Think: Digital Futures

Telehealth has seen a rapid expansion since March, as the government scrambled to slow the spread of coronavirus. Medical professionals have welcomed the changes, and medical associations are calling for them to stay in place after the pandemic is over. So why did it take a pandemic to bring telehealth to all patients? And is it an adequate substitute for in person health appointments.

Climate breakdown is changing the way people live- in cities, already soaring temperatures are compounded by the concrete, treeless layouts of most urban centres, while extreme weather decimates crops and disrupts our food supply chains. In this week's episode, we explore the possibilities green walls and vertical agriculture present for our urban centres, and how technology could help us adapt to a worsening climate.

Even before restaurants and pubs were shut down, the bans on public gatherings essentially outlawed our artistic institutions. Along with work meetings and trivia nights, our culture, too, has migrated online. Some institutions have taken the opportunity to innovate in exciting ways, making art more interactive than ever... while others are just trying to survive. What will COVID mean for an industry already on the brink?

Looking up to you - Simon Kennedy

https://www.mixcloud.com/ben-drayton/mince-tv-ben-drayton-290320/

Misinformation around COVID is just as dangerous as the virus itself. From injecting bleach to destroying 5G towers, myths around corona have spread online like wildfire. The tech companies have taken moves to limit such misinformation, but why now? Especially after years of refusing to remove other lies from online spaces? And will this extend to political lies in the future?

Electronic waste is a mounting problem, with hundreds of thousand of tonnes of electronics going into landfill every year, in Australia alone. You're more likely to just buy a new appliance, rather than spending more time and money to get it repaired. Electronic locks on technology mean both owners and repair people struggle to do basic fixes on the things we buy. How did we end up with this throwaway culture, where it's easier to buy something new than to have it repaired? And how do we find a way out?

Social and digital media have revolutionised what it means to be a fan. But in a connected world, passion runs on overdrive where gushing over your favourites can quickly snowball into flat out cyberwar. This week we're looking at vicious fandoms in the digital age, the rise of stan culture and what happens when fans attack.

Featuring:

Chris Comerford - Cultural Studies Researcher at the University of Technology Sydney

Jared Richards - Staff Writer at Junkee

Lauren McInroy - Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work at Ohio State University

Within any organisation, professional or governmental environment there's some level of digital infrastructure enabling people with sensitive information to come forward. But as you'll hear on this episode, these systems are failing to offer adequate protection and anonymity for those courageous enough to blow the whistle.

Featuring:

Fabio Pietrosanti - President of the Hermes Centre for Transparency and Digital Human Rights

Peter Fleming - Professor of Business and Management at the University of Technology Sydney

A lot of us joke around and say we're addicted to our phones, but when does the endless scrolling and hours of screen time turn into a full blown addiction? This episode we look at digital addictions, how devices are designed to be addictive but also how we're quick to demonise the tech that make our connected lives possible.

Featuring:

Luke Vu - Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Graduate from the Graduate School of Health at the University of Technology Sydney.

Raian Ali - Professor in Computing at Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.

Natasha Mauthner - Professor of Social Science Philosophy and Method at Newcastle University Business School, United Kingdom.

Humour has taken on new life in the digital age and TikTok is leading the march into obscurity. This episode we dive into the world of the VSCO girl and unpack how internet trends may seem like nonsense, but dig a little deeper and you'll find they actually make complete sense.

Featuring:

Lauren Strapagiel - Breaking News Reporter at Buzzfeed

Paul Byron - Digital Cultures Researcher in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney

Google will answer somewhere between 3-5 billion searches every day. But overtime, Google has evolved into so much more than a search engine. It's become a place where we confess our deepest, darkest thoughts. This episode, we're taking a look at the data Google collects about you through your searches. But we're not addressing your privacy concerns. Instead, we're looking at how this data could help those in crisis.

Featuring:

Patrick Berlinquette - Search Engine Marketer

Dr Ofer Mintz - Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Technology Sydney Business School