Twitter returns to Nigeria

Twitter returns to Nigeria

Author: BBC World Service January 19, 2022 Duration: 46:40

After 222 days the social media platform is back up and running in Nigeria. The country suspended Twitter after it deleted a tweet by President Buhari and Nigerians have been accessing the platform via VPN, but now Twitter has agreed to the government's demands which include opening a local office, paying taxes, and being respectful of Nigerian laws. Abubakar Idris, the reporter for tech site Rest of World, joins us on the show. We are waiting on a response from Twitter.

100 years of the BBC The BBC Historian Robert Seatter joins us live to talk about some of the tech innovations that the BBC developed over the last 100 years. He’s behind these amazing websites - Objects of the BBC - BBC 100 www.bbc.co.uk/100 and even more will be revealed throughout the year. He will be discussing the first OB in 1924 (The Cello and the Nightingale), the development of the first ribbon microphone by BBC engineers (as the BBC could not afford those designed in Hollywood), the fully digitised audio archive, and many other marvels of tech innovation.

Ban on online education classes in China A few months ago, we reported on the Chinese government’s ban on online video gaming in children, where it restricted it to three hours a week. That was followed by a new set of regulations on private tutoring that has hit some of the biggest tech companies in China. While the new rules will certainly give young people more leisure, there’s a lot more to it than children’s well-being. On the show today we have science and technology journalist Yuan Ren to explain one of the biggest shakeups in Chinese education.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell with expert commentary from Bill Thompson.

Studio Manager: John Boland Producer: Ania Lichtarowicz

(Image: Pius Utomi Ekpei /AFP via Getty Images)


Every week, the team at Digital Planet from the BBC World Service takes you beyond the headlines to explore how technology is reshaping lives, cultures, and economies across the globe. This isn't just a rundown of gadget releases or corporate earnings; it's a grounded conversation about the real-world impact of our digital choices. You'll hear from engineers in Nairobi, policymakers in Brussels, and coders in São Paulo, offering a genuinely international perspective that challenges the usual Silicon Valley narrative. Each episode digs into the human stories behind the innovations, examining both the promise and the peril of our connected age. We tackle questions about ethics, accessibility, and the unintended consequences of progress, making sense of complex issues with clear, thoughtful reporting. Tune in for a nuanced and curious exploration of our technological moment, where the focus is always on the people designing, using, and living with these tools every day. This podcast provides the context you need to understand not just what's new, but what it actually means.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Digital Planet
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