Tech Empire with Michael Kwet and Tshi Malatji

Latest Episodes:

Facebook's African Sweatshop with Billy Perrigo Apr 29, 2022

Show notes

Today we welcome Billy Perrigo to discuss the exploitation of African workers performing content moderation for Facebook. Billy is a staff writer at TIME covering social media companies, with a focus on content moderation and responsible AI. In this episode, we cover Billy's article at TIME, "Inside Facebook's African Sweatshop", which exposes how Facebook outsources content moderation on the cheap to a company called Sama in Kenya. Billy explains how he discovered the story, Facebook's relationship to Sama, the low pay and exploitative working conditions faced by content moderators at Sama, how the company is alleged to repress worker resistance, and more. Tech Empire is part of the Yale Podcast Network, and can be found on Soundcloud, iTunes, and YouTube, with additional outlets coming soon. You can follow Billy on Twitter at @billy_perrigo. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast, Michael Kwet at @Michael_Kwet, and Tshi Malatji at @tshimalatji.

What is anarchism? with Zoe Baker Mar 07, 2022

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Today we welcome Zoe Baker to discuss anarchism. In this episode, we outline what anarchism is, how it emerged, and its distinction against Marxism. We also discuss the global reach of anarchism, anarchist anti-imperialism, as well as anarchist takes on technology, ecology, anarcho-syndicalism and unions, and the problems of nationalizing private property. Zoe Baker is a trans anarchist historian who recently completed her PhD detailing the history of anarchism from the 19th century through the Spanish Civil War. Zoe is currently writing a book on anarchism for AK Press. Tech Empire is part of the Yale Podcast Network, and can be found on Soundcloud, iTunes, and YouTube, with additional outlets coming soon. You can follow Zoe on Twitter at @anarchopac. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast, Michael Kwet at @Michael_Kwet, and Tshi Malatji at @tshimalatji.

Platform Socialism: An alternative to Big Tech with James Muldoon Jan 26, 2022

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Today we welcome James Muldoon to the show to talk about what is wrong with platform capitalism, and how we might redesign the platform economy with ideas about platform socialism. We cover the problems with progressive capitalism and antitrust, and proposed socialist solutions to the digital economy, including projects that are already in existence. You can follow James on Twitter at @_James_Muldoon_. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast. Michael Kwet is at @Michael_Kwet, and Tshi Malatji is at @tshimalatji.

Vaccine Apartheid with Fatima Hassan Dec 08, 2021

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This episode welcomes Fatima Hassan to discuss vaccine apartheid and the global movement to end it. We dig into the issue of global inequality, vaccine patents, the TRIPS wavier at the WTO, the Omicron travel bans, and the role of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as resistance campaigns against Big Pharma to ensure fast and equitable vaccination across the world. Fatima Hassan is a South African human rights lawyer, social activist, and founder of the Health Justice Initiative. You can follow her on Twitter at @_HassanF. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast. Michael Kwet is at @Michael_Kwet, and Tshi Malatji is at @tshimalatji.

Can Social Media Be Fixed? with Jillian York Dec 01, 2021

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This episode welcomes Jillian York to discuss how to fix social media. Our chat covers everything from the France Haugen documents to the structure of social media, Global North intellectual circuits, reformism and antitrust, social media decentralization, digital colonialism, and more. Jillian York is an American free-expression activist and author. She serves as Director of International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and is a founding member of Deep Lab. Jillian is the author of the recently-released book, Silicon Values: The Future of Free Speech Under Surveillance Capitalism, out now on Verso Books. You can follow Jillian York on Twitter at @jilliancyork. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast. Michael Kwet is at @Michael_Kwet and Tshiamo Malatji is at @tshimalatji.

Amazon’s Colonial Headquarters in South Africa with Tauriq Jenkins, Leslie London & Nadine Dirks Nov 11, 2021

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This episode welcomes Tauriq Jenkins, Nadine Dirks, and Leslie London to discuss Amazon’s construction of a new headquarters on sacred indigenous land in Cape Town, South Africa. Our chat covers the cultural and environmental implications of the new construction site and activist resistance against it. Tauriq Jenkins is Chair at AIXARRA Restorative Justice Forum, Centre for African Studies at the University of Cape Town and member of the Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Indigenous Traditional Council (GKKITC). Nadine Dirks is a member of the Lisebeek Action Campaign. Leslie London is a Professor heading the School of Public and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town and chairperson of the Observatory Civic Association. You can follow Tauriq on Twitter at @TauriqJenkins. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast and the host, Michael Kwet, at @Michael_Kwet.

Amazon in the Global South with Louise Matsakis Nov 09, 2021

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This episode welcomes journalist Louise Matsakis to discuss Amazon’s e-commerce operations in the Global South. Louise published several articles on the topic at various outlets, including several at articles at Rest of World. We discuss worker rights and how Amazon operates in Mexico, Japan, Pakistan, and India. Louise Matsakis is a freelance journalist. You can follow her on Twitter at @lmatsakis. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast and the host, Michael Kwet, at @Michael_Kwet.

Facebook & the Metaverse: Myths and Reality with Mark Sullivan Nov 02, 2021

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This episode welcomes journalist Mark Sullivan to discuss the question, "what is going on with this thing called the metaverse?" Mark has written a number of articles about the topic at the news media outlet, Fast Company. He is going to explain to us what the metaverse is, and how it might look in the future. We cover questions about how companies will make money, advertising, hype, how this could be a privacy and misinformation hellscape, and the little-discussed prospect of digital colonialism. Mark Sullivan is a reporter at Fast Company. You can follow him on Twitter at @TheSullivan. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast and the host, Michael Kwet, at @Michael_Kwet.

Lab-Grown Meat: Reasons to be Skeptical with Joe Fassler Oct 27, 2021

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This episode welcomes Joe Fassler to discuss lab-grown meat. Last month, Joe released an in-depth article, “Lab-grown meat is supposed to be inevitable. The science tells a different story.”, at the non-profit news outlet, The Counter. His article challenges the popular idea that meat can be grown at an affordable scale to replace the industrial slaughter of animals for consumption. Joe explains how lab-grown meat works, and he breaks down the science and economic constraints showing that lab-grown meat will almost certainly never reach mass production. Joe Fassler is a reporter and Deputy Editor at The Counter. You can follow him on Twitter at @Joe_Fassler. Follow Tech Empire at @TechEmpireCast and the host, Michael Kwet, at @Michael_Kwet.

Tech Militarism and Project Maven with Jack Poulson Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

This episode welcomes Jack Poulson to discuss Project Maven and the relationship between tech and the US military. Last month, Jack released a report at his organization, Tech Inquiry, revealing the extensive relationship between tech corporations and the US military via Project Maven. We discuss the kinds of technologies in the project, including drone surveillance, automated military tanks, location surveillance, and social media surveillance. We also discuss what we can infer about how the project, and some of these technologies, might work together. Jack Poulson is the Executive Director of Tech Inquiry and former Google AI Research Scientist and Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Stanford. You can follow him on Twitter at @_jack_poulson.