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For Tech’s Sake

Elaine Burke & Kelly Earley

Join Elaine Burke and Kelly Earley for a weekly edition of the people’s tech podcast, where they demystify the news and help you decode your digital life. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 27 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 44 min
  • English

Episodes 27

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  • S5 · E2
    March 19 · 46 min

    We need to talk about how we talk about AI (with Prof Aphra Kerr)

    Today’s episode is a lesson in AI literacy, busting some myths and revealing the strings behind the magic trick (with a smattering of Irish for Seachtain na Gaeilge). Kelly quizzes Elaine on how we can adapt our language to be clearer in communicating what AI is, and we also speak to Prof Aphra Kerr about the award-winning AlgoWatch project and its efforts to boost literacy among young people. *** Good things we recommend *** >> AlgoWatch.eu >> Elaine’s keynote at CESIcon 2026 >> #DiscussAI >> Age-Friendly AI >> Switched On *** 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • S5 · E1
    March 12 · 36 min

    Dubai influencers

    We’re back with an all-new season of For Tech’s Sake, just in time for a digital media literacy lesson on the Dubai influencer economy and how this shapes the content you see in your feed. We also have some news about our upcoming 100th episode – but you’ll have to listen to find out about that. *** Good things we recommend *** >> Check out Ned Leddy’s e-waste sculpture in St Patrick’s Park from March 14th to 16th. >> Spot a fish, ring a doorbell at visdeurbel.nl *** 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • S4 · E20
    Dec 4, 2025 · 44 min

    Prophecy girls

    In this final episode of 2025, Elaine and Kelly wonder if being on the naughty list could be a way for tech billionaires to hoard coal resources, and also offer up some predictions for a new year in tech. We’re forecasting legal issues and major market shifts, the spread of age-gating and deregulation, and a reckoning to come for generative AI. We also have a gift guide for the tech lover in your life, and other recommendations that can help you connect with your community IRL. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • S4 · E19
    Nov 27, 2025 · 36 min

    Slop ’til you drop

    ’Tis the season of shopping and scams, so arm yourself with knowledge from the For Tech’s Sake buyer’s guide to what you need to know about online shopping in the slop era. Come for the explanations of TikTok Shop, drop-shipping and scam tactics to watch out for, and stay for the references to ancient memes and Kelly’s tell-all review of a popular Game Boy emulator. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • S4 · E18
    Nov 20, 2025 · 41 min

    Say sorry, be nice, stand up for workers’ rights

    This week, Kelly and Elaine discuss why a delay in the release of Grand Theft Auto VI to late 2026 might be the least of Rockstar Games’ problems as protests have kicked off outside their offices following the firing of more than 30 employees. Could gamers now boycott a release they’ve been waiting more than 12 years for? Meanwhile, as yet another tech outage caused widespread ripples across the web, the EU is taking a look at the concentration of power in digital infrastructure. Also in this episode, we get hands-on with a pair of Meta Ray-Bans and speculate on Snapchat’s potential as a Reddit rival. Finally, we recommend you check out the research published on Authoritarian-Stack.info and follow Conor McCabe (@conormaccaba) on Instagram for updates on his radical political economy workshops. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • S4 · E17
    Nov 13, 2025 · 41 min

    Ryanair’s app trap

    This episode may contain a rude word or two when Elaine and Kelly start going off on Ryanair’s decision to force app downloads under the guise of ‘paperless’ boarding (that’s not actually paperless). And rude words are apparently being shadow-banned on Bluesky, while Elon Musk is getting roasted by Joyce Carol Oates on X. We also make an attempt to rouse EU citizens into a fight for the sanctity of GDPR, muse on whether All’s Fair signals a microdrama trend for TV, and get through some listener feedback on ‘the good guy of tech’ plus a new recommendation to help you understand what data brokers can learn from your online behaviour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • S4 · E16
    Nov 6, 2025 · 40 min

    The good guy of tech

    There’s been some Wikipedia drama this week as Jimmy Wales has been doing the rounds on a press tour promoting a book that bills him as ‘the good guy of tech’ – but Elaine and Kelly have a different man in mind for that moniker. Also in this episode, Ekaterina Uetova from the MOvD research project joins us to explain how a group chat might be more motivational than a gamified fitness app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showing 21–27 of 27 episodes