For Tech’s Sake

The UK’s upcoming social media ban for under 16s has been labelled an insufficient “political band-aid” that prioritises business as usual over online safety, and creates a “false sense of safety” for parents. Kelly and Elaine discuss the reactions from researchers, child safety advocates and human rights organisations and look at how a similar ban in Australia has failed to hit the mark.

*** Good things we recommend ***
>> Hidden Levels, a podcast mini-series on how video games reshaped the real world (including an episode on the military)
>> Kelly’s first episode of For Tech’s Sake, which was a discussion on age verification
>> Our previous episode with psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor about parenting an online generation
>> This diva telling BBC News what she thinks of the UK social media ban
>> Sounds of Space on Bandcamp
>> Pride Over the Waves: Amateur Radio Night at Tog Hackerspace

*** More from us ***
Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com
FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io
FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod
FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod
FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social
FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Elaine is joined by energy researcher Prof Hannah Daly to discuss the energy strain data centres represent for Ireland, the greenwashing that enables their proliferation in the face of climate concerns, and the real costs – both financially and environmentally – of unchecked growth.

*** Good things we recommend ***
>> Hannah’s website
>> Games by Sam (especially Clues by Sam and Bee Sort)
>> Connie’s GCN marathon fundraiser
>> Dublin Inquirer Summer School

*** More from us ***
Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com
FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io
FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod
FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod
FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social
FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we in danger of becoming a contactless society? That’s the concern of psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor, who joined Elaine to explain why we need to push ourselves beyond the isolated safety of socialising through screens and flex our social muscles in order to really grow as people.

*** Good things we recommend ***
>> Colman’s TEDx talk
>> Digital Intentionality Score
>> The Irish Hedgehog Survey
>> Invasives.ie
>> IFI’s Ghost in the Machine screening

*** More from us ***
Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com
FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io
FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod
FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod
FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social
FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Kelly has lost her voice! So Elaine is joined by cultural commentator, previous guest, and co-host of Get Around to It, Aoife Barry, to discuss why our feeds are filled with short video clips, and how ‘clipping’ is used to simulate trends and fake virality. If you’re a fan of the band Geese, you may have already been subject to these manipulations.

*** Good things we recommend ***
>> Catch up with Aoife at AoifeBarry.com
>> Listen to Elaine and Jenny interview Aoife about her book Social Capital
>> Listen to the Chaotic Good interview on Billboard’s On the Record podcast
>> Check out the next Get Around to It table quiz on 8 July
>> Come see Elaine chat with Dr Abeba Birhane at IFI’s Ghost in the Machine screening
>> Sign up for Out of the Archive and Into the Record, a Wiki Loves Pride event
>> Check out the Open Accessibility Assessment Framework for Computer Peripherals and Consumer Electronics
>> Celebrate Reuse and Repair Week with Tog in Belfast

*** More from us ***
Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com
FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io
FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod
FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod
FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social
FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi are rocketing in popularity and raking it in as users bet on everything from the day’s weather to major political manoeuvres. In this episode, Kelly and Elaine discuss what’s sus about these platforms and how they are mired in manipulation.

*** Good things we recommend ***
>> Research from CCPC and MABS on financial literacy
>> An Post’s Letter to your Future Self
>> Kelly’s favourite stamps, featuring Brian Friel and Eileen Gray
>> An Post’s digital stamps
>> GCN magazine stockists

*** More from us ***
Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com
FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io
FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod
FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod
FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social
FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.