Tech Won't Save Us

Saudi Arabia is Using Games to Improve Its Image w/ Nathan Grayson

Paris Marx is joined by Nathan Grayson to discuss how Saudi Arabia is buying its way into the sports, comedy, and video game industries in order to broaden its investment portfolio and launder its international reputation. Nathan Grayson is a cofounder of Aftermath [https://aftermath.site/welcome-to-aftermath] and the author of Stream Big: The Triumphs and Turmoils of Twitch and the Stars Behind the Screen [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781982156763]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * Aftermath launched a refreshed website. Check it out [https://aftermath.site]! * Nathan wrote about the problems with the Saudi-EA deal [https://aftermath.site/the-ea-sale-is-bad-news-for-everyone]. * GeoGuessr users made their maps unplayable [https://www.pcgamer.com/games/puzzle/geoguessr-withdraws-from-esports-world-cup-following-furious-blowback-from-the-community-over-saudi-arabias-human-rights-record/] in protest against the game’s announced participation in the Esports World Cup. * Here’s a more comprehensive list of Saudi Arabia’s game investments [https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/all-the-gaming-companies-saudi-arabia-owns-or-has-invested-in/2900-7081/]. * And here’s a history of Saudi Arabia’s investments in sports [https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/38162723/saudi-arabia-sports-takeover-line-30-years-making].

Why We Need a War on Cars w/ Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear

Paris Marx is joined by Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear to discuss the many ways cars have negatively affected society, how tech companies seek to entrench those problems, and what can really be done to improve mobility in our communities. Doug Gordon is a TV producer and writer. Sarah Goodyear is a journalist and author. They are the co-hosts of The War on Cars [https://thewaroncars.org] and co-authors of Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780593850725]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * Fighting Traffic [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780262516129] by Peter D. Norton * Livable Streets by Donald Appleyard * Your Six-Year-Old [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/3165/your-six-year-old-by-louise-bates-ames-phd-and-frances-l-ilg-md/] by Louise Bates Ames * Bowling Alone [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781982130848] by Robert D. Putnam

We Need to Cut Our Dependence on US Tech. Here’s How to Start.

Paris Marx celebrates the 300th episode of Tech Won’t Save Us by sharing his reasons to push for digital sovereignty and get off US tech. On top of explaining how that dependence gives the US governments and its tech companies power over us, Paris also provides tips of alternative services to consider migrating to. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * Here is the Disconnect post [https://disconnect.blog/getting-off-us-tech-a-guide/] offering a comprehensive list of options for getting off US tech. * Producer Kyla seconds the recommendation of the library [https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/more-than-books-10-different-ways-public-libraries-make-our-lives-better/] as an alternative to streaming, audiobooks, big box bookstores, and for plenty of other benefits (including inviting us to be more active community members). * Trump’s sanctions [https://apnews.com/article/icc-trump-sanctions-karim-khan-court-a4b4c02751ab84c09718b1b95cbd5db3] against chief ICC prosecutor Karim Kahn has delayed proceedings, and resulted in Microsoft cancelling his email service. * Here’s more information about when JD Vance annoyed most of Europe [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceve3wl21x1o] by comparing their governments to authoritarian regimes. * Learn more about Alexandre de Moraes [https://www.techpolicy.press/trumps-attack-on-brazils-sovereignty-may-backfire-on-us-tech-firms/] and his efforts to regulate US tech in Brazil.

Silicon Valley Doesn’t Know What Makes a Good City w/ Joanne McNeil

Paris Marx is joined by Joanne McNeil to discuss the proliferation of delivery bots and robotaxis and how they recycle disproven claims about how technology will improve transportation. Joanne McNeil is a freelance writer and the author of Wrong Way [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780374610661] and Lurking: How a Person Became a User [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781250785756]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * Joanne wrote about delivery bots and robotaxis for the New York Review of Architecture [https://nyra.nyc/articles/waymo-money-waymo-problems]. * She’s doing an event in Los Angeles [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-comes-after-social-media-a-talk-book-signing-with-joanne-mcneil-tickets-1661480074629] discussing social media on November 1. * Uber’s driverless car killed a pedestrian, and the company scapegoated the backup driver [https://www.npr.org/2023/07/28/1190866476/autonomous-uber-backup-driver-pleads-guilty-death]. * Sleep Dealer [https://alexrivera.com/2022/01/21/sleep-dealer/] is a sci-fi movie by Alex Rivera. * A GM Cruise self-driving car hit a pedestrian [https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/11/after-robotaxi-dragged-pedestrian-20-feet-cruise-founder-and-ceo-resigns/] and dragged them 20 feet before stopping. * Even Chuck E. Cheese is getting into the ghost kitchen business [https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/the-popular-ghost-kitchen-that-was-just-chuck-e-cheese-pizza-with-a-new-name/ar-AA1OJPen].

Smart Glasses Are Ushering In An Anti-Social World w/ Chris Gilliard

Paris Marx is joined by Chris Gilliard to discuss how tech CEOs are pushing a new generation of AI-powered smart glasses by promising they’ll be stylish and indispensable to workers in a desperate attempt to convince us we should want their luxury surveillance gadgets. Chris Gilliard is the co-director of the Critical Internet Studies Institute [https://www.criticalinternet.org] and is working on a book called Luxury Surveillance. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * Harvard students used Meta glasses to dox strangers [https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2024/10/03/metas-ray-ban-smart-glasses-used-to-instantly-dox-strangers-in-public-thanks-to-ai-and-facial-recognition/]. * Apple tinkered with its AI [https://www.politico.eu/article/apple-teaching-artificial-intelligence-adapt-to-trump-era/] shortly after Trump was inaugurated. * AI may start answering 911 calls [https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mcpd-plans-ai-answer-non-220739079.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAELeq_l7pjTHaCRZWiRLBbpIxXHmdsKHTo-UcVF5EjHoGJ9pbajb4zva482TvdYBseub_XNYFjm_Y-U7ZEoXFbYeAvhKUrvvi3azMJpZLHS7D9cUakxYZlhElp-cytByRzj4Qgvqk1aaQk43ij8RVMkRJl6G7gdzcFTJJUttg3Tz]. * Studies are suggesting that AI may be making doctors worse at diagnosing cancer [https://time.com/7309274/ai-lancet-study-artificial-intelligence-colonoscopy-cancer-detection-medicine-deskilling/]. * Rob Horning has written about overreliance on AI [https://robhorning.substack.com/p/overreliance-as-a-service]. * Chris mentioned Emily Bender and her analogy comparing LLMs to plastic [https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/friends-dont-let-friends-prompt/].