Life, death and data. AI’s capacity to support research on human health is well documented. But so are the harms of biased datasets and misdiagnoses. How can AI developers build healthier systems? We take a look at a new dataset for Black skin health, a Covid chatbot in Rwanda, AI diagnostics in rural India, and elusive privacy in mental health apps.Avery Smith is a software engineer in Maryland who lost his wife to skin cancer. This inspired him to create the Black Skin Health AI Dataset and the web app, Melalogic.Remy Muhire works on open source speech recognition software in Rwanda, including a Covid-19 chatbot, Mbaza, which 2 million people have used so far.Radhika Radhakrishnan is a feminist scholar who studies how AI diagnostic systems are deployed in rural India by tech companies and hospitals, as well as the limits of consent.Jen Caltrider is the lead investigator on a special edition of Mozilla’s “Privacy Not Included” buyer’s guide that investigated the privacy and security of mental health apps.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host Bridget Todd shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s 2022 Internet Health Report. Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more. 

Life, death and data. AI’s capacity to support research on human health is well documented. But so are the harms of biased datasets and misdiagnoses. How can AI developers build healthier systems? We take a look at a new dataset for Black skin health, a Covid chatbot in Rwanda, AI diagnostics in rural India, and elusive privacy in mental health apps.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/episodes/the-ai-medicine-cabinet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Avery Smith</a> is a software engineer in Maryland who lost his wife to skin cancer. This inspired him to create the Black Skin Health AI Dataset and the web app, Melalogic.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/episodes/the-ai-medicine-cabinet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Remy Muhire</a> works on open source speech recognition software in Rwanda, including a Covid-19 chatbot, Mbaza, which 2 million people have used so far.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/episodes/the-ai-medicine-cabinet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Radhika Radhakrishnan</a> is a feminist scholar who studies how AI diagnostic systems are deployed in rural India by tech companies and hospitals, as well as the limits of consent.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/episodes/the-ai-medicine-cabinet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jen Caltrider</a> is the lead investigator on a special edition of Mozilla’s “Privacy Not Included” buyer’s guide that investigated the privacy and security of mental health apps.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host <a href="https://getpocket.com/collections/ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-the-web-how-can-we-make-sure-its-for-the-better" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bridget Todd</a> shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s <a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2022 Internet Health Report</a>. Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

The AI Medicine Cabinet

Murky political groups are exploiting social media systems to spread disinformation. With important elections taking place around the world this year, who is pushing back? We meet grassroots groups in Africa and beyond who are using AI to tackle disinformation in languages and countries underserved by big tech companies.Justin Arenstein is the founder of Code for Africa, an organization that works with newsrooms across 21 countries to fact check, track and combat the global disinformation industry.Tarunima Prabhakar builds tools and datasets to respond to online misinformation in India, as co-founder of the open-source technology community, Tattle.Sahar Massachi was a data engineer at Facebook and now leads the Integrity Institute, a new network for people who work on integrity teams at social media companies. Raashi Saxena in India was the global project coordinator of Hatebase, a crowdsourced repository of online hate speech in 98 languages, run by the Sentinel Project. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host Bridget Todd shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s 2022 Internet Health Report. Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

Murky political groups are exploiting social media systems to spread disinformation. With important elections taking place around the world this year, who is pushing back? We meet grassroots groups in Africa and beyond who are using AI to tackle disinformation in languages and countries underserved by big tech companies.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/dismantling-disinformation-networks-justin-arenstein" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Justin Arenstein</a> is the founder of Code for Africa, an organization that works with newsrooms across 21 countries to fact check, track and combat the global disinformation industry.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/ai-alone-wont-stop-misinformation-tarunima-prabhakar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tarunima Prabhakar</a> builds tools and datasets to respond to online misinformation in India, as co-founder of the open-source technology community, Tattle.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/linking-up-with-integrity-teams-sahar-massachi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sahar Massachi</a> was a data engineer at Facebook and now leads the Integrity Institute, a new network for people who work on integrity teams at social media companies. <a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/defusing-hate-speech-citizen-linguists-raashi-saxena" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Raashi Saxena</a> in India was the global project coordinator of Hatebase, a crowdsourced repository of online hate speech in 98 languages, run by the Sentinel Project. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host <a href="https://getpocket.com/collections/ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-the-web-how-can-we-make-sure-its-for-the-better " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bridget Todd</a> shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s <a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2022 Internet Health Report</a>. Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

The Truth is Out There

An aerial picture can tell a thousand stories. But who gets to tell them? From above the clouds, our world is surveilled and datafied. Those who control the data, control the narratives. We explore the legacy of spatial apartheid in South Africa’s townships, and hear from people around the world who are reclaiming power over their own maps.Raesetje Sefala is mapping the legacy of spatial apartheid in South Africa as a computer vision researcher with Timnit Gebru’s Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR).Astha Kapoor researches how communities and organizations can be ‘stewards’ of data about people and places as co-founder of the Aapti Institute in India.Michael Running Wolf is the founder of Indigenous in AI. He is working on speech recognition and immersive spatial experiences with augmented and virtual reality in Canada.Denise McKenzie is a location data expert who works with the global mapping organization PLACE to empower governments and communities to use advanced spatial data.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host Bridget Todd shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s 2022 Internet Health Report.  Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

An aerial picture can tell a thousand stories. But who gets to tell them? From above the clouds, our world is surveilled and datafied. Those who control the data, control the narratives. We explore the legacy of spatial apartheid in South Africa’s townships, and hear from people around the world who are reclaiming power over their own maps.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/spatial-legacy-apartheid-raesetje-sefala" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Raesetje Sefala</a> is mapping the legacy of spatial apartheid in South Africa as a computer vision researcher with Timnit Gebru’s Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR).<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/data-stewardship-astha-kapoor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Astha Kapoor</a> researches how communities and organizations can be ‘stewards’ of data about people and places as co-founder of the Aapti Institute in India.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/indigenous-in-ai-michael-running-wolf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Running Wolf</a> is the founder of Indigenous in AI. He is working on speech recognition and immersive spatial experiences with augmented and virtual reality in Canada.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/navigating-location-data-denise-mckenzie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Denise McKenzie </a>is a location data expert who works with the global mapping organization PLACE to empower governments and communities to use advanced spatial data.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host <a href="https://getpocket.com/collections/ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-the-web-how-can-we-make-sure-its-for-the-better " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bridget Todd</a> shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s <a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2022 Internet Health Report</a>.  Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

AI from Above

Gig workers around the world report directly to algorithms in precarious jobs created by secretive corporations. We take you to the streets of Quito, Ecuador where delivery workers are protesting against artificial intelligence, and we hear solutions from people in several countries on how to audit the algorithms and reclaim rights.Eduardo Meneses is gearing up with allies to ‘audit the algorithms’ of delivery platforms in Ecuador as the Global Head of Social Change at Thoughtworks.Dan Calacci at the MIT Media Lab is developing open source tools and systems that empower workers to take control of their data.Aída Ponce Del Castillo is working on AI regulation to protect the rights of platform workers as a lawyer with the European Trade Union Institute in Brussels.Yuly Ramirez is the general secretary of a coalition of digital platform workers in Ecuador and José Gonzalez is a delivery driver in Quito, Ecuador.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host Bridget Todd shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s 2022 Internet Health Report. Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more. 

Gig workers around the world report directly to algorithms in precarious jobs created by secretive corporations. We take you to the streets of Quito, Ecuador where delivery workers are protesting against artificial intelligence, and we hear solutions from people in several countries on how to audit the algorithms and reclaim rights.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/tech-that-works-for-workers-eduardo-meneses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eduardo Meneses</a> is gearing up with allies to ‘audit the algorithms’ of delivery platforms in Ecuador as the Global Head of Social Change at Thoughtworks.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/clocking-into-worker-data-dan-calacci" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dan Calacci</a> at the MIT Media Lab is developing open source tools and systems that empower workers to take control of their data.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/robots-rights-regulation-aida-ponce-del-castillo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aída Ponce Del Castillo</a> is working on AI regulation to protect the rights of platform workers as a lawyer with the European Trade Union Institute in Brussels.Yuly Ramirez is the general secretary of a coalition of digital platform workers in Ecuador and José Gonzalez is a delivery driver in Quito, Ecuador.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host <a href="https://getpocket.com/collections/ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-the-web-how-can-we-make-sure-its-for-the-better " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bridget Todd</a> shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s <a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2022 Internet Health Report</a>. Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

When an Algorithm is Your Boss

Where should tech builders draw the line on AI for military or surveillance? Just because it can be built, doesn’t mean it should be. At what point do we blow the whistle, call out the boss, and tell the world? Find out what it’s like to sound the alarm from inside a big tech company.Laura Nolan shares the story behind her decision to leave Google in 2018 over their involvement in Project Maven, a Pentagon project which used AI by Google.Yves Moreau explains why he is calling on academic journals and international publishers to retract papers that use facial recognition and DNA profiling of minority groups.Yeshimabeit Milner describes how the non-profit Data for Black Lives is pushing back against use of AI powered tools used to surveil and criminalize Black and Brown communities.Shmyla Khan, describes being on the receiving end of technologies developed by foreign superpowers as a researcher with the Digital Rights Foundation in Pakistan.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host Bridget Todd shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s 2022 Internet Health Report. Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

Where should tech builders draw the line on AI for military or surveillance? Just because it can be built, doesn’t mean it should be. At what point do we blow the whistle, call out the boss, and tell the world? Find out what it’s like to sound the alarm from inside a big tech company.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/say-no-to-killer-robots-laura-nolan/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Laura Nolan</a> shares the story behind her decision to leave Google in 2018 over their involvement in Project Maven, a Pentagon project which used AI by Google.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/scientists-lets-push-back-yves-moreau/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Yves Moreau</a> explains why he is calling on academic journals and international publishers to retract papers that use facial recognition and DNA profiling of minority groups.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/calling-out-data-weapons-yeshimabeit-milner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Yeshimabeit Milner</a> describes how the non-profit <a href="https://d4bl.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Data for Black Lives </a>is pushing back against use of AI powered tools used to surveil and criminalize Black and Brown communities.<a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org/story/tech-broken-promise-shmyla-khan/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shmyla Khan</a>, describes being on the receiving end of technologies developed by foreign superpowers as a researcher with the <a href="https://digitalrightsfoundation.pk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Digital Rights Foundation</a> in Pakistan.IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, the non-profit behind Firefox. In Season 6, host <a href="https://getpocket.com/collections/ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-the-web-how-can-we-make-sure-its-for-the-better " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bridget Todd</a> shares stories of people who make AI more trustworthy in real life. This season doubles as Mozilla’s <a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2022 Internet Health Report. </a>Go to the report for show notes, transcripts, and more.

The Tech We Won’t Build

AI is everywhere now. It’s part of healthcare, social media, maps, and even killer robots. But who has power over AI? And who is shifting that power? Join IRL’s new host, Bridget Todd, as she talks to technology builders and policy folks from around the world who are developing more trustworthy AI that puts people over profits.IRL is an original podcast from the non-profit Mozilla. For more on our series, visit us here.

AI is everywhere now. It’s part of healthcare, social media, maps, and even killer robots. But who has power over AI? And who is shifting that power? Join IRL’s new host, Bridget Todd, as she talks to technology builders and policy folks from around the world who are developing more trustworthy AI that puts people over profits.IRL is an original podcast from the non-profit Mozilla. For more on our series, <a href="https://2022.internethealthreport.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visit us here</a>.

Introducing IRL Season 6: AI in Real Life

Every day, our data hits the market when we sign online. It’s for sale, and we’re left to wonder if tech companies will ever choose to protect our privacy rather than reap large profits with our information. But, is the choice — profit or privacy — a false dilemma? Meet the people who have built profitable tech businesses while also respecting your privacy. Fact check if Facebook and Google have really found religion in privacy. And, imagine a world where you could actually get paid to share your data.In this episode, Oli Frost recalls what happened when he auctioned his personal data on eBay. Jeremy Tillman from Ghostery reveals the scope of how much ad-tracking is really taking place online. Patrick Jackson at Disconnect.me breaks down Big Tech’s privacy pivot. DuckDuckGo’s Gabriel Weinberg explains why his private search engine has been profitable. And Dana Budzyn walks us through how her company, UBDI, hopes to give consumers the ability to sell their data for cash.IRL is an original podcast from Firefox. For more on the series, go to irlpodcast.org.Read about Patrick Jackson and Geoffrey Fowler's privacy experiment.Learn more about DuckDuckGo, an alternative to Google search, at duckduckgo.com.And, we're pleased to add a little more about Firefox's business here as well — one that puts user privacy first and is also profitable. Mozilla was founded as a community open source project in 1998, and currently consists of two organizations: the 501(c)3 Mozilla Foundation, which backs emerging leaders and mobilizes citizens to create a global movement for the health of the internet; and its wholly owned subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation, which creates Firefox products, advances public policy in support of internet user rights and explores new technologies that give people more control and privacy in their lives online. Firefox products have never — and never will never — buy or sell user data. Because of its unique structure, Mozilla stands apart from its peers in the technology field as one of the most impactful and successful social enterprises in the world. Learn more about Mozilla and Firefox at mozilla.org.

Every day, our data hits the market when we sign online. It’s for sale, and we’re left to wonder if tech companies will ever choose to protect our privacy rather than reap large profits with our information. But, is the choice — profit or privacy — a false dilemma? Meet the people who have built profitable tech businesses while also respecting your privacy. Fact check if Facebook and Google have really found religion in privacy. And, imagine a world where you could actually get paid to share your data.In this episode, Oli Frost recalls what happened when he auctioned his personal data on eBay. Jeremy Tillman from <a href="https://www.ghostery.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ghostery</a> reveals the scope of how much ad-tracking is really taking place online. Patrick Jackson at <a href="https://disconnect.me/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Disconnect.me</a> breaks down Big Tech’s privacy pivot. <a href="https://duckduckgo.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DuckDuckGo’s</a> Gabriel Weinberg explains why his private search engine has been profitable. And Dana Budzyn walks us through how her company, <a href="https://www.ubdi.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">UBDI</a>, hopes to give consumers the ability to sell their data for cash.IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org//firefox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a>. For more on the series, go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.orgirlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>.Read about Patrick Jackson and Geoffrey Fowler's <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/05/28/its-middle-night-do-you-know-who-your-iphone-is-talking/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">privacy experiment</a>.Learn more about DuckDuckGo, an alternative to Google search, at <a href="https://duckduckgo.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">duckduckgo.com</a>.And, we're pleased to add a little more about Firefox's business here as well — one that puts user privacy first and is also profitable. Mozilla was founded as a community open source project in 1998, and currently consists of two organizations: the 501(c)3 Mozilla Foundation, which backs emerging leaders and mobilizes citizens to create a global movement for the health of the internet; and its wholly owned subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation, which creates Firefox products, advances public policy in support of internet user rights and explores new technologies that give people more control and privacy in their lives online. Firefox products have never — and never will never — buy or sell user data. Because of its unique structure, Mozilla stands apart from its peers in the technology field as one of the most impactful and successful social enterprises in the world. Learn more about Mozilla and Firefox at <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mozilla.org</a>.

Privacy or Profit - Why Not Both?

The word “regulation" gets tossed around a lot. And it’s often aimed at the internet’s Big Tech companies. Some worry that the size of these companies and the influence they wield is too much. On the other side, there’s the argument that any regulation is overreach — leave it to the market, and everything will sort itself out. But over the last year, in the midst of this regulation debate, a funny thing happened. Tech companies got regulated. And our right to privacy got a little easier to exercise.Gabriela Zanfir-Fortuna gives us the highlights of Europe’s sweeping GDPR privacy law, and explains how the law netted a huge fine against Spain’s National Football League. Twitter’s Data Protection Officer, Damien Kieran explains how regulation has shaped his new job and is changing how Twitter works with our personal data. Julie Brill at Microsoft says the company wants legislators to go further, and bring a federal privacy law to the U.S. And Manoush chats with Alastair MacTaggart, the California resident whose work led to the passing of the California Consumer Privacy Act.IRL is an original podcast from Firefox. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.orgLearn more about consumer rights under the GDPR, and for a top-level look at what the GDPR does for you, check out our GDPR summary.Here’s more about the California Consumer Privacy Act and Alastair MacTaggart.And, get commentary and analysis on data privacy from Julie Brill, Gabriela Zanfir-Fortuna, and Damien Kieran.Firefox has a department dedicated to open policy and advocacy. We believe that privacy is a right, not a privilege. Follow our blog for more.

The word “regulation" gets tossed around a lot. And it’s often aimed at the internet’s Big Tech companies. Some worry that the size of these companies and the influence they wield is too much. On the other side, there’s the argument that any regulation is overreach — leave it to the market, and everything will sort itself out. But over the last year, in the midst of this regulation debate, a funny thing happened. Tech companies got regulated. And our right to privacy got a little easier to exercise.<a href="https://fpf.org/gabriela-zanfir-fortuna/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gabriela Zanfir-Fortuna</a> gives us the highlights of Europe’s sweeping GDPR privacy law, and explains how the law netted a huge fine against Spain’s National Football League. Twitter’s Data Protection Officer, <a href="https://twitter.com/damokieran/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Damien Kieran</a> explains how regulation has shaped his new job and is changing how Twitter works with our personal data. <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/author/jbrill/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julie Brill</a> at Microsoft says the company wants legislators to go further, and bring a federal privacy law to the U.S. And Manoush chats with <a href="https://www.caprivacy.org/about-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alastair MacTaggart</a>, the California resident whose work led to the passing of the California Consumer Privacy Act.IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org//firefox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.orgirlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>Learn more about <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/justice-and-fundamental-rights/data-protection/2018-reform-eu-data-protection-rules_en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">consumer rights under the GDPR</a>, and for a top-level look at what the GDPR does for you, check out our <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/05/23/gdpr-mozilla/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GDPR summary</a>.Here’s more about the <a href="https://www.caprivacy.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">California Consumer Privacy Act and Alastair MacTaggart</a>.And, get commentary and analysis on data privacy from <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/author/jbrill/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julie Brill</a>, <a href="https://pdpecho.com/about/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gabriela Zanfir-Fortuna</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/damokieran/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Damien Kieran</a>.Firefox has a department dedicated to open policy and advocacy. We believe that privacy is a right, not a privilege. <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/netpolicy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow our blog</a> for more.

Making Privacy Law

‘5G’ is a new buzzword floating around every corner of the internet. But what exactly is this hyped-up cellular network, often referred to as the next technological evolution in mobile internet communications? Will it really be 100 times faster than what we have now? What will it make possible that has never been possible before? Who will reap the benefits? And, who will get left behind? Mike Thelander at Signals Research Group imagines the wild ways 5G might change our lives in the near future. Rhiannon Williams hits the street and takes a new 5G network out for a test drive. Amy France lives in a very rural part of Kansas — she dreams of the day that true, fast internet could come to her farm (but isn’t holding her breath). Larry Irving explains why technology has never been provided equally to everyone, and why he fears 5G will leave too many people out. Shireen Santosham, though, is doing what she can to leverage 5G deployment in order to bridge the digital divide in her city of San Jose. IRL is an original podcast from Firefox. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org Read more about Rhiannon Williams' 5G tests throughout London. And, find out more about San Jose's smart city vision that hopes to bridge the digital divide.

‘5G’ is a new buzzword floating around every corner of the internet. But what exactly is this hyped-up cellular network, often referred to as the next technological evolution in mobile internet communications? Will it really be 100 times faster than what we have now? What will it make possible that has never been possible before? Who will reap the benefits? And, who will get left behind? Mike Thelander at <a href="https://signalsresearch.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Signals Research Group</a> imagines the wild ways 5G might change our lives in the near future. <a href="https://twitter.com/RhiannonJudithW/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rhiannon Williams</a> hits the street and takes a new 5G network out for a test drive. <a href="https://twitter.com/amy_kaymay/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amy France</a> lives in a very rural part of Kansas — she dreams of the day that true, fast internet could come to her farm (but isn’t holding her breath). <a href="https://twitter.com/larry_irving/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Larry Irving</a> explains why technology has never been provided equally to everyone, and why he fears 5G will leave too many people out. <a href="https://twitter.com/ssantosham/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shireen Santosham</a>, though, is doing what she can to leverage 5G deployment in order to bridge the digital divide in her city of San Jose. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org//firefox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.orgirlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a> Read more about Rhiannon Williams' <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/what-its-like-to-use-ees-5g-network-in-london/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">5G tests throughout London</a>. And, find out more about San Jose's <a href="https://moti.sanjosemayor.org/smart-city-vision/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">smart city vision</a> that hopes to bridge the digital divide.

The 5G Privilege

There's a movement building within tech. Workers are demanding higher standards from their companies — and because of their unique skills and talent, they have the leverage to get attention. Walkouts and sit-ins. Picket protests and petitions. Shareholder resolutions, and open letters. These are the new tools of tech workers, increasingly emboldened to speak out. And, as they do that, they expose the underbellies of their companies' ethics and values or perceived lack of them. In this episode of IRL, host Manoush Zomorodi meets with Rebecca Stack-Martinez, an Uber driver fed up with being treated like an extension of the app; Jack Poulson, who left Google over ethical concerns with a secret search engine being built for China; and Rebecca Sheppard, who works at Amazon and pushes for innovation on climate change from within. EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn explains why this movement is happening now, and why it matters for all of us. IRL is an original podcast from Firefox. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org Rebecca Stack-Martinez is a committee member for Gig Workers Rising. Here is Jack Poulson's resignation letter to Google. For more, read Google employees' open letter against Project Dragonfly. Check out Amazon employees' open letter to Jeff Bezos and Board of Directors asking for a better plan to address climate change. Cindy Cohn is the Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. EFF is a nonprofit that defends civil liberties in the digital world. They champion user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development.

There's a movement building within tech. Workers are demanding higher standards from their companies — and because of their unique skills and talent, they have the leverage to get attention. Walkouts and sit-ins. Picket protests and petitions. Shareholder resolutions, and open letters. These are the new tools of tech workers, increasingly emboldened to speak out. And, as they do that, they expose the underbellies of their companies' ethics and values or perceived lack of them. In this episode of IRL, host Manoush Zomorodi meets with Rebecca Stack-Martinez, an Uber driver fed up with being treated like an extension of the app; <a href="https://twitter.com/supernodal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jack Poulson</a>, who left Google over ethical concerns with a secret search engine being built for China; and Rebecca Sheppard, who works at Amazon and pushes for innovation on <a href="https://twitter.com/AMZNforClimate/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">climate change</a> from within. EFF Executive Director <a href="https://twitter.com/eff/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cindy Cohn</a> explains why this movement is happening now, and why it matters for all of us. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org//firefox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.orgirlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a> Rebecca Stack-Martinez is a committee member for <a href="https://www.gigworkersrising.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gig Workers Rising</a>. Here is Jack Poulson's <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4905801-Jack-Poulson-Google-resignation-letter-20-Aug-2018.html." rel="nofollow" target="_blank">resignation letter to Google</a>. For more, read Google employees' <a href="https://medium.com/@googlersagainstdragonfly/we-are-google-employees-google-must-drop-dragonfly-4c8a30c5e5eb/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">open letter against Project Dragonfly</a>. Check out Amazon employees' <a href="https://medium.com/@amazonemployeesclimatejustice/public-letter-to-jeff-bezos-and-the-amazon-board-of-directors-82a8405f5e38" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">open letter to Jeff Bezos and Board of Directors</a> asking for a better plan to address climate change. Cindy Cohn is the Executive Director of the <a href="https://www.eff.org/about/staff/cindy-cohn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Electronic Frontier Foundation</a>. EFF is a nonprofit that defends civil liberties in the digital world. They champion user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development.

The Tech Worker Resistance

Online life is real life, and with artificial intelligence it’s getting even more real. In Season 6, IRL zooms in on data, machine learning and algorithms, as host Bridget Todd shares real life stories about AI from around the world. This season doubles as Mozilla’s 2022 Internet Health Report, which explores who is reclaiming power to make online life healthier for everyone.

Essential listening for the privacy wonks, of the sort who use Firefox as their browser. It’s a good fit for a tech-skeptic like me, and a complement to shows like Reset, and Your Undivided Attention. 

I just wish they produced episodes more often.

Need more

Unique and compelling information that will leave you craving for more. It balances so well the relationship between technology and everyday life, how it affect us and how the future is developing. It is one of my favorite podcasts of all time.

The very best in tech/life

IRL: Online Life Is Real Life

From campaign bots to conspiracy videos, it’s harder than ever to discover the truth online. In conversation with The New York Times’ Sheera Frenkel, Data For Democracy Policy Lead and Mozilla Fellow Renee DiResta, and DisInfoMedia founder Jestin Coler, we navigate the age of disinformation. It’s the season finale of IRL, recorded live in San Francisco on March 18th, 2018. A recent Gallup survey found that most Americans feel that it’s harder today to be well-informed than ever before. But each of us can play a part in stopping the spread of misinformation. Learn more. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

From campaign bots to conspiracy videos, it’s harder than ever to discover the truth online. In conversation with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/sheera-frenkel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The New York Times’ Sheera Frenkel</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/noUpside" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Data For Democracy Policy Lead and Mozilla Fellow Renee DiResta</a>, and <a href="http://jestincoler.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DisInfoMedia founder Jestin Coler</a>, we navigate the age of disinformation. It’s the season finale of IRL, recorded live in San Francisco on March 18th, 2018. A recent Gallup survey found that most Americans feel that it’s harder today to be well-informed than ever before. But each of us can play a part in stopping the spread of misinformation. <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/04/02/irl-how-to-stop-social-media-misinformation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learn more.</a> IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

Ctrl+Alt+Facts

We’re told from a young age to “accept the things we cannot change.” But should this be the case online as well? We click “Accept” every day, but often don’t know what we’re giving away. Is it a fair trade, and should we demand a better bargain? Veronica Belmont and special guest Dave Pell explore if what we get for what we give online is a good deal. We hear how one man’s HIV status was exposed without permission, how a massive data-mining company is using our information to predict how we'll behave, and why on earth our email inboxes are filling up with privacy policies. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org Tom Hayes works for an organization called Beyond Positive. Learn more. Nora Young discusses the GDPR in this episode. Here are 13 more things you need to know about the GDPR. Beyond GDPR, check out what else is changing your online rights. The rest of Jaron Lanier's talk can be heard on TED Talks Daily. Find Dave Pell's NextDraft newsletter here. And, click here for Mozilla's take on privacy and the trade-offs we make online. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

We’re told from a young age to “accept the things we cannot change.” But should this be the case online as well? We click “Accept” every day, but often don’t know what we’re giving away. Is it a fair trade, and should we demand a better bargain? <a href="https://twitter.com/Veronica" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veronica Belmont</a> and special guest <a href="https://twitter.com/davepell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dave Pell</a> explore if what we get for what we give online is a good deal. We hear how one man’s HIV status was exposed without permission, how a massive data-mining company is using our information to predict how we'll behave, and why on earth our email inboxes are filling up with privacy policies. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a> Tom Hayes works for an organization called Beyond Positive. <a href="http://www.beyondpositive.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learn more</a>. Nora Young discusses the GDPR in this episode. Here are <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/05/23/gdpr-mozilla/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">13 more things you need to know about the GDPR</a>. Beyond GDPR, <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/06/25/changes-to-online-rights/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">check out what else is changing your online rights</a>. The rest of Jaron Lanier's talk can be heard on <a href="https://player.fm/series/tedtalks-audio/how-we-need-to-remake-the-internet-jaron-lanier" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TED Talks Daily</a>. Find Dave Pell's NextDraft newsletter <a href="https://nextdraft.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. And, <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/internet-health/privacy-security/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a> for Mozilla's take on privacy and the trade-offs we make online. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

The Grand Bargain

In her new book, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Harvard Business School’s Shoshana Zuboff argues that tech companies — like Google and Facebook — collect so much personal data for profit, that they’re changing the fundamentals of our economy and way of life. And now these companies are learning to shape our behavior to better serve their business goals. Shoshana joins Manoush Zomorodi to explain what this all means for us. We then explore whether or not it’s time to end our relationship with corporate spies. OG advice columnist Dear Abby gives us some tips to start with. We chat with philosopher S. Matthew Liao. He asks if we have a moral duty to quit Facebook. Alice Marwick explains why most people won’t leave the social network. And journalist Nithin Coca tells us what it was like for him to quit both Facebook and Google. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t easy, but he has no regrets. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, maker of Firefox and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. Shoshana Zuboff is the author of  The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. Read Professor S. Matthew Liao's Op-Ed Do You Have a Moral Duty to Leave Facebook? in the New York Times. Here is Nithin Coca’s story on fully quitting Google. Mozilla is on your side. Firefox has never — and will never — sell your data. And, we make things that give you more control over your life online. If you love Facebook but hate their data collection practices, reduce what they can track about you. Try Firefox’s Facebook Container extension, which makes it harder for Facebook to track you on the web outside of Facebook. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with 826 Valencia to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Gisele C. from De Marillac Academy wrote this piece on the importance of diversity in tech. And, check out this article from Common Sense Media, on the science behind kids’ tech obsessions. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

In her new book, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Harvard Business School’s <a href="https://twitter.com/shoshanazuboff/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shoshana Zuboff</a> argues that tech companies — like Google and Facebook — collect so much personal data for profit, that they’re changing the fundamentals of our economy and way of life. And now these companies are learning to shape our behavior to better serve their business goals. Shoshana joins <a href="https://twitter.com/manoushz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manoush Zomorodi</a> to explain what this all means for us. We then explore whether or not it’s time to end our relationship with corporate spies. OG advice columnist <a href="https://twitter.com/dearabby/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dear Abby</a> gives us some tips to start with. We chat with philosopher <a href="https://twitter.com/smatthewliao/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">S. Matthew Liao</a>. He asks if we have a moral duty to quit Facebook. <a href="https://twitter.com/alicetiara/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alice Marwick</a> explains why most people won’t leave the social network. And journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/excinit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nithin Coca</a> tells us what it was like for him to quit both Facebook and Google. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t easy, but he has no regrets. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>, maker of <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/fights-for-you/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a> and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. <a href="https://www.shoshanazuboff.com/new/about/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shoshana Zuboff</a> is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Age-Surveillance-Capitalism-Future-Frontier/dp/1610395697/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1548643852&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=The+Age+of+Surveillance+Capitalism/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Age of Surveillance Capitalism</a>. Read Professor S. Matthew Liao's Op-Ed <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/24/opinion/sunday/facebook-immoral.html/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Do You Have a Moral Duty to Leave Facebook?</a> in the New York Times. Here is Nithin Coca’s story on <a href="https://medium.com/s/story/how-i-fully-quit-google-and-you-can-too-4c2f3f85793a/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fully quitting Google</a>. Mozilla is on your side. Firefox has never — and will never — sell your data. And, we make things that give you more control over your life online. If you love Facebook but hate their data collection practices, reduce what they can track about you. Try Firefox’s <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/facebookcontainer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Container extension</a>, which makes it harder for Facebook to track you on the web outside of Facebook. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with <a href="https://826valencia.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">826 Valencia</a> to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Gisele C. from <a href="https://demarillac.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">De Marillac Academy</a> wrote <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/02/03/whose-internet-our-internet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this piece on the importance of diversity in tech</a>. And, check out <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/02/03/the-sneaky-science-behind-your-kids-tech-obsessions/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article from Common Sense Media, on the science behind kids’ tech obsessions</a>. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

The Surveillance Economy

Season 4 of ZigZag is about examining the current culture of business and work, figuring out what needs to change, and experimenting with new ways to do it. Sign up for their newsletter and subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you get your podcasts.

Season 4 of ZigZag is about examining the current culture of business and work, figuring out what needs to change, and experimenting with new ways to do it. <a href="https://zigzagpod.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e45afeaed66eda16601914ac9&amp;id=95c21f8330" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for their newsletter</a> and subscribe to the <a href="https://zigzagpod.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">podcast</a> for free wherever you get your podcasts.

“The Weird Kids at the Big Tech Party” from ZigZag

There’s a new currency in town (and no, we’re not talking about Bitcoin). We’re talking about attention. In this episode of IRL, Veronica Belmont and special guest Jane Lytvynenko explore all the ways your attention has become worth money on social media. Meet Hamlet the Piggy, an Instagram star who is helping her owner cope with epilepsy and also build a business; Lisette Calveiro, whose quest for fame online left her spending beyond her means; and media theorist Douglas Rushkoff, who discusses what’s behind the emerging attention economy. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. When does attention online turn into addiction online? Here’s a perspective from Mozilla’s Heather West. Imagine a world where social networks weren’t necessarily designed to capture your attention, but instead were built to benefit you and your community. Here are some thoughts by Katharina Nocun on what this would look like. And, here’s a piece by Nick Briz about how attention merchants online use your digital fingerprints to target you with content. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

There’s a new currency in town (and no, we’re not talking about Bitcoin). We’re talking about attention. In this episode of IRL, <a href="https://twitter.com/Veronica" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veronica Belmont</a> and special guest <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneLytv" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jane Lytvynenko</a> explore all the ways your attention has become worth money on social media. Meet <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hamlet_the_piggy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hamlet the Piggy</a>, an Instagram star who is helping her owner cope with epilepsy and also build a business; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lissettecalv/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lisette Calveiro</a>, whose quest for fame online left her spending beyond her means; and media theorist <a href="https://twitter.com/rushkoff" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Douglas Rushkoff</a>, who discusses what’s behind the emerging attention economy. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. When does attention online turn into addiction online? Here’s <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/07/27/attention-addiction/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a perspective</a> from Mozilla’s Heather West. Imagine a world where social networks weren’t necessarily designed to capture your attention, but instead were built to benefit you and your community. <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/07/26/your-attention-is-the-hottest-currency-on-the-internet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here are some thoughts</a> by Katharina Nocun on what this would look like. And, here’s <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/07/26/this-is-your-digital-fingerprint/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a piece</a> by Nick Briz about how attention merchants online use your digital fingerprints to target you with content. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

Paid Attention

Look, we agree with you: passwords are the worst. But you know what else is the worst? Someone hacking your account, or big security breaches that expose your email, your credit card information, your government-issued identification number, and more. We should hold companies accountable for better security, but we also need to hold ourselves accountable for having good password hygiene. So let's tackle this once and for all. Hear from Buzzfeed's Mat Honan, who endured a brutal hack a few years ago when hackers exploited password-recovery tools; Mark Wilson from Fast Company, who wants to ban passwords altogether (though admits it's not the best idea); Masha Sedova of Elevate Security who says that, yes, security companies have failed us – but we have to use passwords anyway; and Matt Davey of 1Password, who offers a solution that Mozilla can get behind: use a password manager. A simple, game-changing tool that will help you take back control of your accounts, and secure yourself as best as you can. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org Your passwords protect more than your accounts. They protect every bit of personal information that resides in them. And hackers rely on bad habits, like using the same password everywhere or using common phrases (p@ssw0rd, anyone?), so that if they hack one account, they can hack many. Password managers like 1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, and Bitwarden generate strong, unique passwords. They also store passwords securely and fill them into websites for you. IRL listeners can sign up to 1Password and get their first three months for free. Just visit 1password.com/promo/IRL and give it a try. And, if you use Firefox on your iPhone, try out Firefox Lockbox. It securely gives you access to all the logins you've saved to Firefox, in a secure app on your phone. As we mention in this episode of IRL, Gabriela Ivens cataloged hundreds of secret recipes that were leaked during data breaches. Firefox teamed up with her to show the personal impact a security breach can have on someone. As a bonus, we let you in on those precious recipes to drive the point home. Go have a look — and be sure to try the “Exposed BBQ Spice Rub” — at dataleeks.com. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with 826 Valencia to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Zues C. from De Marillac Academy wrote this piece on managing your passwords, and managing your life. And, check out this article from Common Sense Media, on real-world reasons parents should care about kids and online privacy. Three cheers for good passwords (and password managers). Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

Look, we agree with you: passwords are the worst. But you know what else is the worst? Someone hacking your account, or big security breaches that expose your email, your credit card information, your government-issued identification number, and more. We should hold companies accountable for better security, but we also need to hold ourselves accountable for having good password hygiene. So let's tackle this once and for all. Hear from Buzzfeed's <a href="https://twitter.com/mat" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mat Honan</a>, who endured a brutal hack a few years ago when hackers exploited password-recovery tools; <a href="https://twitter.com/ctrlzee?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mark Wilson</a> from Fast Company, who wants to ban passwords altogether (though admits it's not the best idea); <a href="https://twitter.com/modMasha?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Masha Sedova</a> of Elevate Security who says that, yes, security companies have failed us – but we have to use passwords anyway; and <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdavey?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Matt Davey</a> of <a href="https://1password.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1Password</a>, who offers a solution that Mozilla can get behind: use a password manager. A simple, game-changing tool that will help you take back control of your accounts, and secure yourself as best as you can. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a> Your passwords protect more than your accounts. They protect every bit of personal information that resides in them. And hackers rely on bad habits, like using the same password everywhere or using common phrases (p@ssw0rd, anyone?), so that if they hack one account, they can hack many. Password managers like <a href="https://1password.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1Password</a>, <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LastPass</a>, <a href="https://www.dashlane.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dashlane</a>, and <a href="https://bitwarden.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bitwarden</a> generate strong, unique passwords. They also store passwords securely and fill them into websites for you. IRL listeners can sign up to 1Password and get their first three months for free. Just visit <a href="https://1password.com/promo/IRL/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1password.com/promo/IRL</a> and give it a try. And, if you use Firefox on your iPhone, try out <a href="https://testpilot.firefox.com/experiments/firefox-lockbox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox Lockbox</a>. It securely gives you access to all the logins you've saved to Firefox, in a secure app on your phone. As we mention in this episode of IRL, Gabriela Ivens cataloged hundreds of secret recipes that were leaked during data breaches. Firefox teamed up with her to show the personal impact a security breach can have on someone. As a bonus, we let you in on those precious recipes to drive the point home. Go have a look — and be sure to try the “Exposed BBQ Spice Rub” — at <a href="https://www.dataleeks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">dataleeks.com</a>. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with <a href="https://826valencia.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">826 Valencia</a> to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Zues C. from <a href="https://demarillac.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">De Marillac Academy</a> wrote <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/12/09/manage-passwords-to-help-manage-your-life/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this piece on managing your passwords, and managing your life</a>. And, check out <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/12/09/real-world-reasons-parents-should-care-about-kids-and-online-privacy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article from Common Sense Media, on real-world reasons parents should care about kids and online privacy</a>. Three cheers for good passwords (and password managers). Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

Your Password is the Worst

TL;DR: We have access to more things to read than ever before. Too much, in fact. Our reading habits have shifted. We skim a lot. We look for full stories baked into headlines. Our eyes bounce around from one article to the next, and we try and fail to manage how many things we read at once. Some of us can no longer concentrate on a book—no matter how good it might be. Reading has changed. And we’re changing alongside it. With host Manoush Zomorodi, Derek Thompson at the Atlantic talks headlines; Ernie Smith from Tedium rails against our bad browser tab habits; librarian rock star Nancy Pearl makes the case for analog books; Beth Rogowsky discusses if audiobooks can replace reading; and Nate Weiner from Mozilla’s Pocket shows us one way we can manage our reading overload. Happy New Year —  let’s get working on that “I will read more this year” resolution. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. With so many possible articles to read every day online, it can be hard to sort through what to read and what to skip. Help yourself — give Pocket a try, the app and web service featured in today’s episode. Pocket brings you human curated articles that are selected to inspire, inform, and motivate you. Learn more. Ernie Smith's manifesto to those of us make reading promises we cannot possibly keep is here. Like his style? Sign up for his Tedium newsletter. We mention a bunch of books in this IRL episode — here they are: Solitude by Michael Harris, The End of Absence by Michael Harris, Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi, Hit Makers by Derek Thompson, Book Lust books by Nancy Pearl. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with 826 Valencia to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Cymreiy P. from De Marillac Academy wrote this piece on clickbait and homework. And, check out this article from Common Sense Media, on how to teach your children about clickbait. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

TL;DR: We have access to more things to read than ever before. Too much, in fact. Our reading habits have shifted. We skim a lot. We look for full stories baked into headlines. Our eyes bounce around from one article to the next, and we try and fail to manage how many things we read at once. Some of us can no longer concentrate on a book—no matter how good it might be. Reading has changed. And we’re changing alongside it. With host <a href="https://twitter.com/manoushz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manoush Zomorodi</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DKThomp/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Thompson</a> at the <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Atlantic</a> talks headlines; <a href="https://twitter.com/ShortFormErnie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ernie Smith</a> from <a href="https://tedium.co/author/ernie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tedium</a> rails against our bad browser tab habits; librarian rock star <a href="https://twitter.com/Nancy_Pearl/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nancy Pearl</a> makes the case for analog books; Beth Rogowsky discusses if audiobooks can replace reading; and <a href="https://twitter.com/NateWeiner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nate Weiner</a> from Mozilla’s <a href="https://getpocket.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pocket</a> shows us one way we can manage our reading overload. Happy New Year — let’s get working on that “I will read more this year” resolution. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.orgirlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. With so many possible articles to read every day online, it can be hard to sort through what to read and what to skip. Help yourself — <a href="https://getpocket.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">give Pocket a try</a>, the app and web service featured in today’s episode. Pocket brings you human curated articles that are selected to inspire, inform, and motivate you. <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/01/07/pocket-reading/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learn more</a>. Ernie Smith's manifesto to those of us make reading promises we cannot possibly keep is <a href="https://tedium.co/2018/09/11/browser-tab-management-close-tabs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Like his style? Sign up for his <a href="https://tedium.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tedium</a> newsletter. We mention a bunch of books in this IRL episode — here they are: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Solitude-Pursuit-Singular-Crowded-World/dp/1250088607/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Solitude by Michael Harris</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/End-Absence-Reclaiming-Constant-Connection/dp/1591847923/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1545316607&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=the+end+of+absence+michael+harris/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The End of Absence by Michael Harris</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bored-Brilliant-Spacing-Productive-Creative/dp/1250124956/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hit-Makers-How-Succeed-Distraction/dp/1101980338/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1545316697&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hit+makers+by+derek+thompson/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hit Makers by Derek Thompson</a>, <a href="https://www.nancypearl.com/nancy-pearl-books/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book Lust books</a> by Nancy Pearl. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with <a href="https://826valencia.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">826 Valencia</a> to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Cymreiy P. from <a href="https://demarillac.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">De Marillac Academy</a> wrote <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/01/06/read_none_about_it/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this piece on clickbait and homework</a>. And, check out <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/01/06/how-do-i-teach-my-tween-about-clickbait/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article from Common Sense Media, on how to teach your children about clickbait</a>. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

TL;DR

Some people believe that decentralization is the inevitable future of the web. They believe that internet users will start to demand more privacy and authenticity of information online and that they’ll look to decentralized platforms to get those things. But would decentralization be as utopian as advocates say it could be? Host Manoush Zomorodi  speaks to Eugen Rochko of Mastodon, an ad-free alternative to Twitter; Justin Hunter of Graphite docs, a decentralized alternative to GoogleDocs; Maria Bustillos who hopes to help eliminate fake news online through the Blockchain; David Irvine, the co-founder of MaidSafe who plans to make the centralized internet as we know it redundant; and Tom Simonite of WIRED, who comments on both the promise and also the pitfalls of decentralization. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, maker of Firefox and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org Help us dream up the next season of IRL. What topics should we cover? Who should we talk to? Let us know by filling out this survey. Try out the decentralized endeavors covered in this episode of IRL:  Mastodon Graphite Docs MaidSafe Popula  Decentralization efforts are proof that the age of internet innovation is far from over. In fact, Mozilla staff work tirelessly on decentralized web standards, which have been — and continue to be — widely adopted. Mozilla co-chaired the W3C Social Web Working Group 2014 through 2018, which produced several key decentralized social web standards. Some have dozens of implementations like Webmention (a standard for federating conversations across the decentralized web); and MicroPub (a standard API for client applications to post to decentralized web services). Check out IndieWeb.org for more on key decentralized web standards, and ‘become a citizen’ of the Indie Web. As a part of Mozilla’s dedication to decentralized innovation, Mozilla participated in the 2018 Decentralized Web Summit. See our Founder and Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker’s talk on revitalizing the web. Hear Tantek Çelik, Web Standards Lead, speak on taking back your content with practical decentralization steps; and watch Chris Riley, Head of Policy, lead a web panel on decentralization. So, are you inspired? Want to work on the decentralized web? Join Mozilla at one of these events: Feb 23-24, 2019: IndieWebCamp Austin; Mar 30-31, 2019: IndieWebCamp New Haven; May 4-5, 2019: IndieWebCamp Berlin; June 29-30, 2019: IndieWeb Summit in Portland. Questions about participating? Ask here. For more, we've teamed up with 826 Valencia to bring you articles written by students on IRL topics this season. Accompanying this IRL episode, Huy An N. from De Marillac Academy wrote about centralized social media platforms and privacy. And, see this article from Common Sense Media, on why we need more research on kids and tech (centralized and not).

Some people believe that decentralization is the inevitable future of the web. They believe that internet users will start to demand more privacy and authenticity of information online and that they’ll look to decentralized platforms to get those things. But would decentralization be as utopian as advocates say it could be? Host <a href="https://twitter.com/manoushz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manoush Zomorodi </a> speaks to Eugen Rochko of <a href="https://joinmastodon.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mastodon</a>, an ad-free alternative to Twitter; Justin Hunter of <a href="https://app.graphitedocs.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Graphite docs</a>, a decentralized alternative to GoogleDocs; <a href="https://twitter.com/mariabustillos" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maria Bustillos</a> who hopes to help eliminate fake news online through the Blockchain; <a href="https://twitter.com/metaquestions?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Irvine</a>, the co-founder of <a href="https://maidsafe.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MaidSafe</a> who plans to make the centralized internet as we know it redundant; and <a href="https://twitter.com/tsimonite/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tom Simonite</a> of <a href="https://www.wired.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WIRED</a>, who comments on both the promise and also the pitfalls of decentralization. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>, maker of <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/fights-for-you/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a> and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a> Help us dream up the next season of IRL. What topics should we cover? Who should we talk to? <a href="https://qsurvey.mozilla.com/s3/IRL-Listener-Survey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Let us know by filling out this survey</a>. Try out the decentralized endeavors covered in this episode of IRL: <ul> <li><a href="https://mastodon.social/invite/Usw6HEoB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mastodon</a></li> <li><a href="https://app.graphitedocs.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Graphite Docs</a></li> <li><a href="https://maidsafe.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MaidSafe</a></li> <li><a href="https://popula.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Popula</a></li> </ul> Decentralization efforts are proof that the age of internet innovation is far from over. In fact, Mozilla staff work tirelessly on decentralized web standards, which have been — and continue to be — widely adopted. Mozilla co-chaired the <a href="https://www.w3.org/wiki/Socialwg#Social_Web_Working_Group" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">W3C Social Web Working Group</a> 2014 through 2018, which produced several key decentralized social web standards. Some have dozens of implementations like <a href="https://indieweb.org/Webmention" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Webmention</a> (a standard for federating conversations across the decentralized web); and <a href="https://indieweb.org/Micropub" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MicroPub</a> (a standard API for client applications to post to decentralized web services). Check out <a href="https://spec.indieweb.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IndieWeb.org</a> for more on key decentralized web standards, and <a href="https://indiewebify.me/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘become a citizen’ of the Indie Web</a>. As a part of Mozilla’s dedication to decentralized innovation, Mozilla participated in the 2018 <a href="https://www.decentralizedweb.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Decentralized Web Summit</a>. See our Founder and Executive Chairwoman Mitchell Baker’s <a href="https://decentralizedweb.net/videos/talk-mitchell-baker-revitalizing-the-web/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">talk on revitalizing the web</a>. Hear Tantek Çelik, Web Standards Lead, speak on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9FSPcmybT8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">taking back your content with practical decentralization steps</a>; and watch Chris Riley, Head of Policy, lead a <a href="https://decentralizedweb.net/videos/panel-decentralizing-social-networks/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">web panel on decentralization</a>. So, are you inspired? Want to work on the decentralized web? Join Mozilla at one of these events: Feb 23-24, 2019: <a href="https://2019.indieweb.org/austin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IndieWebCamp Austin</a>; Mar 30-31, 2019: <a href="https://indieweb.org/2019/New_Haven" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IndieWebCamp New Haven</a>; May 4-5, 2019: <a href="https://indieweb.org/2019/Berlin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IndieWebCamp Berlin</a>; June 29-30, 2019: <a href="https://indieweb.org/2019" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IndieWeb Summit in Portland</a>. Questions about participating? Ask <a href="https://indieweb.org/discuss" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. For more, we've teamed up with <a href="https://826valencia.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">826 Valencia</a> to bring you articles written by students on IRL topics this season. Accompanying this IRL episode, Huy An N. from <a href="https://demarillac.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">De Marillac Academy</a> wrote about <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/02/17/how-to-make-frenemies-with-big-tech" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">centralized social media platforms and privacy</a>. And, see <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/09/10/research-on-kids-and-tech/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article from Common Sense Media</a>, on why we need more research on kids and tech (centralized and not).

Decentralize It

All the things we love on the internet — from websites that give us information to services that connect us — are made stronger when their creators come with different points of view.  With this in mind, we asked ourselves and our guests: "What would the internet look like if it was built by mostly women?" Witchsy founders Kate Dwyer and Penelope Gazin start us off with a story about the stunt they had to pull to get their site launched — and counter the sexist attitudes they fought against along the way. Brenda Darden Wilkerson recalls her life in tech in the 80s and 90s and shares her experience leading AnitaB.org, an organization striving to get more women hired in tech. Coraline Ada Ehmke created the Contributor Covenant, a voluntary code of conduct being increasingly adopted by the open source community. She explains why she felt it necessary, and how it's been received; and Mighty Networks CEO Gina Bianchini rolls her eyes at being called a "lady CEO," and tells us why diversifying the boardroom is great for business and innovation. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, maker of Firefox and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org Help us dream up the next season of IRL. What topics should we cover? Who should we talk to? Let us know by filling out this survey. Coraline Ada Ehmke has been an open source programmer for over 20 years and created the Contributor Covenant. You can also learn about Mozilla's own community participation guidelines. Meritocracy as an open source practice is briefly mentioned in this episode. Mozilla has taken steps to discontinue using the word “Meritocracy” as a way to describe our governance and leadership structures. Here's why. Mozilla is dedicated to fostering both an inclusive web and also inclusive working places. Learn more. Firefox is open source and driven by a community of volunteers and contributors. However,  in the past decade, representation of women in open source has inched up merely 1.5 percentage points to a shockingly low 3%.  Read about the importance of — and efforts to realize — open source gender inclusion. Like society, the Internet grows stronger with every new voice. What's healthy and unhealthy on the web when it comes to inclusion? Mozilla Foundation's Internet Health Report has some of the answers. And, check out this article from Common Sense Media, on kids and technology use.

All the things we love on the internet — from websites that give us information to services that connect us — are made stronger when their creators come with different points of view. With this in mind, we asked ourselves and our guests: "What would the internet look like if it was built by mostly women?" <a href="https://www.witchsy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Witchsy</a> founders Kate Dwyer and Penelope Gazin start us off with a story about the stunt they had to pull to get their site launched — and counter the sexist attitudes they fought against along the way. <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendaDardenW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brenda Darden Wilkerson</a> recalls her life in tech in the 80s and 90s and shares her experience leading <a href="https://anitab.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AnitaB.org</a>, an organization striving to get more women hired in tech. <a href="https://twitter.com/CoralineAda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coraline Ada Ehmke</a> created the <a href="https://www.contributor-covenant.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Contributor Covenant</a>, a voluntary code of conduct being increasingly adopted by the open source community. She explains why she felt it necessary, and how it's been received; and <a href="https://www.mightynetworks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mighty Networks</a> CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/ginab" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gina Bianchini</a> rolls her eyes at being called a "lady CEO," and tells us why diversifying the boardroom is great for business and innovation. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>, maker of <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/fights-for-you/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a> and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a> Help us dream up the next season of IRL. What topics should we cover? Who should we talk to? <a href="https://qsurvey.mozilla.com/s3/IRL-Listener-Survey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Let us know by filling out this survey</a>. Coraline Ada Ehmke has been an open source programmer for over 20 years and created the <a href="https://www.contributor-covenant.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Contributor Covenant</a>. You can also learn about Mozilla's own <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/governance/policies/participation/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">community participation guidelines</a>. Meritocracy as an open source practice is briefly mentioned in this episode. Mozilla has taken steps to discontinue using the word “Meritocracy” as a way to describe our governance and leadership structures. <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/inclusion/2018/10/02/words-matter-moving-beyond-meritocracy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here's why</a>. Mozilla is dedicated to fostering both an inclusive web and also inclusive working places. <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/inclusion/2018/04/19/diversity-and-inclusion-at-mozilla/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Learn more</a>. Firefox is open source and driven by a community of volunteers and contributors. However, in the past decade, representation of women in open source has inched up merely 1.5 percentage points to a shockingly low 3%. <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/03/04/open-source-inclusion/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read about the importance of — and efforts to realize — open source gender inclusion</a>. Like society, the Internet grows stronger with every new voice. What's healthy and unhealthy on the web when it comes to inclusion? Mozilla Foundation's <a href="https://internethealthreport.org/v01/digital-inclusion/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Internet Health Report</a> has some of the answers. And, check out <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/02/22/guest-perspective-will-my-child-be-left-behind-if-he-doesnt-use-technology/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article</a> from Common Sense Media, on kids and technology use.

What if Women Built the Internet?

One of the most successful recruitment tools the U.S. Army ever made was…a video game? Sometimes without even knowing it, gaming elements in technology — often designed for addiction —  are incentivizing you to think certain ways and do certain things. Join Veronica Belmont and co-pilot Ashley Carman as they explore the rise of gamification in our everyday lives, its positives and negatives, and its future. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org Ashley Carman is the co-host of the tech podcast, "Why’d You Push That Button?" Natasha Dow Schüll has written several books including Keeping Track and Addiction by Design. She uses the Freedom App to lock herself offline. Long before the Internet, games were a source of entertainment, comradery, and learning. The rise of technology-enabled games to take on video form, and gaming as we know it became popular. Big Tech now gamifies most elements of our online life. The more you know about the evolution of games and why we are all so connected to them, the more you can see how they’re used to sometimes make online experiences better and sometimes more addictive. Here's more on the games we play online, from Mozilla. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

One of the most successful recruitment tools the U.S. Army ever made was…a video game? Sometimes without even knowing it, gaming elements in technology — often designed for addiction — are incentivizing you to think certain ways and do certain things. Join <a href="https://twitter.com/Veronica" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veronica Belmont</a> and co-pilot <a href="https://twitter.com/ashleyrcarman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ashley Carman</a> as they explore the rise of gamification in our everyday lives, its positives and negatives, and its future. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a> Ashley Carman is the co-host of the tech podcast, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/whyd-you-push-that-button" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"Why’d You Push That Button?"</a> Natasha Dow Schüll has written several books including <a href="https://www.natashadowschull.org/keeping-track/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keeping Track</a> and <a href="https://www.natashadowschull.org/addiction-by-design/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Addiction by Design</a>. She uses the <a href="https://freedom.to/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Freedom App</a> to lock herself offline. Long before the Internet, games were a source of entertainment, comradery, and learning. The rise of technology-enabled games to take on video form, and gaming as we know it became popular. Big Tech now gamifies most elements of our online life. The more you know about the evolution of games and why we are all so connected to them, the more you can see how they’re used to sometimes make online experiences better and sometimes more addictive. <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/07/13/games-gaming-gamification/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here's more on the games we play online, from Mozilla</a>. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

Press Play

What, if anything, should be banned from online media? And who should review violent and explicit content, in order to decide if it’s okay for the public? Thousands of people around the world are working long, difficult hours as content moderators in support of sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. They are guided by complex and shifting guidelines, and their work can sometimes lead to psychological trauma. But the practice of content moderation also raises questions about censorship and free expression online. In this IRL episode, host Manoush Zomorodi talks with a forensic investigator who compares the work she does solving disturbing crimes with the work done by content moderators. We hear the stories of content moderators working in the Philippines, as told by the directors of a new documentary called The Cleaners. Ellen Silver from Facebook joins us to outline Facebook's content moderation policies. Kalev Leetaru flags the risks that come from relying on artificial intelligence to clean the web. And Kat Lo explains why this work is impossible to get exactly right. Some of the content in this episode is sensitive and may be difficult to hear for some listeners. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla, maker of Firefox and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. Read the New York Times article on Facebook's content moderation policies and also Facebook’s response. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with 826 Valencia to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Nicole M. from De Marillac Academy wrote this piece on inappropriate content online. And, check out this article from Common Sense Media, on disturbing YouTube videos that are supposed to be for kids. And finally, this IRL episode’s content underscores the importance of supporting companies committed to ethical tech and humane practices. Thank you for supporting Mozilla by choosing Firefox. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

What, if anything, should be banned from online media? And who should review violent and explicit content, in order to decide if it’s okay for the public? Thousands of people around the world are working long, difficult hours as content moderators in support of sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. They are guided by complex and shifting guidelines, and their work can sometimes lead to psychological trauma. But the practice of content moderation also raises questions about censorship and free expression online. In this IRL episode, host <a href="https://twitter.com/manoushz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manoush Zomorodi</a> talks with a forensic investigator who compares the work she does solving disturbing crimes with the work done by content moderators. We hear the stories of content moderators working in the Philippines, as told by the directors of a new documentary called <a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/the-cleaners/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Cleaners</a>. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/silverellen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ellen Silver</a> from Facebook joins us to outline Facebook's content moderation policies. <a href="https://www.kalevleetaru.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kalev Leetaru</a> flags the risks that come from relying on artificial intelligence to clean the web. And <a href="https://twitter.com/lawlkat?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kat Lo</a> explains why this work is impossible to get exactly right. Some of the content in this episode is sensitive and may be difficult to hear for some listeners. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>, maker of <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a> and always fighting for you. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. Read the New York Times article on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/world/facebook-moderators.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook's content moderation policies</a> and also <a href="https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/12/content-review-facts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook’s response</a>. Want more? Mozilla has teamed up with <a href="https://826valencia.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">826 Valencia</a> to bring you perspectives written by students on IRL topics this season. Nicole M. from <a href="https://demarillac.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">De Marillac Academy</a> wrote <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/01/20/inappropriate-content-on-the-internet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this piece on inappropriate content online</a>. And, check out <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2019/01/20/whats-the-deal-with-those-disturbing-youtube-videos-that-are-supposed-to-be-for-kids/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article from Common Sense Media, on disturbing YouTube videos that are supposed to be for kids</a>. And finally, this IRL episode’s content underscores the importance of supporting companies committed to ethical tech and humane practices. Thank you for supporting Mozilla by choosing <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/fights-for-you/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a>. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

The Human Costs of Content Moderation

Today’s teens are the first humans who have spent their entire lives online. Join Veronica Belmont and Manoush Zomorodi as they explore what kids are facing on the interwebs, how they’re using social media for good, how they’re handling cyberbullying, and how parents can keep up. Parkland, Florida’s Cameron Kasky discusses how he uses social media as a platform for activism; tech journalist Alexandra Samuel talks about Lil Tay and and the the role parents can play as they help their children navigate the internet; and Common Sense Media's Sierra Filucci gives us an exclusive look at data from a new study about technology's impact on our youth. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. Manoush Zomorodi is the co-host of ZigZag, a podcast about changing the course of capitalism, journalism, and women’s lives. She's also the author of Bored an Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self. Cameron Kasky is a co-founder of March For Our Lives. Use your vote. If you live in the U.S., here are are some resources to help you register. Jeff Kasky is the President of Families vs. Assault Rifles, a political action committee founded by parents of Parkland, Florida Douglas High students working to restrict access to assault rifles. For a detailed summary of Common Sense Media’s findings on technology and teens, check out this summary of their Social Media, Social Life study. Also, check out this commentary from Common Sense about supporting research on tech's impact on the health and well-being of kids. There are a number of Firefox extensions that can help parents guide their children's internet experiences, such as Parental Control: Family Friendly Filter, which blocks certain websites deemed inappropriate for kids. You can find this extension and more in our Parental Controls collection. Finally, here’s a short film by Darren Pasemko and Mozilla’s Brett Gaylor demonstrating just how much technology has come into family life. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

Today’s teens are the first humans who have spent their entire lives online. Join <a href="https://twitter.com/Veronica/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veronica Belmont</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/manoushz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manoush Zomorodi</a> as they explore what kids are facing on the interwebs, how they’re using social media for good, how they’re handling cyberbullying, and how parents can keep up. Parkland, Florida’s <a href="https://twitter.com/cameron_kasky/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cameron Kasky</a> discusses how he uses social media as a platform for activism; tech journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/awsamuel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alexandra Samuel</a> talks about Lil Tay and and the the role parents can play as they help their children navigate the internet; and <a href="https://twitter.com/CommonSense/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Common Sense Media's</a> Sierra Filucci gives us an exclusive look at data from a new study about technology's impact on our youth. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.orgirlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. Manoush Zomorodi is the co-host of <a href="https://zigzagpod.com/subscribe-to-the-podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ZigZag</a>, a podcast about changing the course of capitalism, journalism, and women’s lives. She's also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bored-Brilliant-Spacing-Productive-Creative/dp/1250124956" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bored an Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self</a>. Cameron Kasky is a co-founder of <a href="https://marchforourlives.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">March For Our Lives</a>. Use your vote. If you live in the U.S., here are are some resources to help you <a href="https://marchforourlives.com/vote-for-our-lives/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">register</a>. Jeff Kasky is the President of <a href="https://famsvarpac.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Families vs. Assault Rifles</a>, a political action committee founded by parents of Parkland, Florida Douglas High students working to restrict access to assault rifles. For a detailed summary of Common Sense Media’s findings on technology and teens, check out <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/09/10/social-media-social-lives-common-sense/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this summary of their Social Media, Social Life study</a>. Also, check out this <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/09/10/research-on-kids-and-tech/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">commentary from Common Sense about supporting research on tech's impact on the health and well-being of kids</a>. There are a number of Firefox extensions that can help parents guide their children's internet experiences, such as <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/family-friendly-filter/?src=collection" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Parental Control: Family Friendly Filter</a>, which blocks certain websites deemed inappropriate for kids. You can find this extension and more in our <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/collections/mozilla/parental-controls/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Parental Controls</a> collection. Finally, here’s a <a href="https://vimeo.com/245992513/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">short film</a> by Darren Pasemko and Mozilla’s Brett Gaylor demonstrating just how much technology has come into family life. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

Kids These Days

:'-) Ever wonder why emoticons exist? They popped up in the 1980s to make online connections feel a little less digital and a little more personal :D. In this episode of IRL, host Veronica Belmont and special guest Peter Rojas explore how the Internet is both building and also confusing our relationships every day. Chloe Stuart-Ulin gives a first-hand account of her life as a “closer” for an online-dating service; we hear a dramatic, real-life story about a woman who finds her biological parent online; and Emma Brockes talks about how we can all maintain humanity while interacting with others on the internet. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. Read more about Chloe Rose's experience as a "closer" for hire on online dating apps here. Emma Brockes writes a column for the Guardian called How to be Human Online. She's just written a book too called, An Excellent Choice: Panic and Joy on My Solo Path to Motherhood. To read Ingrid Burrington's essay mentioned in the podcast about CorrLinks, the email service providing connection for inmates at U.S. prisons, go here. Check out this article about how the internet has changed dating forever. Online dating coach Laurie Davis Edward shares her thoughts on the good, bad and ugly that comes with finding love on the web. And, for more about human connection, and what our innate desire for it means for us as we — more and more — love, do business, and find our tribes online, read this piece by cultural anthropologist Genevieve Bell. Finally, for some bonus audio on how technology interfered with a marriage proposal — and commentary on new relationship norms — head over to Mozilla's blog. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

:'-) Ever wonder why emoticons exist? They popped up in the 1980s to make online connections feel a little less digital and a little more personal :D. In this episode of IRL, host <a href="https://twitter.com/Veronica/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veronica Belmont</a> and special guest <a href="https://twitter.com/peterrojas/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter Rojas</a> explore how the Internet is both building and also confusing our relationships every day. <a href="https://twitter.com/chloerosewrites/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chloe Stuart-Ulin</a> gives a first-hand account of her life as a “closer” for an online-dating service; we hear a dramatic, real-life story about a woman who finds her biological parent online; and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/series/digital-dilemmas/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emma Brockes</a> talks about how we can all maintain humanity while interacting with others on the internet. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. Read more about Chloe Rose's experience as a "closer" for hire on online dating apps <a href="https://qz.com/1247382/online-dating-is-so-awful-that-people-are-paying-virtual-dating-assistants-to-impersonate-them/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Emma Brockes writes a column for the Guardian called <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/series/digital-dilemmas/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to be Human Online</a>. She's just written a book too called, <a href="https://emmabrockes.com/about/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">An Excellent Choice: Panic and Joy on My Solo Path to Motherhood</a>. To read Ingrid Burrington's essay mentioned in the podcast about CorrLinks, the email service providing connection for inmates at U.S. prisons, go <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/08/08/the-banality-of-prison-email/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Check out <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/08/08/how-the-web-changed-dating-forever/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article</a> about how the internet has changed dating forever. Online dating coach Laurie Davis Edward shares her thoughts on the good, bad and ugly that comes with finding love on the web. And, for more about human connection, and what our innate desire for it means for us as we — more and more — love, do business, and find our tribes online, <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/08/13/human-innate-connection-genevieve-bell/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read this piece</a> by cultural anthropologist Genevieve Bell. Finally, for some bonus audio on how technology interfered with a marriage proposal — and commentary on new relationship norms — head over to <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/08/13/online-relationships/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla's blog</a>. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

Virtual Connections

Privacy policies: most apps and websites have them, buried away somewhere. These legal documents explain how the company collects, uses, and shares your personal data. But let's be honest, few of us actually read these things, right? And that passive acceptance says a lot about our complicated relationship with online privacy. In the Season 5 premiere of IRL, host Manoush Zomorodi speaks with Charlie Warzel, writer-at-large with the New York Times, about our complicated relationship with data and privacy — and the role privacy policies play in keeping things, well, confusing. You'll also hear from Parker and Lila, two young girls who realize how gaming and personal data intersect. Rowenna Fielding, a data protection expert, walks us through the most efficient ways to understand a privacy policy. Professor Lorrie Cranor explains how these policies have warped our understanding of consent. And privacy lawyer Jenny Afia explains why "privacy" is a base element of being human. IRL is an original podcast from Firefox. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. Charlie Warzel is an Opinion writer at large for the New York Times. You can get more insights from him about privacy online when you sign up for the Times’ Privacy Project Newsletter. If you’d like to learn more about privacy policies and their impact on our youth, check out Jenny Afia’s article on tech’s exploitative relationship with our children. This IRL podcast episode referenced several privacy policies, and we encourage you to read them. To start, here’s Firefox’s privacy policy. You’ll see that Firefox’s business model is not dependent on packaging your personal info. And, we hope you’ll find that our policy is easy-to-read, fully transparent, and specific. The other privacy policies referenced in this episode include:  Google’s privacy policies Uber’s privacy policy Microsoft’s privacy policy Twitter’s privacy policy Facebook’s privacy policy

Privacy policies: most apps and websites have them, buried away somewhere. These legal documents explain how the company collects, uses, and shares your personal data. But let's be honest, few of us actually read these things, right? And that passive acceptance says a lot about our complicated relationship with online privacy. In the Season 5 premiere of IRL, host <a href="https://twitter.com/manoushz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manoush Zomorodi</a> speaks with <a href="https://twitter.com/cwarzel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Charlie Warzel</a>, writer-at-large with the New York Times, about our complicated relationship with data and privacy — and the role privacy policies play in keeping things, well, confusing. You'll also hear from Parker and Lila, two young girls who realize how gaming and personal data intersect. <a href="http://missinfogeek.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rowenna Fielding</a>, a data protection expert, walks us through the most efficient ways to understand a privacy policy. Professor <a href="http://lorrie.cranor.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lorrie Cranor</a> explains how these policies have warped our understanding of consent. And privacy lawyer <a href="https://www.schillingspartners.com/your-team/jenny-afia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jenny Afia</a> explains why "privacy" is a base element of being human. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org//firefox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="http://irlpodcast.orgirlpodcast.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. Charlie Warzel is an Opinion writer at large for the New York Times. You can get more insights from him about privacy online when you sign up for the Times’ <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/privacy-project" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Privacy Project Newsletter</a>. If you’d like to learn more about privacy policies and their impact on our youth, check out Jenny Afia’s <a href="https://www.schillingspartners.com/news-and-opinion/time-to-tackle-techs-exploitative-relationship-with-our-children" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">article on tech’s exploitative relationship with our children</a>. This IRL podcast episode referenced several privacy policies, and we encourage you to read them. To start, here’s <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/privacy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox’s privacy policy</a>. You’ll see that Firefox’s business model is not dependent on packaging your personal info. And, we hope you’ll find that our policy is easy-to-read, fully transparent, and specific. The other privacy policies referenced in this episode include: <ul> <li><a href="https://policies.google.com/privacy/archive?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google’s privacy policies</a></li> <li><a href="https://privacy.uber.com/policy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Uber’s privacy policy</a></li> <li><a href="https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Microsoft’s privacy policy</a></li> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/en/privacy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter’s privacy policy</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/policy.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook’s privacy policy</a></li></ul>

The "Privacy Policy" Policy

It’s a problem when tribalism divides us, online or in real life. Join Veronica Belmont and Franchesca Ramsey as they meet the people working to make the web — and world — friendlier places. Jhamel Robinson discusses how he used social media to organize a massive BBQ in Oakland after a racial altercation went viral; Dr. Meredith Clark sheds light on the need for social media platforms to hire members of vulnerable communities; Jon Ronson talks about snap judgements; Professor Kip Williams speaks to the effects of ostracism online and off; and recent high school graduate Natalie Hampton shares her story of surviving extreme bullying and what she's doing now to help others. IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla. For more on the series go to irlpodcast.org. Here is material on digital inclusion from Mozilla. We also recommend reading this article from Mozilla's head of Diversity &amp; Inclusion, Larissa Shapiro, on inclusive and exclusive culture. Find Franchesca Ramsey's new book Well That Escalated Quickly on her personal site, and check her out on MTV's Decoded. Jon Ronson's book, So You've Been Publicly Shamed, is available here. Follow Jon as he tries his hardest to be an expressive (but respectful) online citizen on Twitter. And, learn more about Natalie Hampton's Sit With Us app here. Leave a rating or review in Apple Podcasts so we know what you think.

It’s a problem when tribalism divides us, online or in real life. Join <a href="https://twitter.com/Veronica/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veronica Belmont</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/chescaleigh/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Franchesca Ramsey</a> as they meet the people working to make the web — and world — friendlier places. Jhamel Robinson discusses how he used social media to organize a massive BBQ in Oakland after a racial altercation went viral; <a href="https://twitter.com/meredithdclark/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dr. Meredith Clark</a> sheds light on the need for social media platforms to hire members of vulnerable communities; <a href="https://twitter.com/jonronson/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jon Ronson</a> talks about snap judgements; Professor Kip Williams speaks to the effects of ostracism online and off; and recent high school graduate Natalie Hampton shares her story of surviving extreme bullying and <a href="https://twitter.com/nobodyeatsalone/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">what she's doing now</a> to help others. IRL is an original podcast from <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mozilla</a>. For more on the series go to <a href="https://irlpodcast.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">irlpodcast.org</a>. <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/internet-health/digital-inclusion/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here is material</a> on digital inclusion from Mozilla. We also recommend reading <a href="http://blog.mozilla.org/internetcitizen/2018/08/27/inclusive-culture/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article</a> from Mozilla's head of Diversity &amp; Inclusion, Larissa Shapiro, on inclusive and exclusive culture. Find Franchesca Ramsey's new book Well That Escalated Quickly on her <a href="http://www.franchesca.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">personal site</a>, and check her out on MTV's <a href="http://www.mtv.com/shows/decoded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Decoded</a>. Jon Ronson's book, So You've Been Publicly Shamed, is available <a href="https://www.amazon.com/So-Youve-Been-Publicly-Shamed/dp/1594634017" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Follow Jon as he tries his hardest to be an expressive (but respectful) online citizen on <a href="https://twitter.com/jonronson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. And, learn more about Natalie Hampton's Sit With Us app <a href="http://www.sitwithus.io/#!/Home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Leave a rating or review in <a href="http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1247652431" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> so we know what you think.

Bullying and Bonding Online

The Best Multi-Part Documentaries, with documentaries on Obama, Federer vs Nadal, the making of Star Wars, Netflix vs Blockbuster and more. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Multi-Part Documentaries

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!