Tech Won't Save Us

GoFundMe is increasingly becoming an integral part of how people access healthcare. But what are the tradeoffs of crowdfunding for health? On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Nora Kenworthy about how GoFundMe profits from people’s pain. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/222_gofundme_profits_from_peoples_pain_w_nora_kenworthy

Balaji Srinivasan is leading a growing tech movement to take over San Francisco and “ethnically cleanse” it of Silicon Valley’s critics. On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Gil Duran about network states and tech billionaires’ turn against democracy. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/221_techs_plan_to_ethnically_cleanse_san_francisco_w_gil_duran

Chinese EV maker BYD is challenging Tesla to become the top EV seller in the world. But how did it get there and what does its future hold? On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Paolo Gerbaudo to discuss BYD’s success and why the US feels threatened by it. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/220_how_byd_is_upending_the_ev_market_w_paolo_gerbaudo

Tesla has long depended on hype to survive, but as Elon Musk does mass layoffs and bets the company on bad self-driving tech, is its time running out? This week Ed Niedermeyer joins Paris Marx to discuss why Tesla is failing as a car company. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/219_tesla_is_choosing_hype_over_substance_w_edward_niedermeyer

SHEIN has quickly become a juggernaut in the world of fast fashion, but it’s also worsened its environmental and labor issues. On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Nicole Lipman to discuss how SHEIN became so big and how its issues should be addressed. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/219_how_shein_took_over_fast_fashion_w_nicole_lipman

Transhumanism is all the rage with tech billionaires pushing mind uploading, AGI, and more. But where do those ideas come from? On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke with Meghan O’Gieblyn to discuss the religious roots of transhumanist visions of the future. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/218_the_religious_foundations_of_transhumanism_w_meghan_ogieblyn

Since 2018, sports betting has been quickly legalized across much of the United States — and it’s created countless problems. On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Alex Shephard to discuss how it fueled gambling addition and could threaten the integrity of sports. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/217_how_sports_betting_is_fueling_gambling_addiction_w_alex_shephard

Kara Swisher styles herself as a thorn in the tech industry’s side. The reality is she’s one of its biggest boosters. On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Edward Ongweso about Swisher’s true legacy and the deeper problems with tech journalism. Full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/216_kara_swisher_shows_tech_journalisms_flaws_w_edward_ongweso_jr

Elon Musk wants us to believe our future is on Mars, but will settling another planet really be as easy as he makes it seem? This week I spoke to Zach Weinersmith about the challenges that will keep us from building space settlements for a long time. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/214_what_elon_musk_wont_tell_you_about_settling_mars_w_zach_weinersmith

The proposed US TikTok ban won’t address the issues lawmakers claim to be concerned about, but it tells us a lot about US tech policy. This week I spoke to Jacob Silverman to discuss the bigger picture of the latest push to ban TikTok. Full ep: https://techwontsave.us/episode/213__what_the_tiktok_ban_reveals_about_us_tech_policy_w_jacob_silverman

Silicon Valley isn’t delivering products that actually improve people’s lives anymore — and you’re right to be angry about it. I spoke to Ed Zitron to discuss the state of the industry and why the AI hype makes no sense. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/211_silicon_valley_deserves_your_anger_w_ed_zitron

Plastic recycling is a scam dreamed up by the fossil fuel lobby to ensure we don’t phase out disposable plastics. On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Dharna Noor to discuss where the idea came from and how little plastic is actually recycled. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/210_plastic_recycling_is_a_scam_w_dharna_noor

The Platform Work Directive was supposed to improve workers’ rights across the European Union. But then it was defeated. I spoke with Ben Wray about what happened and where the fight for gig workers’ rights goes next. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/209_a_setback_for_gig_workers_rights_in_europe_w_ben_wray

Under foreverism, nothing can ever die. Franchises need to go on forever to maximize corporate profits and political ideas drawing on the past define our discourse. This week I spoke to Grafton Tanner to discuss the consequences of companies and politicians leveraging nostalgia for their own gain. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/208_how_foreverism_degrades_our_culture_w_grafton_tanner

User interfaces don’t just make tech products usable; they make us see ourselves and the world in a different way. I spoke to Zachary Kaiser about how the data our tech collects is not an accurate reflection of the world around us. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/207_how_interfaces_shape_our_relationship_to_tech_w_zachary_kaiser

In 2017, Emmanuel Macron became president of France with the promise to make it a “Start-Up Nation.” I spoke to Nastasia Hadjadji about how that pledge set the stage for a neoliberal assault on the public sector. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/206_frances_start_up_nation_is_a_neoliberal_hell_w_nastasia_hadjadji

The news media is in crisis, but is the internet really the root of the problem and will forcing platforms to give publishers some money fix it? On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Victor Pickard about how the commercial model so much media relies on is failing journalists and the public, and how just blaming the internet distracts us from real solutions. Listen here: https://techwontsave.us/episode/205_whats_really_killing_the_news_media_w_victor_pickard

Over the past few years, Spotify spent big to try to take over podcasting. Now it’s shutting down shows, laying off workers, and disappearing well-known brands. What happened? On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Eric Silver about Spotify’s big plan to enclose podcasts so it could get more data and diversify away from music. Needless to say, it didn’t work. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/204_how_spotify_tried_to_take_over_podcasting_w_eric_silver

We’re over a year into this cycle of AI hype, but how does the real impact of the technology compare to what tech CEOs have spent all their time warning us about? On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Timnit Gebru about how they distracted us from the real problems with AI to shape regulation and serve themselves. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/203_ai_hype_distracted_us_from_real_problems_w_timnit_gebru

In the 2010s, countries all over the world experienced digitally coordinated, horizontally organized mass protests seeking to challenge existing power. They often failed. On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke to Vincent Bevins about the role social media actually played in those protests and how the form was ultimately coopted by powerful forces in society. Listen to the full episode: https://techwontsave.us/episode/202_what_social_media_meant_for_the_mass_protest_decade_w_vincent_bevins