Mass surveillance is worse than you think, but the solutions are simpler than you realize, says lawyer, technologist and TED Fellow Albert Fox Cahn. Breaking down the crude tactics law enforcement uses to sweep up massive amounts of data collected about us by our everyday tech, he lays out how new legal firewalls can protect the public from geofence warrants and other surveillance abuses -- and how we might end the looming dystopia of mass surveillance. After the talk, our host Sherrell discusses why laws and technology need to work hand in hand.

The shift we need to stop mass surveillance | Albert Fox Cahn

From the construction of virtual realities to the internet of things—technology is changing our world every day. But how can we make sure that the quickly-evolving role that tech plays in our lives is one that builds, empowers, and connects us? Host Sherrell Dorsey guides you through the latest ideas from TED Speakers, uncovering the riveting questions that sit at the intersection of technology, society, science, design, business, and innovation. Listen in every Friday.

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Why hasn't the dream of having a robot at home to do your chores become a reality yet? With three decades of research expertise in the field, roboticist Ken Goldberg sheds light on the clumsy truth about robots — and what it will take to build more dexterous machines to work in a warehouse or help out at home.

Why don't we have better robots yet? | Ken Goldberg

As companies introduce AI into the workplace to increase productivity, an uncomfortable paradox is emerging: people are often responsible for training the very systems that might displace them. AI ethics advocate Madison Mohns presents three leadership principles to embrace technological progress while prioritizing your coworkers' well-being — paving the way for a future where AI enhances human potential.

AI and the paradox of self-replacing workers | Madison Mohns

Modern life runs on wireless technology. What if the energy powering our devices could also be transmitted without wires? This week we are revisiting a talk by electrical engineer Ali Hajimiri, where he explains the principles behind wireless energy transfer and shares his far-out vision for launching flexible solar panels into space in order to collect sunlight, convert it to electrical power and then beam it down to Earth. Learn how this technology could power everything — and light up our world from space.

How wireless energy from space could power everything | Ali Hajimiri

We don't have to sacrifice our freedom for the sake of technological progress, says social technologist Divya Siddarth. She shares how a group of people helped retrain one of the world's most powerful AI models on a constitution they wrote — and offers a vision of technology that aligns with the principles of democracy, rather than conflicting with them.

How AI and democracy can fix each other | Divya Siddarth

Is cybercrime getting easier? Cybersecurity expert Ryan Pullen dives into his work investigating massive digital breaches and testing security blindspots — which led to him gaining access to the software controls of a well-known building in London. Learn more about how cybercriminals exploit human vulnerabilities and hear the latest on how to recognize and protect yourself from scams.

The shift we need to stop mass surveillance | Albert Fox Cahn

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