WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Kojo Nnamdi Show: Tech Tuesday Podcast

Free Speech And The Internet

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:24:38 -0400

Online platforms like Facebook and Twitter gave people a place to connect and share ideas. And because they reach global audiences, the private companies that run them are at the center of an international debate over competing conceptions of free speech. Kojo looks at how these tech companies are shaping their content policies, and what those policies mean for interpretations of free speech around the globe.

Unplugged: Overcoming Our Digital Obsession

Wed, 15 May 2013 22:33:48 -0400

A growing number of people are contemplating "digital suicide" — disconnecting from Facebook and social media to get a break from all-consuming devices. Tech writer Paul Miller tried it: he gave up his smartphone and the Internet for a year to see if it would make him a better person. We hear what it was like, and how you can take meaningful but less drastic steps to dial back your digital obsession.

Electronic And Biometric ID

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:04:25 -0400

In India, a massive new biometric identification program links information from an individual's irises and fingerpints to a unique ID number. Other countries use ID cards with smart chips to authenticate identities. Here in the United States, immigration reform is raising questions about what a new U.S. identification system might look like. Tech Tuesday samples electronic and biometric ID from around the world and explores what could work here.

'Fiber Cities' And Broadband Communities

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:03:54 -0400

Google's ultra high-speed Internet network in Kansas City known as Google Fiber, is introducing Americans to a new level of web surfing and shaking up the telecommunications industry. But, as Google Fiber expands to Austin, Texas, some are raising concerns over access and questioning whether the private or public sector should be leading the way in broadband expansion. Kojo looks at the landscape of community broadband and the implications of high-profile projects like Google Fiber.

Personal Cybersecurity

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:03:46 -0400

Has your computer been hijacked by hackers and linked to a giant botnet — without your knowledge? Are you downloading apps you know little about — and unwittingly compromising your mobile phone? Threats to personal cybersecurity have never been greater, with a vast underground world of young hackers attacking people's devices out of malice or just for kicks. Tech Tuesday examines the perils of being connected and answers your questions about how to stay safe online.