Myanmar, Customer Data and Human Rights

After Myanmar’s military coup in 2021, authorities demanded access to sensitive customer information held by a major Norwegian telecommunications company. Data linked to customers suspected of opposing the military was handed over, according to allegations in a new civil case. Now, more than 1,200 customers are part of a legal action in Norway seeking damages over the sharing of their data. A Norwegian court has ruled that the case can proceed as an opt-out class action. We examine what happened, what the lawsuit alleges, and the wider question of whether technology companies have a responsibility to protect customer data when operating under authoritarian regimes.

Could Yeast Build Houses on Mars?

Then we leave Earth for Mars, where future astronauts will face an extraordinary problem: how do you build a home when resources are scarce, temperatures are extreme and the atmosphere is just a fraction of Earth's? We explore how yeast could potentially be used to create building materials for future Martian habitats and whether biology could provide a way for humans to manufacture what they need to survive on another planet.

The Programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Subscribe and listen to the ad-free PodExtra version here: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Fancy buying us a coffee? You can do that here: https://buymeacoffee.com/somewhereonearth

Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

🎥 Learn more about what we do:

➡️ Website: http://www.anialichtarowicz.com

📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co

➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

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The future of AI, self-improving systems, cybersecurity, AI for Good and the fight for global AI regulation

How powerful can artificial intelligence become — and can governments, industry and international organisations keep pace? We examine the rapid development of generative, autonomous and agentic AI, the cybersecurity risks that come with increasingly powerful systems, how AI can be used for good around the world, and whether global standards and regulation can provide meaningful guardrails without stopping innovation.

The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz with David Girvin, Bilel Jamoussi and Louise Humpington.

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Subscribe and listen to the ad-free PodExtra version here: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Fancy buying us a coffee? You can do that here: https://buymeacoffee.com/somewhereonearth

Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

🎥 Learn more about what we do:

➡️ Website: http://www.anialichtarowicz.com

📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co

➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

📱 Follow us on socials:

➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)

➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)

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If you like our show please rate and review us.

10 Years of #KeepItOn: Documenting the Global Fight Against Internet Shutdowns

For a decade, Access Now’s #KeepItOn campaign has been documenting and fighting government-led internet shutdowns around the world. We look at why governments keep cutting people off, the impact on communities, elections and human rights, and what ten years of monitoring and campaigning has taught us. With shutdowns still increasing, has the fight to keep the internet on become more important than ever?

Lawyer less Contracts: When AI Starts Making Our Legal Deals

AI is changing the way contracts are created — but what happens when it moves beyond writing them and starts negotiating them too? We explore the rise of “lawyerless contracting”, asking whether AI could make legal agreements cheaper and more accessible, or whether we're handing machines — and the companies behind them — too much power over our legal lives.

The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Subscribe and listen to the ad-free PodExtra version here:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Fancy buying us a coffee? You can do that here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/somewhereonearth

Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

🎥 Learn more about what we do:

➡️ Website: http://www.anialichtarowicz.com

📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co

➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

📱 Follow us on socials:

➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)

➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)

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If you like our show please rate and review us.

AI in Healthcare: 1,357 Medical Devices Cleared — Only 3 Tested on Patients

A new PLOS Digital Health study reveals a huge gap between AI medical devices being cleared for use and evidence that they actually improve patient outcomes. We look at what FDA clearance really means, who is being left out of clinical trials, and why countries such as Uganda could face particular risks.

Apple Spyware: What Your Threat Notification Really Tells You

An Apple spyware warning can be frightening but it doesn't necessarily mean your phone has been successfully hacked. We speak to Mohammed Almaskati, Director of Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, about digital forensics, protecting sensitive information, why “no evidence” doesn't always mean you're safe, and how changing our everyday digital behaviour could help protect us.

The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

🎥 Learn more about what we do:

➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/

📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co

➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

📱 Follow us on socials:

➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)

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➡️LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)

If you like our show please rate and review us.

Everything-to-Grid Energy: Turning Electric Cars, Batteries and Homes into Power Stations

What if your electric car could do more than get you from A to B? Professor ZhaoYang Dong explains how electric vehicles, home batteries, solar panels and buildings could become active parts of the electricity grid – helping balance renewable energy and demand.

From Broken Beans to Better Food: Bean Possible’s Waste-to-Protein Technology

At Web Summit Brazil, I meet Gabrielle Gautério, CEO of Bean Possible, a start-up turning broken beans into protein, fibre and starch for use in everything from bread and biscuits to sauces and yoghurt. Could upcycling food waste make everyday food more sustainable and affordable?

The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

🎥 Learn more about what we do:

➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/

📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co

➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

📱 Follow us on socials:

➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)

➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)

➡️LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)

If you like our show please rate and review us.

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