Book Review: Re-Engineering Humanity
Brett Frischmann and Evan Selinger warn that real freedom of will and human agency will require the ability to be “off.”
Podcast #34: Ben Green on Smart Enough Cities
Data technology researcher and author Ben Green punctures the myth of the smart city.
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.
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.
CCTV: A View on Surveillance From Britain
British citizens may be the most visually surveilled people in the West, with an estimated one camera for every ten people. Critical awareness may slowly be dawning, but will it make any difference?
Help End Section 702 Surveillance
Section 702 of 2008’s FISA Amendment Act, the basis of an enormous surveillance program, is about to lapse. A new bill, the USA Rights Act, would fix it.
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.
A Message From the Publisher
Happy birthday us! This month marks one year since we moved to weekly updates. Publisher Mo Lotman shares a few thoughts about The Technoskeptic and the stakes of its mission.
Podcast #9: Danielle Allen on Education and Civics
Danielle Allen is a University Professor and the director of the Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard, a regular columnist for The Washington Post, and author of five books, including most recently Education and Equality. She spoke with us about the current emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), the challenges of technology in education, and what it takes to raise an engaged and self-actualized citizenry.
Podcast #8: Tim Wu On Attention and Communications Networks
Tim Wu is a renowned scholar on our communications networks, having coined the phrase “net neutrality” and written extensively on the subject both inside and outside of government and academia, including the White House and Columbia University. His latest book, The Attention Merchants, is a history of advertising, and it’s not pretty. He spoke with us about our declining private spheres, the current state of the Internet, and the effects of what he calls The Cycle, as new communications technologies inevitably move from open to closed.