Episodes

  • Billionaire Investor Frank McCourt on Why We Should Control Our Own Data

    Billionaire Investor Frank McCourt on Why We Should Control Our Own Data
    Oct 14 2025
    Frank McCourt was one of the first investors to make a bid to buy TikTok earlier this year, with a promise to give users more control over their own data. Months later, a TikTok deal has come together and it’s not clear he’ll be part of it. But Frank and his organization Project Liberty haven’t given up on their vision of an internet that puts users first, instead of handing over their personal information to big tech companies. Today on the show, he explains what that could look like in the AI era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Why Tech Platforms Are Now Asking for Your Age

    Why Tech Platforms Are Now Asking for Your Age
    Oct 7 2025
    Tech platforms are increasingly trying to figure out how old you are. Why is this happening? And should you be worried about handing over your information to these platforms to verify your age? CT Jones, a culture writer at Rolling Stone, has been reporting on the rollout of new age verification laws. They explain how these laws work and what they mean for anyone navigating the internet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Saving Energy and Money with Smart Technology

    Saving Energy and Money with Smart Technology
    Sep 30 2025
    Across the country, Americans are seeing their energy bills increase, in part due to the power demands of new AI data centers. But Rachel Cericola, a writer for the New York Times’ product review site Wirecutter, says that smart home technology could help lower your living expenses. She explains how you can solve everyday inconveniences with these gadgets and lower your utility bills at the same time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    19 mins
  • What Dr. Sanjay Gupta Learned From Being the Target of a Deepfake Health Ad

    What Dr. Sanjay Gupta Learned From Being the Target of a Deepfake Health Ad
    Sep 23 2025
    As a practicing neurosurgeon and CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta can spot false health claims from a mile away. Still, he recently became the unwitting subject of an AI disinformation campaign that used his likeness to sell sham health products. On today’s episode, Dr. Gupta shares what happened, and offers tips to avoid getting duped by medical misinformation online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Back to School - With Help From AI

    Back to School - With Help From AI
    Sep 16 2025
    Kids are heading back to school. One thing students, teachers and parents can expect to encounter this year is artificial intelligence, which has raised all kinds of questions, both positive and negative. So, how can you make sure your student is navigating AI safely and successfully? Dr. Kathleen Torregrossa has been an educator for 37 years in Cranston, Rhode Island. She explains how teachers are using AI in the classroom, and what families need to know about its impact on learning. – This episode includes a reference to suicide. Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters. In the US: Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Globally: The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide have contact information for crisis centers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • How to Keep Your Private Messages Truly Private

    How to Keep Your Private Messages Truly Private
    Sep 9 2025
    DMs and text messages can feel like private forms of communication — but it’s not always that simple. There are scenarios where third parties might be able to access your messaging data, whether it's your employer or law enforcement. So how can you make sure your private conversations actually remain private? Riana Pfefferkorn, a policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, has some tips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    25 mins
  • From VPNs to Cookies: Staying Secure Online

    From VPNs to Cookies: Staying Secure Online
    Sep 2 2025
    Should you trust public WiFi? How do you choose the right VPN? And what should you do when yet another website asks you to allow cookies? On today’s episode, ethical hacker and SocialProof Security CEO Rachel Tobac answers some rapid-fire questions about staying safe and savvy online. You can hear our previous episode with Rachel, about the safest way to create and manage your passwords, here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    26 mins
  • How Your Memories Can Live On After You Die

    How Your Memories Can Live On After You Die
    Aug 26 2025
    When Lucy Simic was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2018, she wondered how to spend the time she had left — and what kind of legacy she’d leave behind. In the years since, she’s collaborated with ReimagineAI CEO David Usher to develop LucyAI, an interactive chatbot trained on her thoughts and memories. It’s an early example of what could become a new form of memoir or scrapbook for the 21st century. At a gallery in New York City, Clare speaks with Lucy (both the real and digital versions) and David about what it’s like to preserve real-life memories with this technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    22 mins