Episodes

  • Facial Recognition Gets It Wrong: Are Supermarkets Watching You?

    Facial Recognition Gets It Wrong: Are Supermarkets Watching You?
    Nov 10 2026
    Supermarket Facial Recognition: What Happens When AI Mistakes You for a Criminal?
    Facial recognition is back in Sainsbury's supermarkets, despite innocent shoppers being wrongly identified and removed from stores. But what happens when AI gets it wrong? Who is accountable, what happens to your biometric data, and can you opt out? We investigate the growing use of facial recognition in retail and the implications for privacy and consumer rights.

    Planetary Computing: How AI Is Using Satellites to Understand Earth
    From mapping smallholder farms in Senegal to monitoring forests and tracking environmental change, AI is transforming how we understand our planet. We explore planetary computing and Tessera, an open-source AI foundation model that turns vast amounts of satellite imagery into usable intelligence. Could this technology help scientists, governments and researchers make better decisions about food security, climate change and the future of our planet?

    The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy
    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    Subscribe here for your extended ad-free PodExtra Show: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:
    ➡️ Official Website: https://www.anialichtarowicz.com/
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    24 mins
  • Russian Disinformation, AI & Elections: New Evidence of How Fake News Spreads & The Hidden Workers Training AI

    Russian Disinformation, AI & Elections: New Evidence of How Fake News Spreads & The Hidden Workers Training AI
    Oct 13 2026
    New evidence of Russian-linked disinformation around European elections

    The British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said that he was given a clear answer after entering Downing Street that Russia did interfere in the UK's 2016 Brexit referendum. Now new evidence reveals how Russian-linked disinformation campaigns are using AI-generated videos, cloned news websites, fake social media accounts and existing networks to spread false narratives across Europe. Tom Garnett, CEO and co-founder of Refute, and Vlad Galu, co-founder and CTO, explain what they uncovered around elections in Estonia and Latvia, including a fabricated NATO story that was transformed into eight different videos and spread in 15 languages. With more European elections ahead, including in Poland, could the same accounts, techniques and infrastructure be deployed again?

    AI gig work: Meet the hidden humans training artificial intelligence

    Behind the AI revolution is a global workforce labelling images, rating AI answers, moderating content and doing the tasks machines still can't manage. Professor Mark Graham of the Oxford Internet Institute and founder of Fairwork explains what AI gig work actually is, where it happens, whether this human labour really helps train better AI, and how workers can tell whether an AI job is legitimate and fair.

    The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy
    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    Subscribe here for your extended ad-free PodExtra Show: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:
    ➡️ Official Website: https://www.anialichtarowicz.com/
    📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co
    ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

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    27 mins
  • Exam Cheating: Is Shutting Down the Internet the Answer?

    Exam Cheating: Is Shutting Down the Internet the Answer?
    Nov 3 2026
    Why are governments switching off the internet during school exams?
    Across the Middle East and North Africa, governments are cutting internet access during national school examinations to prevent cheating and the circulation of leaked exam papers. But millions of people are caught in the disruption. A new Access Now report examines the countries making progress, those continuing to impose shutdowns, and whether disconnecting entire populations is actually an effective way to protect exam integrity.

    Can a Small Device Make the Internet Safer for Children?
    From government control to parental control. Keeping children safe online can feel like a never-ending battle of screen-time limits, blocked websites and finding ways around parental restrictions. We explore Bastet Home, a privacy-first internet protection device that lets parents control which websites, apps and online services their children can access, without recording their online activity. Could this be a smarter way to protect children while giving them room to grow?

    The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy
    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    Subscribe here for your extended ad-free PodExtra Show: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:
    ➡️ Official Website: https://www.anialichtarowicz.com/
    📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co
    ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

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    If you like our show please rate and review us.
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    26 mins
  • Can AI Make Us Healthier and Happier?

    Can AI Make Us Healthier and Happier?
    Oct 27 2026
    Your health, your data, your AI
    What if an AI could know your entire health history without the company behind it seeing your medical data? New service GetMine has launched an AI personal health assistant designed to bring scattered health information together in an encrypted vault stored on the user’s own computer. In the UK, a partnership with Patients Know Best can also allow users to bring NHS health records into their personal vault. We find out how it works, who controls the data and whether personal AI could change the way we manage our health.

    Are we owed an AI happiness dividend? Taxpayers are helping to fund the AI boom through public investment, tax breaks, infrastructure and resources, but who is actually benefiting? New research from the Oxford Internet Institute argues that economic growth and corporate profits shouldn’t be the only measures of AI’s success. If the public is helping to bankroll the technology, should AI companies have to demonstrate that what they build actually improves our lives? And could a “happiness dividend” become part of the deal?

    The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy
    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    Subscribe here for your extended ad-free PodExtra Show: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:
    ➡️ Official Website: https://www.anialichtarowicz.com/
    📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co
    ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

    📱 Follow us on socials:
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    If you like our show please rate and review us.
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    25 mins
  • AI, Visas and Border Control: Can Artificial Intelligence Decide Who Gets Through

    AI, Visas and Border Control: Can Artificial Intelligence Decide Who Gets Through
    Oct 6 2026
    AI Is Changing How Visas and Borders Work
    AI is increasingly being used in consular services to check documents, detect patterns, flag potential fraud and help process huge numbers of visa applications. But when an algorithm influences what a human officer sees, where does human judgement end and machine influence begin? We speak to the authors of AI Use Cases for Consular Affairs Don Kilburg and Virginia Blaser about the opportunities and risks of using AI in decisions that can determine who gets to cross a border.

    Can AI Make Social Care Research Better?
    We also explore NarrativeVoice, a new project using AI to capture the experiences of care-experienced young adults and turn them into evidence for policymakers. Could technology help researchers analyse more voices, identify patterns and bring improvements to social care systems faster? Or could AI introduce new biases and lose the human context behind people's stories? Associate Professor Oras Al Hassani leads the project at Ravensbourne University in London and is on the show.

    The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy
    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    Subscribe here for your extended ad-free PodExtra Show: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:
    ➡️ Official Website: https://www.anialichtarowicz.com/
    📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co
    ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

    📱 Follow us on socials:
    ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)
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    If you like our show please rate and review us.
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    23 mins
  • AI Toys: Why Experts Say Don’t Buy Them

    AI Toys: Why Experts Say Don’t Buy Them
    Oct 20 2026
    AI toys can talk, listen and become a child’s “friend”. Experts say: don’t buy them.
    AI-powered teddy bears, dolls and companion toys can hold conversations with children, remember what they say and respond using generative AI. But the Safe AI for Children Alliance is warning parents against AI companion toys. CEO Tara Steele explains why, from inappropriate and potentially dangerous conversations to privacy, data collection and the emotional bonds children can form with AI chatbots.

    £1.7 billion for health research: AI, quantum technology or something else?
    The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) spends around £1.7 billion a year on health research. Professor Michael Lewis, NIHR Scientific Director for Innovation, joins us to discuss where that money should go, including AI designed to help cut NHS waiting times and new quantum health technologies. How do you decide which emerging technologies could genuinely transform healthcare, and which are clever ideas still looking for a problem?

    The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy
    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    Subscribe here for your extended ad-free PodExtra Show: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:
    ➡️ Official Website: https://www.anialichtarowicz.com/
    📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co
    ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

    📱 Follow us on socials:
    ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)
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    If you like our show please rate and review us.
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    25 mins
  • We’re Throwing Away the Technology Keeping Us Healthy: The Hidden Crisis of Healthcare E-Waste

    We’re Throwing Away the Technology Keeping Us Healthy: The Hidden Crisis of Healthcare E-Waste
    Sep 29 2026
    Medical Devices, Critical Materials and the Race to Build Circular Devices
    Digital healthcare is producing a fast-growing mountain of electronic waste. Glucose monitors, wearable sensors and medical devices can contain lithium, copper, gold and rare earth elements, yet many are discarded or incinerated rather than repaired, reused or recycled. The DiCE project has spent four years investigating how to keep these devices, components and materials in circulation for longer, without compromising patient safety.

    Can Healthcare Cut Carbon Without Becoming Less Resilient?
    Healthcare faces another huge challenge: reducing emissions while dealing with climate change, extreme weather, energy insecurity and fragile supply chains. We explore a new blueprint for future-proofing healthcare, and ask how technology, smarter systems and changes to infrastructure could make healthcare both lower-carbon and more resilient.




    The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy
    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    Subscribe here for your extended ad-free PodExtra Show: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:
    ➡️ Official Website: https://www.anialichtarowicz.com/
    📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co
    ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

    📱 Follow us on socials:
    ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)
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    If you like our show please rate and review us.
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    25 mins
  • When Your Data Becomes a Weapon: Myanmar and Customer Privacy

    When Your Data Becomes a Weapon: Myanmar and Customer Privacy
    Sep 22 2026

    Myanmar, Customer Data and Human Rights

    After Myanmar’s military coup in 2021, authorities demanded access to sensitive customer information held by a major Norwegian telecommunications company. Data linked to customers suspected of opposing the military was handed over, according to allegations in a new civil case. Now, more than 1,200 customers are part of a legal action in Norway seeking damages over the sharing of their data. A Norwegian court has ruled that the case can proceed as an opt-out class action. We examine what happened, what the lawsuit alleges, and the wider question of whether technology companies have a responsibility to protect customer data when operating under authoritarian regimes.

    Could Yeast Build Houses on Mars?

    Then we leave Earth for Mars, where future astronauts will face an extraordinary problem: how do you build a home when resources are scarce, temperatures are extreme and the atmosphere is just a fraction of Earth's? We explore how yeast could potentially be used to create building materials for future Martian habitats and whether biology could provide a way for humans to manufacture what they need to survive on another planet.

    The Programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.

    Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

    Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

    Subscribe and listen to the ad-free PodExtra version here: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

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    Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.

    🎥 Learn more about what we do:

    ➡️ Website: http://www.anialichtarowicz.com

    📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co

    ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co

    📱 Follow us on socials:

    ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)

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    If you like our show please rate and review us.
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    27 mins