Podcast #34: Ben Green on Smart Enough Cities
Data technology researcher and author Ben Green punctures the myth of the smart city.
Category: Politics
Podcast #28: Jonathan Taplin on Internet Aggregators
Jonathan Taplin, former music and film professional, tells first-hand what the new rentier economy of Internet aggregators like Google and Facebook has done to the creative arts, journalism, and democracy.
Print Preview: Issue #2 | Spring 2019
Our 2nd issue is off to the printer. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s inside.
Is Democracy Threatened by Chatbots?
Chatbots are becoming more sophisticated both in their ability to process language and gauge emotion. As social media increasingly influences our news and beliefs, this could be a big problem.
The AT&T-Time Warner Suit: Is Antitrust Back?
After years of seeming government indifference to ever-larger monopolistic firms, the DOJ has filed suit against the proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner. Does this signal a much-needed resurgence of antitrust action? Or is it a one-off?
Podcast #14: Cathy O’Neil on the problem of algorithms
Mathematician Cathy O’Neil shares her insider’s look at how algorithms are gaming our world, with terrible consequences for those who can least afford them.
New Digital Fakery May Make Truth Even More Elusive
Software now in development makes it easy to fabricate audio and video of real people, literally putting words in their mouths.
Speeding Towards a Potential AI Jobocalypse, Government is on Autopilot
A White House paper on AI betrays a stunning naivte about potential economic fallout, but few in government are interested in even acknowledging the issue.
Walter Lippmann’s Enduring Relevance
In the 20th Century, Walter Lippmann was one of America’s most gifted political theorists. Forty-three years after his death, he may still be.
Podcast #10: Nicole Freedman on Bike Transit
When Nicole Freedman became Boston’s first “bike czar,” the city had been rated worst in the country in bike friendliness by Bicycling Magazine. A decade later, it’s been in the top ten with a growing network of protected lanes and one of the nation’s first major bike-sharing programs. Freedman describes what it takes to change culture around transit and how everyone can benefit.