local governments are encouraging automation 13.51: Impact on inequality 27:53…

1
Introducing S2: Changing Worlds of Work 1:01

1+ y ago1:01

1:01

Our first episode will be out next weekend! Make sure to share it with anyone you think might be interested Image by Danomyte, via Shutterstock

1
The Perils of Hype and Fixing Tech Journalism 40:45

2y ago40:45

40:45

Given how important tech is to so much economics, politics, and social change, should we even have a separate tech section in newspapers? The danger is that tech sections just get filled with hype: with self-narratives originating from the companies developing those technologies. And that hype can lead to negative consequences we don't often think …

1
Fighting Bias and Deep Fakes: Feminism in Africa 58:04

2y ago58:04

58:04

In this episode, we discuss the challenges of AI in an African context. With our guest, Nigerian researcher Favour Borokini, we discuss automation, facial recognition, and gender-based violence, such as stalking and Deep Fakes. Music from Joystock

1
Xenofeminism, War, and the Post-human 29:44

2y ago29:44

29:44

In this episode, we discuss how a group of feminists is trying to think about technology in radically different ways to respond to its growing challenges. With our guest Dr Emily Jones, we delve into xenofeminism, the posthuman, and its consequences for how we think about war and international law. If you want to learn more about Xenofeminism, you …

1
Defying Death: Transhumanism, Uploading Ourselves, and Religion 57:39

2y ago57:39

57:39

What would a world without death look like? In this episode, we are joined by Seth Villegas, who researches the quasi-religious structure of the secular transhumanist movement trying to evade death. We discuss the meaning of religion, the growing array of companies working to create digital versions of ourselves after we die, and the profoundly uns…

1
Sex Robots, Empathy, and the Perils of Cuteness 44:23

2y ago44:23

44:23

Have you ever seen a robot from a film and found it adorable? For the second part in our mini-series on what it means to be human as robots become more sophisticated, I chat to philosopher Dr Joanna Malinowska about the benefits, and dangers, of robots designed to be cute. That's especially in the context of sex robots, and the treatment of women.…

1
The Robots of Humanity: Intelligence and Existential Despair 37:41

2y ago37:41

37:41

We think of humans as the most intelligent species, so what does it mean to be human if we develop robots that are, by some definition, more intelligent than ourselves? For this episode, I'm joined by renowned anthropologist Dr Beth Singler from the University of Cambridge. In this first of a two-part mini-series about humans and robots, we discuss…

1
Drawing the Line: Facial Recognition, Social Media, and AI Ethics 53:40

2y ago53:40

53:40

At what point does technology move from comfortable and convenient to just plain creepy? Where do we draw that line, and who gets to draw it? This week, I’m joined by the insightful Dr Stephanie Hare, author of Technology is not Neutral, to discuss everything from facial recognition and the breakup of social media companies to whether AI Ethics rea…

1
"No will at the top?": AI Ethics and the Corporate World 32:44

2y ago32:44

32:44

A realistic AI Ethics has to engage with the corporate world and have engagement from it. But how do we ensure that AI Ethics is not seen as an afterthought by the companies that both make and use AI? What kinds of businesses are so far excelling in this space, and what mechanisms have made them do so? And what should the role of regulators be? Thi…

1
Algorithms in India: Rights, Power, and the Constitution 42:30

2y ago42:30

42:30

Algorithmic decision-making systems (ADMS) have been used in India for a couple of years now to improve access to welfare, especially with the biometric system Aadhar. That, though, has come at a cost in terms of transparency and rights in India, as the courts weigh these up against a pure utilitarian concern for the welfare of the greatest number.…

1
Healthcare, Metaverse, Monopolies 35:14

2y ago35:14

35:14

The metaverse has become a buzzword in recent months, but its implications when applied to healthcare are profound. Who owns the data if you use Facebook's platform for a doctor's appointment? And what would happen if Facebook tried to play such a role in an already-concentrated American healthcare market? In this episode, we talk to the very insig…

1
Capital vs Labour? "Algorithmic Management", workers' rights, and the gig economy 34:51

2y ago34:51

34:51

Being fired is bad enough, but how can we ensure that algorithms used in management, which could have such power, are fair and respect workers' rights? This week, we are really excited to be joined by Aislynn Kelly-Lyth, a researcher at the University of Oxford, to discuss the EU's attempts to grapple with both this problem and the gig economy. Mus…

1
Biometric Tech: Social Credit, Democracy, and a Healthcare Revolution 42:18

2y ago42:18

42:18

With applications from healthcare to policing, how do we apply facial recognition software and other biometric technology to society without damaging either democracy or the social solidarity that underpins healthcare? And how can we make sure that companies are using biometric data in ways which respect individual agency. In this episode, we talk …

1
Surveillance Capitalism, Technology, and Islamic Ethics 1:07:55

2+ y ago1:07:55

1:07:55

When we express our concerns about Big Tech's control of our data, it is usually in terms of a right to privacy and our data which clashes with our supposed choice to surrender it. But how can alternative ethical systems help to reframe this problem? In this episode, Middle Eastern Political Economy Professor Mehmet Asutay argues that rights-based …

1
Meaningless Fun? Friendship, Experience, and the Metaverse 41:29

2+ y ago41:29

41:29

"Sometimes you have to stand up and say: is this leading us where we want to go?" Facebook's recent attempt at cosmetics popularized a concept that had been bouncing around Silicon Valley for a while. But what does it actually mean for us as people to live parts of our lives in the Metaverse? How does it differ in that regard from the virtual world…

1
Killing without responsibility? The challenges of Lethal Autonomous Weapons 53:03

2+ y ago53:03

53:03

When an autonomous weapons system kills, who should be held morally responsible? In our first episode, we talk to Professor Williams, an expert on ethical and legal debates surrounding autonomous weapons, about the difficult interplay between ethics, politics and international law in this domain.

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