Ways & Means

Special Takeover: The Debugger podcast has taken over the Ways & Means feed for a three-part series: Defending Democracy (and Us!) from Big Tech. This episode is the third of the series.

Large technology companies are so powerful they now threaten democracy. They are too big to sue, and current regulations are not holding them responsible for their actions or outcomes. What can be done when a large tech company is doing something that is harmful to society? How can the technology companies that want to differentiate themselves demonstrate they are behaving responsibly? Well – this isn't the first time the U.S. has been faced with a large, runaway industry that needed effective government oversight. We'll look closely at the governance frameworks that are used for big banks, environmental polluters, drug companies to allow them to demonstrate responsible decision making.

The series is produced with support from the Cyber Policy Program at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, and Duke's Kenan Institute for Ethics.

Special Takeover: The Debugger podcast has taken over the Ways & Means feed for a three-part series: Defending Democracy (and Us!) from Big Tech. This is episode two of that series.

Very large tech companies fit into a special tech category called "platforms." Companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Amazon are so big – it's like they are on a raised on a platform at a country fair, and can be heard all over the fairgrounds. The platform gives them an advantage; because they can be heard by more people, their technology can have a more impactful reach.

These companies have a lot of money, and power. But what if society becomes convinced one of these tools is hurting kids, or failing democracy, or polluting the environment, or stealing? Since they are so big that even fines don't seem to scare them, what now?

In this episode: we'll explore what's been tried to hold tech companies accountable.

The series is produced with support from the Cyber Policy Program at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, and Duke's Kenan Institute for Ethics.

Very large technology companies fit into a special technology category called “platforms.” Companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Amazon are so big – it’s like they are situated on a raised on a platform at a country fair. Anyone on a platform like this can be heard all over the fairgrounds. The platform gives them an advantage; because they can be heard by more people, their technology can have a more impactful reach.

These companies have a lot of money, and power. But what if society becomes convinced one of these tools is hurting kids, or failing democracy, or polluting the environment, or stealing? Since they are so big that even fines don’t seem to scare them, what now?

In this episode: we’ll explore what’s been tried to hold tech companies accountable.

This episode is the second of a three-part series, Defending Democracy (and Us!) from Big Tech, a collaboration between Ways & Means and the Debugger podcast.

The series is produced with support from the Cyber Policy Program at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, and Duke’s Kenan Institute for Ethics.

Special Takeover: The Debugger podcast has taken over the Ways & Means feed for a three-part series: Defending Democracy (and Us!) from Big Tech.

In this episode: It's critical to understand just how hard it is to tell big tech companies what to do. The United States' legal system is set up for a fair fight, but in practice tech firms are often able to act as their own judge and jury. They control everything from what apps we see, to what data they collect about us to whether or not misinformation and hate speech circulate widely online.

Series produced with support from the Cyber Policy Program at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, and Duke's Kenan Institute for Ethics.

Season 7 launches Wednesday March 2 with a series: "Defending Democracy (And Us!) From Big Tech." The three-part series explores how powerful big tech companies are, and what governments can do to keep them accountable.

The series is hosted by journalist Bob Sullivan, and is a collaboration with the Debugger podcast.

Thanks to the Cyber Policy program at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, and Duke's Kenan Institute for Ethics.

Promo music: Footsteps on Alden and the Corner Office. Blue Dot Sessions, Creative Commons license.

Throughout history, the U.S. and other countries have paid reparations to a wide range of people and groups, for a variety of wrongs. But reparations to African Americans have not been paid to date. In the final episode of the series The ARC of Justice – From Here to Equality, listen in on a live conversation about reparations. How would the debt be calculated? Who would qualify? What methods might work? This episode was recorded in front of a live virtual audience on Thursday, April 15, 2021.

This is the fifth installment of the series "The ARC of Justice - From Here to Equality."

Get show notes, credits and transcript.

Throughout the nation's history, time and again, promising signs of African American progress have been shattered by acts of violence serving the interests of white supremacy. The extent of that violence is widespread and ongoing.

This is the fifth installment of the series "The ARC of Justice - From Here to Equality."

Get show notes, credits, transcript and discussion guide.

Join us for the live season finale, Thursday April 15 at noon.

Episode 5 premieres April 7. It will explore white violence against Black people through the decades.

Episode 6 premieres April 15 (Live!) Join us for a discussion with William A. "Sandy" Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen as well as other reparations experts. Don't forget to register for the live event.

(Music in this teaser by Solomon Fox.)

In this episode: The GI Bill was a conveyor belt into the middle class for millions of white WWII veterans, but many African American veterans were excluded. Subsequent generations continue to feel the effects.

This is the fourth installment of the series "The ARC of Justice - From Here to Equality."

Get show notes, credits, transcript and discussion guide.

Produced with North Carolina Public Radio WUNC. Made possible by the Duke Office for Faculty Advancement thanks to funding from the Duke Endowment.

In this episode: how the federal government promoted housing segregation and thwarted African American home ownership.

This is the second installment of the series "The ARC of Justice – From Here to Equality."

Get show notes, credits and transcript.

Produced with North Carolina Public Radio WUNC. Made possible by the Duke Office for Faculty Advancement thanks to funding from The Duke Endowment.