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For Tech’s Sake

The kids are online

Season 2
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Our online spaces are being taken over – by kids! Many children as young as eight have their own devices and social media accounts, and while efforts are made to make kid-safe spaces online, that's simply not going to have the pull of the major platforms.


It's a challenging world to navigate for kids, parents, and all other adults alike, so we got some help from psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor on the matter.


You can follow Colman on Twitter @colnoc77 and read more about him and his work at ColmanNoctor.com.


You can also find lots of advice, and the latest stats on children and tech in Ireland, at CyberSafeKids.ie.

— Here's some more info on Finland's digital media literacy curriculum: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/world/europe/finland-misinformation-classes.html

— Here's what the US surgeon general had to say about kids on social media: https://www.npr.org/2023/05/23/1177626373/u-s-surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-warns-about-the-dangers-of-social-media-to-kids

— You can read about Dr Pablo Gracia's research project on Silicon Republic: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/trinity-eu-erc-grant-teenage-digital-use-social-inequality

— And if you're looking at your own phone habits and feel it would be better to make some changes, a good place to start is the book How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price


If you want to hear more from Colman, we'll release a bonus episode next week featuring his extended interview.


Be sure to rate and review if you enjoyed this week's episode, and follow us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice for updates.

More episodes

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  • 15. What social media bans get wrong

    43:27||Season 5, Ep. 15
    The UK’s upcoming social media ban for under 16s has been labelled an insufficient “political band-aid” that prioritises business as usual over online safety, and creates a “false sense of safety” for parents. Kelly and Elaine discuss the reactions from researchers, child safety advocates and human rights organisations and look at how a similar ban in Australia has failed to hit the mark.*** Good things we recommend ***>> Hidden Levels, a podcast mini-series on how video games reshaped the real world (including an episode on the military) >> Kelly’s first episode of For Tech’s Sake, which was a discussion on age verification  >> Our previous episode with psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor about parenting an online generation  >> This diva telling BBC News what she thinks of the UK social media ban  >> Sounds of Space on Bandcamp >> Pride Over the Waves: Amateur Radio Night at Tog Hackerspace  *** More from us ***Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com  FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io  FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod  FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod  FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social  FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod  

  • 14. Are data centres a drain? (with Prof Hannah Daly)

    38:35||Season 5, Ep. 14
    In this episode, Elaine is joined by energy researcher Prof Hannah Daly to discuss the energy strain data centres represent for Ireland, the greenwashing that enables their proliferation in the face of climate concerns, and the real costs – both financially and environmentally – of unchecked growth. *** Good things we recommend ***>> Hannah’s website >> Games by Sam (especially Clues by Sam and Bee Sort)  >> Connie’s GCN marathon fundraiser  >> Dublin Inquirer Summer School  *** More from us ***Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com  FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io  FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod  FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod  FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social  FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod  

  • 13. Is technology making us lonely? (with Dr Colman Noctor)

    45:34||Season 5, Ep. 13
    Are we in danger of becoming a contactless society? That’s the concern of psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor, who joined Elaine to explain why we need to push ourselves beyond the isolated safety of socialising through screens and flex our social muscles in order to really grow as people.*** Good things we recommend ***>> Colman’s TEDx talk >> Digital Intentionality Score  >> The Irish Hedgehog Survey >> Invasives.ie  >> IFI’s Ghost in the Machine screening *** More from us ***Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com  FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io  FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod  FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod  FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social  FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod  

  • 12. Get your clips out (with Aoife Barry)

    42:41||Season 5, Ep. 12
    This week, Kelly has lost her voice! So Elaine is joined by cultural commentator, previous guest, and co-host of Get Around to It, Aoife Barry, to discuss why our feeds are filled with short video clips, and how ‘clipping’ is used to simulate trends and fake virality. If you’re a fan of the band Geese, you may have already been subject to these manipulations.*** Good things we recommend ***>> Catch up with Aoife at AoifeBarry.com  >> Listen to Elaine and Jenny interview Aoife about her book Social Capital  >> Listen to the Chaotic Good interview on Billboard’s On the Record podcast  >> Check out the next Get Around to It table quiz on 8 July  >> Come see Elaine chat with Dr Abeba Birhane at IFI’s Ghost in the Machine screening >> Sign up for Out of the Archive and Into the Record, a Wiki Loves Pride event >> Check out the Open Accessibility Assessment Framework for Computer Peripherals and Consumer Electronics  >> Celebrate Reuse and Repair Week with Tog in Belfast *** More from us ***Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com  FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io  FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod  FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod  FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social  FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod  

  • 11. Do we like prediction markets? Yes/No

    37:17||Season 5, Ep. 11
    Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi are rocketing in popularity and raking it in as users bet on everything from the day’s weather to major political manoeuvres. In this episode, Kelly and Elaine discuss what’s sus about these platforms and how they are mired in manipulation.*** Good things we recommend ***>> Research from CCPC and MABS on financial literacy   >> An Post’s Letter to your Future Self >> Kelly’s favourite stamps, featuring Brian Friel and Eileen Gray  >> An Post’s digital stamps  >> GCN magazine stockists *** More from us ***Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com  FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io  FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod  FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod  FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social  FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod  

  • 10. Hitting the AI kill switch

    44:29||Season 5, Ep. 10
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  • 9. Wikiphilia (with Amy O’Riordan)

    45:15||Season 5, Ep. 9
    This week Kelly and Elaine are sharing their love for Wikipedia – its endless interesting links, dedication to niche topics, and, of course, the ‘Personal Life’ section. Amy O’Riordan, bhainisteoir pobail le Pobal Éireann Wikimedia (AKA the community manager of Wikimedia Community Ireland) joins us for this chat about the famous online encyclopaedia’s challenges with AI, vandalism, content gaps and reliable sources, as well as the sheer passion of the volunteers that keep this great collaboration going.*** Good things we recommend ***>> Wikipedia, of course  >> Wikimedia.ie for more on the Irish Wiki community >> Wiki Loves Earth photography competition  >> Depths of Wikipedia by Annie Rauwerda  >> No Mow May 🌼  >> Birdfeeding advice from Niall Hatch at BirdWatch Ireland 🐦 *** More from us ***Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com  FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io  FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod  FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod  FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod

  • 8. AI Ready… or not! (with Laura Grehan)

    57:54||Season 5, Ep. 8
    This episode features an appearance from Elaine’s mam, who helped her review the new AI Ready platform from the Irish government (AIReady.ie) – and it did not go down well! We were so disappointed with this fumbled effort at AI literacy, but luckily we had Laura Grehan to speak to about getting it right. Laura leads education, engagement and societal impact for the Adapt research centre, and her award-winning team has reached about 85,000 people with their #DiscussAI initiative and other programmes. *** Good things we recommend ***>> #DiscussAI’s AI literacy resources >> Age-Friendly AI, a national AI literacy initiative for older adults >> Our chat on AI literacy with Prof Aphra Kerr  >> The Verge report on switching unsupported Windows devices to Linux >> Lemoncello’s new album, Perfect Place  *** More from us ***Kelly’s Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.com  FTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io  FTS TikTok: fortechssakepod  FTS Instagram: fortechssakepod  FTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social  FTS UpScrolled: fortechssakepod  

  • 7. Instagram’s end to encryption

    47:12||Season 5, Ep. 7
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