Surveillance, Technology and AI: Meredith Whittaker in Conversation

Jane Tewson from Igniting Change welcomes the audience and introduces Meredith Whittaker, who is then interviewed by Vanessa Toholka. The conversation begins with the "original sins" of the internet's commercialization, focusing on the lack of privacy restrictions and the endorsement of advertising as the primary business model. Whittaker elaborates on how these decisions led to the current surveillance-based economy, influencing the development of AI. They discuss antitrust measures, the role of Signal as a privacy-focused non-profit, and the challenges of competing with billion-dollar companies. Whittaker critiques the term "AI" as a marketing tool and discusses its implications for democracy and the concentration of power. The conversation touches on worker activism, ethical implications of AI in military applications, and Ursula Franklin's influence on Whittaker's views on technology. The podcast concludes with questions from the audience, addressing data sovereignty, open-source software, and strategies for individuals to address socio-technical problems.