Technology Pill

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108

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Oct 2026

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Find out how technology is reshaping our lives every day and explore the new powers of governments and companies.

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October 2, 20261 hr 2 min

Lights, Camera, Surveillance: technology in film

From Spiderman, to Toy Story, to One Night Only, this week we’re talking about some of the summers biggest and weirdest movies, as we think about the use of technology and surveillance in film. Links - Silicon valley has a science fiction problem: https://aeon.co/essays/silicon-valley-has-a-science-fiction-problem - One night only Guardian review: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/05/one-night-only-movie-review NY Times review: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/movies/one-night-only-review.html Movies we watched in order discussed: - Spiderman: Brand New Day and Spiderman: Far from Home - Coyote Vs. Acme - Toy Story 5 (and Toy Story 3) - One Night Only - Super Mario Galaxy (Derogatory) - Minions and Monsters - Project Hail Mary - The Odyssey - Devil Wears Prada 2 - "The Box" Brooklyn 99 S5 E14

September 4, 202647 min

How is militarisation shaping civic spaces?

This week we're talking about how the militarisation of tech is shaping civic spaces and what 'dual use' technology actually means with Sophie from Corporate Watch. Links Corporate watch: What's driving the militarisation of tech - and what can we do about it: https://corporatewatch.org/whats-driving-the-militarisation-of-tech-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/ Case studies and info about military tech companies: https://privacyinternational.org/military-tech-companies Skydio case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5734/dual-use-tech-skydio-example Axon taser drones for schools: https://www.wired.com/story/axon-taser-drones-ethics-board/ Skydio/The Verge podcast: https://www.theverge.com/podcast/949195/skydio-ceo-adam-bry-autonmous-drones-china-red-lines-military BAE systems case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5766/dual-use-tech-bae-systems-example Pokemon go: -> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jun/12/pokemon-go-data-trained-ai-that-could-assist-military-drones-in-war-zones Niantic sell games division including Pokemon Go to Scopely: https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnieva/2025/05/21/niantic-scopely-pokemon-go/ Elbit systems case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5735/dual-use-tech-elbit-example Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) case study including their relationship with EU Horizon funding: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5703/dual-use-tech-israel-aerospace-industries-iai-example Airbus case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5720/dual-use-tech-airbus-example Leonardo case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5733/dual-use-tech-leonardo-example Proscription of Palestine Action: https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/breaking-down-the-court-of-appeal-judgment-on-palestine-actions-proscription/ Elbit systems factory raid: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce950111xk7o Elbit systems factory close down: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-defense-giant-elbit-said-to-quietly-shut-down-uk-plant-targeted-by-activists/

August 7, 202643 min

Human testing: Militarised technology across Southwest Asia and North Africa

This week we're talking to Marianne from SMEX about their new report looking at the differing dynamics of producing, testing, and deployment of militarised technology across the Southwest Asia and Northern African region (SWANA). Links * Report - Produced, tested, deployed: the Miltarisation of technology in the SWANA region * Vodafone in Egypt story: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jul/26/vodafone-access-egypt-shutdown * Lebanon and Israel leaflet drop: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2026/03/13/israeli-warplanes-drop-leaflets-over-beirut-causing-panic- * More about QR code leaflet drop: https://smex.org/smex-warns-of-risks-related-to-scanning-qr-codes-on-israeli-leaflets/ * More about the data security problem in Lebanon: https://smex.org/lebanons-data-security-problem-explained/ * Open Season - PI's old report on Syria: https://privacyinternational.org/report/1016/open-season-building-syrias-surveillance-state * PI's Militarisation of Tech project: https://privacyinternational.org/campaigns/militarisation-of-tech

July 3, 20261 hr 3 min

Foreign Keys: Travel Surveillance

This week we're discussing borders, biometrics and more, as we take a look at what kind of surveillance you might experience if you're traveling to the World Cup, or to the EU schengen area. Acronyms - ETIAS: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (new for visa exempt; no biometrics - run by a central unit operated by frontex; this is where manual checks carried out if automated checks flag problems) - VIS: Visa information System (obvs for visas; age lowered to 6? - will soon check other systems) - EES: Entry/Exit system (biometrics on entry; records all border crossings) - CIR: Common Identity Repository (only non-eu citizens; weak anti-discrimination; identity info from visa and ta - data from other databases lives here and is used for purposes beyond travel e.g. police checks in country) - Eurodac: (all asylum seekers, and trying to add undocumented migrants) - ECRIS-TCN: European Criminal Records Information System for Third-Country Nationals (data on non-EU citizens convicted in one or more EU member state) - SIS: schengen information system (an EU database for police, judicial and border control/cooperation, to see whether they are wanted by the police or subject to an entry ban; checked on crossing external schengen border inc eu citizens) - MID: Multiple-Identity Detector - SLTED: Interpol’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database (checked on crossing external schengen border inc eu citizens) Links World Cup: https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/5759/moving-goalposts-football-facial-recognition-and-expansion-surveillance USA Trump Administration: https://privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/5713/trump-administration-wants-your-dna-and-social-media Airport Phone searches: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/travel/airport-border-phone-search.html Customs and Border Protection phone searches: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/cbp-search-authority/border-search-electronic-devices Snooperbowl 2000/2001 NFL season https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/firm-defends-snooper-bowl-technology Omar Artan, the Somali Referee not allowed in to the US: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cnv9drg0qzgo Some more info on the Iranian team's travel restrictions https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/iran-thank-tijuana-after-world-cup-exit-support-mexico-second-team-2026-06-30/ The EU's database complex - the EES and ETIAS PI on EU travel surveillance from 2020 https://privacyinternational.org/explainer/4119/travel-surveillance-eu Statewatch on the ETIAS https://statewatch.org/news/2026/april/europe-s-uncertain-plans-for-rolling-out-the-automated-border-system-etias/ ; Statewatch's full report: https://statewatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sw-automated-suspicion-full.pdf Statewatch on expanding EU stravel surveillance: https://statewatch.org/news/2026/january/eu-member-states-want-to-expand-police-surveillance-of-travel/ Court cases against Passenger Name Record directive: https://freiheitsrechte.org/en/themen/freiheit-im-digitalen-zeitalter/nopnr-en UN Counter Terror PI's Travellers' Surveillance report from 2024 https://privacyinternational.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/PI Travellers surveillance report dec 2024_0.pdf PI's briefing: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5481/pis-briefing-travellers-surveillance UK Border Search of digital devices https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-12-05/debates/D4EA367E-312B-4FA4-A441-0C4E7967C5D6/DigitalDevicesSearchPowersAtTheUKBorder UK's law on seizure of electronic devices from asylum seekers and migrants https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powers-and-operational-procedure-caseworker-guidance/border-security-asylum-and-immigration-act-2025-seizure-of-electronic-devices-policy-guidance-accessible Tommy Robinson Court Case https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tommy-robinson-cleared-terror-charges-over-refused-phone-access-1752352 Muhammad Rabbani - Director of Cage - Schedule 7 terror charges: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41394156

June 19, 202656 min

Europol's Shadow Surveillance feat Bill Goodwin

This week we're joined by Bill Goodwin, investigations editor at Computer Weekly and award-winning journalist, to discuss Europol's secret shadow IT system — and what it tells us about how law enforcement agencies evade oversight. Links Computer Weekly investigation: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642525/They-protect-the-law-while-breaking-it-Inside-Europols-shadow-IT-system We Are Solomon: https://wearesolomon.com/en/mag/focus-area/accountability/they-protect-the-law-while-breaking-it-inside-europols-shadow-it-system/ Privacy International's 2019 FOI on Europol: https://privacyinternational.org/report/3225/challenging-drivers-surveillance-eu-access-documents-requests Spanish police and cryptophone intercepts: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643318/Spanish-police-systematically-hid-cryptophone-intercepts-from-courts-claims-ex-chief Bill's case Goodwin v United Kingdom: https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/cases/goodwin-v-united-kingdom/ The Independent — Reporter's rights violated: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/reporter-s-rights-violated-1438583.html Horizon Parliamentary committee on Horizon redress: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/365/business-and-trade-committee/news/212661/post-office-horizon-it-scandal-serious-structural-failings-persist-in-redress/ Bill at TCIJ on breaking the Horizon story: https://tcij.org/summer-conference-event/breaking-horizon-post-office-scandal/

June 5, 202643 min

Community Health: Young people in Ghana and Vietnam

This is the third and final edition of our series on young peoples’ digital health and human rights. Today we’re talking to Alberta Nadutey - a research officer for working on the Digital Health and Rights project about how young people in Ghana interact with digital health, and Minh Anh a young person from the Vietnam community advisory team about her participation in the research in Vietnam, and what she sees as the biggest digital health concerns as a medical student interested in public health policy. Links DHRP report: https://digitalhealthandrights.com/resource-library/report-paying-the-costs-of-connection/ Ghana policy brief DHRP: https://digitalhealthandrights.com/resource-library/national-policy-brief-navigating-human-rights-and-risks-online-young-ghanaians-and-the-future-of-digital-health/ Vietnam policy brief DHRP: https://digitalhealthandrights.com/resource-library/paying-the-cost-of-connection-vietnam-policy-brief/ Ghana law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghanaian_anti-LGBTQ_bill

May 15, 202652 min

Community Health: Colombia dating app dilemma

This week we're talking to Natalia Andrade and Laura Grisales Silva from Fundación Karisma about dating app data, the commodification of intimacy, and talking to Colombian young people about their experiences. Fundación Karisma are a member of the ⁠Digital Health and Rights Project⁠ . Links More from Fundación Karisma: https://info.karisma.org.co/ 2018 Grindr shared HIV status and more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-43624328 2021 Norwegian DPA fines Grindr: https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/national-news/2021/norwegian-dpa-imposes-fine-against-grindr-llc_en Ongoing UK case in which Grindr is being sued: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj7mxnvz42no $40 million Bumble and Badoo class action settlement: https://www.jjlmlaw.com/news/bumble-biometric-privacy-40-million-settlement-approved Criteo loses appeal on their fine: https://cybernews.com/privacy/french-ad-tech-giant-criteo-eur40m-privacy-fine/ Karisma's work on WorldCoin in Colombia: https://blog.karisma.org.co/investigar-lo-invisible-del-iris-a-worldcoin-herramientas-de-investigacion-para-transformar-la-curiosidad-en-accion/ WorldCoin in Colombia: https://cadeproject.org/updates/colombia-orders-worldcoin-shutdown-over-biometric-data-violations/

May 1, 202641 min

Community Health: Kenya Data Debt Spiral

This week we're talking to Joan Musenya about life in Kenya as a young person - from mobile money, to data protection, to government surveillance. Joan is a member of the Kenyan Community Advisory Team (K-CAT) helping to steer the Digital Health and Rights Project . Links - Digital Health and Rights Project report: https://digitalhealthandrights.com/resource-library/report-paying-the-costs-of-connection/ - Find more from Joan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-musenya/ - PI's low cost tech work: https://www.privacyinternational.org/campaigns/privacy-shouldnt-be-luxury - More about shame based debt collection in Kenya: https://biznakenya.com/digital-lenders-kenya-debt-collection-warning/ - More about what to do if you're experiencing harassment from debt collectors in Kenya: https://dealfish.co.ke/2025/03/mobile-loan-recovery-harassment-in.html - More about the history of M-Pesa: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christianstadler/2024/06/11/m-pesa-why-the-worlds-first-large-mobile-payment-platform-keeps-on-winning/ - CNN apology to Kenya: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/121633/Latest%20News/cnn-boss-apologizes-to-kenya-over-terrorism-slur - PI's work on sim card registration: https://privacyinternational.org/learn/sim-card-registration

April 10, 202648 min

War Machines feat Stop Killer Robots and PAX

This week we're joined by Professor Peter Asaro from Stop Killer Robots, and Frank Slijper, Arms trade project lead at PAX to discuss military uses of AI, including Anthropic's stand-off with the US Department of Defense. Please note this podcast was recorded on the 20th March.**Links**Stop Killer Robots: https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/stop-killer-robots/Pax: https://paxforpeace.nl/who-we-are/organization/Stop Killer Robots at the UN: https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/news/reports-of-ai-enabled-targeting-in-iran-bring-real-world-impacts-to-the-un/Stop Killer Robots on Anthropic stand off: https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/news/press-release-stop-killer-robots-responds-to-the-anthropic-pentagon-standoff/**The Case**- The Anthropic case: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq571w5vllxo- The Anthropic supply chain designation: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn5g3z3xe65o- Access, Tech Justice, and more's amicus: https://techjusticelaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Anthropic-amicus-press-release_updated.pdf**War and AI systems**- : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/12/who-bombed-the-iranian-girls-school-killing-more-than-170-what-we-know- Lavender and Where's Daddy: https://www.972mag.com/lavender-ai-israeli-army-gaza/- Project Maven: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/project-maven-ai-us-airstrike-iraq-anthropic-b2929138.html- More on Project Maven: https://www.businessinsider.com/palantir-project-maven-ai-demonstration-pentagon-2026-3?op=1- More on Project Maven: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Maven

March 27, 20261 hr 3 min

Why governments struggle with ID

This week we're speaking to Professor Edgar Whitley - an expert on the design and implementation of ID systems. Links- More about Edgar: https://www.lse.ac.uk/people/edgar-whitley- More about the London School of Economics and ID: https://www.lse.ac.uk/research/research-impact-case-studies/scrapping-costly-controversial-proposals-identity-cards- Gus and Edgar's joint publications: - Global challenges for identity policies: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Global_Challenges_for_Identity_Policies.html?id=P7hsCwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y - Global Identity Policies and Technology:Do we Understand the Question? An open access paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1758-5899.2010.00028.x - Book chapter on Aadhaar: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/90490/- Edgar's report on Women and ID: https://silkstart.s3.amazonaws.com/1967006c-a430-414e-9982-75e204478d6e.pdf- More information on Aadhaar in India: https://privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/819/aadhaar-scheme-faq- The Indian Supreme Court decision: https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/2299/initial-analysis-indian-supreme-court-decision-aadhaar and https://www.scobserver.in/cases/beghar-foundation-ks-puttaswamy-aadhaar-review-case-background/- The Windrush scandal: https://jcwi.org.uk/reportsbriefings/windrush-scandal-explained/- Interview with people in Kenya who had been double registered: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz3h0TjXz7gXB4xg4WNdg9_8JyBftx_kP- Yes Minister TV show: https://archive.org/details/yes-minister-1980-1984 including the famous Big Brother episode: https://archive.org/details/yes-minister-1980-1984/Yes+Minister+-+S01E04+-+Big+Brother.mp4- The Clarkson toothpick incident: https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/nationals/jeremy-clarkson-victim-of-id-fraud-after-publishing-bank-details/- The Washington Post raid: https://theintercept.com/2026/01/30/washington-post-hannah-natanson-fbi-biometrics-unlock-phone/Previous podcasts:- Double Registration - The trouble with Identity in Kenya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65VVbcXVK_0&feature=youtu.be