Download This Show
Download This Show is a weekly podcast that explores media, culture, and technology. Host Rae Johnston and guests discuss topics like social media, gadgets, streaming services, and privacy issues. The show takes a fun, deep dive into how technology is reshaping our lives.
Episodes
Could your AI agent end humanity?
AI agents are popping up everywhere: Facebook, OpenAI, Google. Meanwhile, tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman are warning these agents could end humanity. So, how much of this is a marketing tool, and what threat do AI agents actually pose?We'll return to the basics: what are AI agents, and how much should you be trusting them with? What happens if your AI agent, say
Can technology save us from climate change?
Technology helped get us into the climate crisis. Could it also get us out?Bringing extinct species back to life, seeding clouds to control the weather, and cleaning up nuclear energy are just some of the "techno fixes" hawked as solutions to our biggest environmental problems. But at what cost?And if we are entering an era where technology can reshape the planet, who gets to dec
The Renter Algorithm: 2Apply responds to privacy concerns
Are rental applications asking for less personal information now? How safe is your data on 2Apply? And how has 2Apply responded to OAIC's concerns about data privacy?In April, the Privacy Commissioner called out rental technology platforms, especially 2Apply, for collecting "excessive personal information". So, in our The Renter Algorithm special episodes, we investigated how ren
Can books survive the age of algorithms?
What impact is reading on your Kobo or Kindle having on your brain? As AI turns up in writing, reviewing and literary prizes, how do we decide what's genuinely human creativity? And how is the Australian publishing industry changing as a result of BookTok, Bookstagram and Goodreads?GUESTS:Anna Burkey, CEO of Australia Reads.Bec Kavanagh, senior tutor in creative writing and publi
How much do our devices know about us?
It's not just phones. How much do our TVs, streaming boxes, and browsers know?This week, we look at research that suggests some LG TVs may be gathering more information about our viewing habits than we realised. Plus, there's a streaming box promising free access to subscription services. Is it too good to be true? And how much does it know about me?And, a former white-hat hacker
Roblox under pressure from Australia's eSafety Commissioner over child safety
The eSafety Commissioner has accepted a court-enforceable plan from Roblox to address child safety concerns after questions were raised about whether the platform was meeting its obligations under Australia's Online Safety Act. We'll unpack what parents need to know.Also on the show, Microsoft is putting time limits on its Xbox Cloud Gaming subscribers. What is cloud gaming, and
What Australia's Privacy Act reforms mean for the tech you use
Australia's proposed Privacy Act reforms are some of the boldest changes to privacy law we've seen in years. How could it change the tech we use every day? And does this mean Australia is setting a new global privacy standard, or catching up to the rest of the world?Also on the program, one of Australia's spiciest privacy debates has been the use of wearable cameras. The e-Safety
How Ukraine's military drones are changing warfare forever
Drones went from being flying cameras to autonomous weapons within a handful of years. Our guest, Cory Alpert, explains what he's seen on the front lines of Ukraine's drone war, and why drone warfare is changing international conflict forever.Also in this episode, we check in on how drones might be used elsewhere: exploring caves on the Moon, patrolling beneath the ocean and, of
How WA police are using facial recognition technology
Facial recognition cameras are being rolled out in Western Australia by the police force. Whilst its a new policing tactic in Australia, major retailers including Bunnings, Woolworths and Coles have tested it. How does police use of the technology differ from the retail use? And if you're not a person of interest, what happens to your biometric data?Also on the show, an ABC News
The Renter Algorithm: Dark patterns and the illusion of choice
Dark patterns. They're the manipulative practices that are part of the foundations of our online life... and apparently our rental lives.Confirm shaming, biased framing, and bundled consent are all examples of dark patterns. What are they? What are they doing to our ability to make choices? And how do they relate to rental applications?And once we've had to fill in these rental a
The Renter Algorithm: The invisible system judging tenants
The Privacy Commissioner has put the RentTech industry on notice over 'unfair and excessive personal information collection'.If you've rented a home recently, you've probably used one of the online platforms that promise to make applying easier. Submit all your personal details in one place, and they'll share it with the relevant real estate agents.But somewhere along the way, th
Have AI models truly "gone rogue"?
Anthropic's Claude Cowork and an OpenAI model have reportedly "gone rogue", but is that really what happened? And what does it mean to escape a 'sandbox'?Plus, this week, Apple, Meta and a growing list of secretly filmed strangers all had something to say about smart-glasses and their ability to record people without consent.More than half of employers now say they regret cutting
What is Q-Day and how scared should we all be?
Quantum computing sounds like science fiction, but all of a sudden the biggest names in tech are treating it like the next industrial arms race. Google, Microsoft, IBM are all chasing breakthroughs that could transform everything from medicine to finance.However! It does pose a serious security threat. Cybersecurity experts are warning those same machines could one day unravel th
(Nearly) everything that happened in AI this week
Anthropic has just released the Spotify Wrapped equivalent of Claude. Claude Reflect claims it can help you optimise your AI use. But will a tool built by an AI company ever genuinely encourage you to use it less? Also on the program, the humans hired to train AI are secretly getting AI to do it. How does this "AI inbreeding" degrade quality?Meta launched a tool that would allow
The UN calls for a ban on 'killer robots'
Microsoft and Xbox have laid off thousands of staff. Sony, Xbox and publishers like Rockstar all seem to be moving away from physical discs. And the UN Secretary General has called for a ban on AI powered ‘killer robots’. What does it all mean? GUESTS:Kai Riemer, professor at the University of Sydney Business School and Director of Sydney Executive Plus.Gianfranco Di Giovanni, ga
Will fining social media companies make them uphold the ban?
The Australian government wants to double the penalty tech companies will face for not keeping kids off their social media platforms. The proposed bill would also compel companies to release documents that prove whether they have been keeping kids off their platforms. How effective will this actually be?Plus, there's been shifts in the energy sector that mean everyday Australians
How do you stop being addicted to your phone?
If your phone seems impossible to put down, that's because it's intentional. So how can we break our addictions?Also on the show, how safe is online voting? With our traditional political system in a bit of a chaotic state at the moment, it's safe to say we're lacking trust in our politicians. But Australians are still very trusting in our electoral processes. Will changing to on
Is it wrong to have robots take care of our parents?
Tech is being marketed as the solution to taking care of our aging parents and our young children: AI companions, improved surveillance tools, and wearables. How much are robots truly able to replace genuine human care, and ethically should we let them?Plus, how much do we actually know about the effect of screen time hours on children's brains? Turns out, some of the initial exp
Leaked document reveals Microsoft wants you "addicted" to their product
While Meta and Google are fighting lawsuits about their technology being intentionally addictive, Microsoft’s strategy deck for their new AI assistant Scout has been leaked. It lays out three phases of launch, and phase one is simply "make people addicted."Apple just held it’s Worldwide Developers Conference, where they announced an "entirely new version of Siri". How different c
Would you pay to use Instagram?
Meta has officially launched premium subscription tiers across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Does this mean we'll finally be able to rid ourselves of ads on social media?Plus, it's been a rough few weeks for the 'clankers'. During Vivid, nearly 90 drones fell from the sky into Sydney Harbour. And they're not alone. Humanoid robots are finding creative new ways to embarrass th
Can the Pope influence the future of AI?
The Catholic Church has entered the AI debate, with Pope Leo XIV warning against "digital slaveries" while seated beside the co-founder of Anthropic. We ask whether the Vatican is positioning itself as a moral counterweight to Silicon Valley — and whether religion could shape the future of AI.Google says AI-generated answers are the future of search, replacing the familiar list o
Is your podcast host... human?
Amazon's new Alexa feature allows anyone to create a podcast using AI. Could this be a genuine competitor to the podcast industry? Or will it become another dangerous source of misinformation?And Meta's latest parental controls promise greater oversight of teens' social media use through AI age checks and a centralised Family Center, but their effectiveness ultimately depends on
Are we nostalgic for a 90s that didn't exist?
Mixtape is a new Australian-made video game set in the 90s featuring burned CDs, shopping trolley rides and feelings of adolescent freedom. Nostalgia for that era is trending, so what is it about those years that makes us feel so fond? And are we remembering it correctly?Plus, AI is making the internet sound like one not-quite-real person. What are the new indicators of AI writin
Can we force data centres to clean up their act?
Book publishers including Hachette and Macmillan have filed a lawsuit in New York against Mark Zuckerberg and Meta. They're trying to stop AI companies from allegedly illegally copying millions of books and articles from piracy sites to train their models. How likely is it that the case will succeed?Locally, there's a NSW inquiry into data centres. Can a state government actually
Why Elon Musk is taking OpenAI to court
xAI's Elon Musk and Open AI’s Sam Altman were once on the same team, united by the belief that artificial intelligence was too important to be left to profit motives. Now, Musk is accusing Open AI of betraying its original charitable mission. How genuine are his motivations?Plus, Microsoft Xbox chief Phil Spencer has retired. Who will replace him, and how will it change how we ga
Will you send an AI twin to work for you?
Imagine an AI model built on everything you know, how you communicate, how you reason, how you write, trained to act and respond like you so thoroughly that it can attend meetings, answer questions, and handle tasks on your behalf while you do something else entirely. This reality isn't as far away as you might think. Mark Zuckerberg is already making one.Plus, Apple has a new CE
The AI model “too dangerous” for the public
Anthropic claims its latest AI model, Claude Mythos, is “too dangerous” to release given its exceptional cyber hacking capabilities. Is it all a PR stunt, or is this a genuine threat? Plus, the FBI extracted messages from the secure messaging app Signal after exploiting a loophole involving iPhone notification databases. So how secure is Signal? And how might the loophole be clos
Artemis II isn't the only cool thing happening in space tech at the moment
In this special episode, what's happening in Australia's space industry? Between Australia's first lunar rover, and putting plants on the moon (this year!), we'll take a peek behind the curtain.Space technology is having a moment right now. NASA’s Artemis mission is the first time humans have launched themselves into space since 1972. The 2026 Australian of the Year, Katherine Be
Does Australia have the energy and water to power the AI data centre boom?
The world's biggest tech companies are scoping Australia out as a data centre hub. As they see it, we have an abundance of space, electricity and water. But do we actually have enough?About 270 data centres have already been built in Australia, and there are a whole lot more on the way.The amount of electricity and water these massive buildings are projected to consume is stagger
On the down-low: Do tech companies have a duty of care when it comes to kids?
John Livingstone is the Head of Digital Policy at UNICEF Australia. He's been talking directly to students about how the Australian social media ban is affecting young people, and whether it's making their lives better.This is Rae's full conversation with John. You can hear a broader analysis of the social media ban in our recent episode.----------This is the first edition of our
Is Australia's social media ban *actually* working?
Australia banned under-16s from social media at the start of summer, and the world has been watching.Today, we're doing a full audit. What the ban is doing, what it isn't, and whether we even built it on the right foundations.GUESTS:Josh Taylor -- technology reporter for The Guardian.Jocelyn Brewer -- psychologist and founder of Digital Nutrition.With a special appearance from Jo
Who owns art created inside video games?
There's a fresh wave of headlines claiming that AI is eating the workforce whole, and that the only way to have a job is to become the person who builds the robots. Is this a reasonable assumption? Or has "AI-washing" just become the most convenient way to excuse a restructure?Plus, a genuine artistic community has grown around taking photos in video games. Who owns those creatio
Your free VPN might be spying on you
VPNs have topped the charts this week, after major adult websites blocked Australian users. Several of these most popular VPNs are free, but at what cost?Plus, fake videos of the war in Iran have been circulating online. How do we tell what's real from what's not?Also, the Macbook Neo. It runs on an iPhone chip, is remarkably cheap, and comes in a variety of colours. Has Apple be
Trump takes on Anthropic AI and Meta's AI glasses changing privacy
A US government official has called Anthropic a national security risk, after the company drew ethical lines around its technology being used for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. How comfortable would you be with AI firing missiles?Plus, Facebook's parent company, Meta, sold seven million pairs of AI-enabled Ray-Bans last year. And now they want to add fac
Does Elon Musk's X make you more right wing?
New research about the social media platform X suggests that just a few weeks on what used to be Twitter can shift political attitudes AND the effects can last long after we log off. So is it really possible to use these sites at all without being affected by the system?Plus, Australia's planned AI advisory body has been scrapped after 15 months of preparation. It's been replaced
Did AI secretly make your favourite video game?
AI is sliding into game development pipelines, but the rules around telling players what is machine-made and what is made by people are patchy at best. So, how much transparency do players deserve, and does it even matter?Also on the program, how the RAM shortage is impacting the price of game consoles. And, why VR is better suited to the medical and training fields than replacin
How tech is changing how we watch the Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics is using drones, AI and cloud-based broadcasting to track curling stones, freeze mid-air jumps, even talk to an official Winter Olympics chatbot. It’s turning sports spectatorship into something more high tech than ever before. Is it likely to be used in other sports?Plus, a battle is being waged in court between a 20-year-old and Meta/YouTube. The argument is
Are there more bots than people on the internet?
Having an AI agent act as your personal executive assistant may seem like a sweet deal, but security experts have a few concerns.Also on the program, Moltbook is a new social media platform specfically designed for AI agents to chat. So far, they’ve started a religion, made their own scripture and called for humanity’s downfall. What happens when we anthropomorphise binary code?
What is Upscrolled, Australia’s newest viral social media platform?
TikTok has finally struck a deal to avoid being banned in the United States. Their privacy policy also got a controversial update. So, who owns US TikTok now? And what difference will it make to users?Also on the program, there’s a new social media site going viral – Upscrolled. What is this Australian-owned site, exactly? And finally, OpenAI is trialling ads on ChatGPT. The comp
Spotify was copied by a piracy archive. Why does that matter?
Plus! Social media site Digg is back. For those who remember, it may feel like returning to what was good about the internet. Is this the sign of a new era for social media? And how long can it hold out being monetised?Also, why gaming in a group, even publicly... outside, is becoming more popular.GUESTS:Phoebe Toups Dougas, associate professor of human-centred computing in the E
Opt Out 05 | Can you ever really opt out of online life?
After weeks of trying to audit, delete, and lock down her digital life, Rae hits the big, uncomfortable question: what if you can’t opt out of the internet, even if you really want to?In the final episode of Opt Out, Rae speaks with Jathan Sadowski, senior lecturer at Monash University and proud Luddite, about how surveillance creeps into everyday life — from smart cars to smart
Opt Out 04 | What did I just agree to?
Every time you click 'accept' online, you’re legally agreeing to something. The problem is… you probably have no idea what that something is.In episode four of Opt Out, Rae tackles the fine print: the privacy policies and terms and conditions we all scroll past because life is short and the language is cooked. She speaks with Dr Katharine Kemp, privacy law expert and associate pr
Opt Out 03 | How not to get hacked
If someone tried to hack you right now… how long would it take?In episode three of Opt Out, Rae confronts her own extremely average cyber hygiene and tries to stop being the digital equivalent of someone who leaves their keys in the front door. She speaks with Vanessa Teague, cryptographer and privacy advocate, to unpack why passwords matter (and why humans are terrible at them),
Opt Out 02 | Can you delete yourself from the internet?
The internet knows a lot about you, but what if you wanted to take it all back and delete yourself all together?In episode two of Opt Out, Rae tries to do the unthinkable: delete herself from the internet. She talks to Lawrence Gentilello, founder of data-removal service Optery, about what it really takes to scrub your details from people-search sites — and why it’s harder than i
Opt Out 01 | The guide to taking back control of your online life
We all know the internet knows a bit about us. But… how much, exactly? And what happens if you actually try to look?In the first episode of Opt Out, Rae volunteers as tribute and starts poking around her own digital footprint — checking data breaches, Googling herself, and asking some pretty uncomfortable questions about where our personal info ends up. Along the way, she chats w
What were the biggest stories in tech for 2025?
It was a huge year for tech in 2025, and there were a few stories that hooked our attention more than others. The introduction of the social media ban, and the slow tease of details across the year about its implementation took up a significant chunk of our focus, while AI being embedded (to varying degrees of success) into absolutely everything meant that it was also impossible
Is the AI boom going to spell the end of democracy in Australia?
With AI in our newsrooms, our universities, and our courtrooms, the way we understand the truth has been forever changed. But could it be for the better? Or have we embarked on an unstoppable march towards a new understanding of democracy. How do we democratise AI development when a handful of tech companies run the digital world? And could we implement government reforms in Aust
Do androids dream of electric housework? The liabilities of a $20k humanoid robot butler
If you were to picture the ideal robot form to vacuum your floor all by itself, what do you see? Is it a small UFO-shaped disc that whizzes under couches, or is it a humanoid robot with eyes and ears tracking your every move? The new 1X Neo robot has been launched and has been marketed as a 'robot butler', but what issues arise when we start making the tech that serves us look mo
Why is the government using AI to help create NDIS plans?
Roblox has been one of the worst culprits for child safety in the games world, and they’ve come up with something to supposedly keep our kids safe. ‘Age-gating’ is designed to keep people of different ages in different parts of the online game, but how accurate is this age verification? And is it going to cause more problems than solutions? Also, the government has been found usi
Is it possible for an AI to 'hasten the coming of Christ's return'?
What happens when theology and technology collide? There's a new tech startup dedicated to building a Christian AI. It's called Gloo, launched by ex-Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger, and they say it's going to 'hasten the coming of Christ's return'. Also, AI chat services are helping us speak to God. From innocent Bible chatbots to an AI priest that told people to baptise their babies
