Favoriting Techtonic with Mark Hurst: Playlist from September 3, 2018 Favoriting

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Conversations with creators and thinkers who are charting the way forward in a tech-saturated society. In our shift to a digital future, we need alternatives to Big Tech. Homepage: techtonic.fm

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Favoriting September 3, 2018: Ali Latifi, journalist in Afghanistan

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This week: Ali Latifi, journalist based in Kabul, Afghanistan. "I don't think Facebook takes people here that seriously."

Pointers to Ali's work:

@alibomaye on Twitter

Provocative Social Media Overheats in Afghan Elections (by Ali, in Vice News, around the time of the 2014 elections... see also this Foreign Policy piece about the election)

• News & social media feeds Ali recommends: pajhwok.com, tolonews.com, and the Instagram accounts @alibomaye (Ali's own) and @mujmash @euamiri @EverydayKabul @EverydayKandahar.

Recent Tech News

Google's data collection is hard to escape, study claims (CNN, Aug 21): "It's nearly impossible to do anything digitally without Google collecting data on you." Covers the report written by Digital Content Next, CEO of which, Jason Kint, we've talked about on the show. Google's response was to call it Google desperately tried to call it 'wildly misleading' without offering any real evidence.

Review of George Gilder's new book "Life After Google" (WSJ, Aug 31): "Google makes him mad, as does Silicon Valley more broadly, and his ire is directed at the 'new catastrophe theory' which holds 'that artificial intelligence will make human minds obsolete, and that we’ll soon produce machine-learning tools and robotics that excel the capabilities of human brains.'"

Michael Stipe Explains Why He’s Leaving Instagram: “I Think That We Deserve Better” (Spin, Sept 2), quoting his BBC intreview: "I don’t like being tracked and followed, I don’t like the idea that they’re keeping track of how I look at things and how much time I spend looking at things." (Thanks to listener Russ for the pointer!)

...meanwhile, Google proudly announces that they're keeping track of how much time you spend looking at things:

YouTube expands its ‘digital wellbeing’ tools to track time spent watching videos (TechCrunch, Aug 27): "At Google, the company is now addressing digital wellbeing across its products, including Android, Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube and elsewhere. At its Google I/O developer conference earlier this year, it introduced a series of controls for YouTube viewers, including reminders to pause your viewing ('Take a Break') and those that would disable notification sounds for periods of time, and allow you to receive notifications as a digest."

Facebook whistleblower: Social media giant should face new laws for 'failing to safeguard children' (Telegraph, Sep 3): "Sandy Parakilas, who was responsible for privacy and compliance at Facebook for two years, said the company flagrantly disregarded his warnings over other companies’ misuse of children’s data. He said content and product design was driven by algorithms that maximised the number of users, irrespective of the harm to people’s well-being through addiction or the promotion of inflammatory disturbing or threatening material."

...which reminds me of John Oliver's bit on Facebook from July 30.

- - -

Subscribe to the Techtonic podcast

Artist Track Album Images Approx. start time
  Ali Latifi, journalist in Kabul, Afghanistan, talks about how Facebook, Instagram, and other digital tech is affecting day-to-day life for Afghanis.
Tomaš Dvořák  Game Boy Tune   Favoriting Machinarium Soundtrack 
Favoriting
 
  Mark's intro    
Favoriting
 
  Interview with Ali Latifi, journalist in Kabul, Afghanistan    
Favoriting
0:16:58 (Pop-up)
  Your calls and comments 201-209-9368    
Favoriting
0:33:48 (Pop-up)
REM  Radio Free Europe   Favoriting     0:53:59 (Pop-up)


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Listener comments!

Avatar 🤖 5:23pm
herb.nyc:

hi mark and all, just writing now so that i can be *first*, and to say that last wk's show mighta been my favoritest so far (i'm so funny; did you remember to laugh?)
  6:01pm
listener james from westwood:

Welcome back, Mark!!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:02pm
ultradamno:

Welcome back Mark! Hello techarantulas!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:02pm
Bas NL:

Hi Mark!
  6:03pm
melinda:

Hi Mark and Techtons, I am groggy too!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:05pm
Webhamster Henry:

Hi Mark! Vacation's over!
Avatar 6:05pm
northguineahills:

I'm in and out, good to hear you!
  6:06pm
Roland from Australia:

Welcome back, I hope you relaxed and put all thoughts about technology away while on vacation. - oops oh no you didn’t.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:08pm
Ken From Hyde Park:

Welcome back, Mark. Do you think your face is now in China's big database or did you wear a mask everywhere?
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:08pm
ultradamno:

Michael Stipe, despite the hype, I still...etc
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:12pm
ultradamno:

Won't that interfere with You Tube trying to keep you on the hook forever?
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:13pm
Webhamster Henry:

Website heat maps are pretty well established for website engagement optimization and A/Bing. They track the cursor and where it's hovering to see what parts of the website best fit the business model of how a user should be funneled to a page where they will consummate that most wished-for experience: conversion. Which is to say, they buy something.
Avatar 6:13pm
geezerette:

Serfing the web.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:13pm
listener james from westwood:

Ah, WFMU, the perfect wedge against the Great Firewall. We will crush them with our Jandek.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:14pm
Webhamster Henry:

... and Felder!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:15pm
Webhamster Henry:

Is DuckDuckGo blocked in CN?
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:15pm
maestroso:

In China earlier this year, indeed WFMU was loud and clear.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:15pm
Layet J:

a link to that list would be great! thanks
Avatar 6:17pm
TDK60:

Hello, been away for a while. Need to just listen..
Avatar 6:21pm
Linda Lee:

excellent ~ overseas tech ~ worthwhile discussion
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:22pm
Mark Hurst:

@Layet: Alternatives to Google - restoreprivacy.com...
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:23pm
listener james from westwood:

No small techno-feat that we are hearing someone speaking from Afghanistan with the audio clarity of being right across the studio!
Avatar 6:23pm
Linda Lee:

let's find out how much better technology serves the people in afghanistan vs rural US
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:23pm
Ken From Hyde Park:

WFMU is blocked at Macy's and Kame-Apart in this country. Good gravy!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:23pm
Mark Hurst:

Hi Herb - James - Ultradamno - Bas - Webhamster Henry - Melinda - Roland - Ken - Geezerette - James - Maestroso - Layet - TDK - and Linda!
Avatar 6:24pm
Linda Le:

Macy's? :-D
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:24pm
Layet J:

Thanks Mark!
Avatar 6:24pm
Linda Le:

hey there Mark!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:25pm
Mark Hurst:

@James - I agree - basic communication tools can be hugely helpful - no reason that they ALSO need to be surveillance platforms!
Avatar 6:26pm
Linda Le:

communications & surveillance technologies have matured together here ~ linked forever i guess
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:26pm
listener james from westwood:

@Linda Lee: excellent point re: rural US
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:28pm
ultradamno:

If I didn't know the context I's assume digital well-being referred to finger health
Avatar 6:28pm
Linda Le:

just left an ulster county township with about 5% of the population with functional net access ~ & provider needed bribing to offer that much.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:29pm
Mark Hurst:

Good point, Linda
Avatar 6:30pm
Linda Le:

there's one provider, having taken advantage of state incentives to connect us. not that they've kept up their end of the agreement ..
Avatar 6:34pm
Linda Le:

how is the concept of morality relevant to the interests of a corporate entity like facebook or google? it's not.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:36pm
Mark Hurst:

That's a pull quote. "I don't think Facebook takes people here that seriously."
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:36pm
Webhamster Henry:

Yes, Spectrum is being kicked out of NY because of their failure to reach the unwired, in Ulster County and elsewhere.
Avatar 6:36pm
Linda Le:

does facebook take any people seriously, really? they don't seem to.
Avatar 6:36pm
TDK60:

LL: correct answer: not.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:38pm
Webhamster Henry:

This was fascinating - how people try to work around tech censorship. We'll be seeing more of that here as Net Neutrality gets more neutered.
Avatar 6:39pm
Linda Le:

webhamster henry ~ that's right. without meeting their mandate. they're being allowed to take the money & run.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:40pm
Ken From Hyde Park:

In California, a bill to reinstall some net neutrality is on the governor's desk. Will be interesting to see how that plays out.
Avatar 6:41pm
geezerette:

All the money and energy put into commercially totalitarian tools instead of global effort ameliorating the acceleration of climate deterioration...enervating..
Avatar 6:41pm
Linda Le:

the 'dark age' interview was very good.
Avatar 6:42pm
geezerette:

Well being of tech titans.
Avatar 6:43pm
Linda Le:

gee .. with friends like facebook, who needs enemies?
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:43pm
ultradamno:

It's to hear some of these issues about Google again, as opposed to the emphasis on negative Trump search results.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:44pm
Ken From Hyde Park:

Facebook as your only friend ... nauseating!
Avatar 6:44pm
geezerette:

Big brother loves you.
Avatar 6:45pm
Linda Le:

big brother can kiss my tuchus.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:46pm
melinda:

@LL haha
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:48pm
dale:

they're taking advantage of human nature. when human nature changes we'll be better for it.
  6:48pm
Vanessa bikes:

so, I just came up with a comparison; not sure if anyone thought of it before? "free" internet sites remind me and same issues as "free" credit cards!
Avatar 6:49pm
Linda Lee:

absolutely.
Avatar 6:50pm
Linda Lee:

my phone is too dumb for fb/google apps. thankfully.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:52pm
Webhamster Henry:

Nice Bob Tinney BYTE Magazine image there (Latifi interview)
Avatar 6:53pm
Linda Lee:

@dale ~ the damn thing is the effect of social media on human nature ..
Avatar 6:54pm
Linda Lee:

yes we can say tuchus! :-D
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:54pm
listener james from westwood:

You can say "tuchus"—but you have to give it that good "ch" noise.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:55pm
Ken From Hyde Park:

On WFMU, you can say it and play it.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:55pm
Webhamster Henry:

Dumbphones have really good battery life!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:55pm
Bas NL:

Vocally fried?
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:56pm
dale:

social media doesn't create dependency. it's like gambling - it's up to the user to keep it in check.
Avatar 6:56pm
geezerette:

Mark, hydration! Rest up. :)
Avatar 6:56pm
Linda Lee:

any addiction wins by default, including net addiction.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:57pm
Bas NL:

Thanks Mark!
Avatar 6:58pm
Linda Lee:

if there's nothing else happening that's equally compelling, it wins. so we have a pandemic, as most of our lives aren't really that interesting ~ if not downright intolerable.
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 6:58pm
Webhamster Henry:

You should have a Tinney pic on each week's playlist: authentically retro-furturist!
Avatar 6:59pm
Linda Lee:

always liked this one! makes me nostalgic now..
Avatar Swag For Life Member 6:59pm
dale:

linda - i buy that.
Avatar 7:00pm
TDK60:

Is this a non-album version of Radio Free Europe? Sounds different from the LP version.
Avatar 7:00pm
Linda Lee:

that sounded live.
Avatar Swag For Life Member 7:00pm
Mark Hurst:

Yes indeed, I was vocally fried. Came out of nowhere. I blame jet lag... See you all next week!
Avatar Swag For Life Member 7:00pm
Mark Hurst:

Thanks again for being with us this evening, everyone
Avatar 7:01pm
Linda Lee:

thanks again Mark!
Avatar 🤖 Swag For Life Member 7:02pm
Webhamster Henry:

till next time!
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