Coming soon: Peak social media

Coming soon: Peak social media

Author: Financial Times June 23, 2023 Duration: 0:57

Social media platforms have defined our experience of the internet for nearly two decades. But as host Elaine Moore, deputy editor of the FT’s Lex column, outlines in this new six-part season of Tech Tonic, there are signs of trouble. User growth at some of the biggest platforms is slowing down, privacy changes are making it harder to make money and data scandals and disinformation mean platforms have lost some of the trust of their users. Meanwhile, younger users call Instagram cringeworthy and say Facebook is for boomers, TikTok has been threatened with bans and new apps such as Clubhouse fall out of fashion as quickly as they arrive. So what does the future hold for social media? New episodes land every Tuesday, starting June 27.


Presented by Elaine Moore. Produced by Edwin Lane and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Original music by Metaphor Music. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.


We’re keen to hear more from our listeners about this show, so we're running a survey that you can find at ft.com/tectonicsurvey. It takes about 10 minutes to complete and we'd appreciate your feedback. It will take you around five minutes to complete and you'll be in with a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds!*


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From the Financial Times, FT Tech Tonic steps beyond the breathless headlines and gadget launches to explore how technology is fundamentally reshaping our lives, economies, and social structures. This isn't just a series about the latest app; it's a deep, considered examination of the forces driving the digital age and their often unintended consequences. Each episode grapples with the complex interplay between innovation and its real-world impact, drawing on the FT's global reporting expertise to provide clarity and context. You'll hear conversations that dissect the power dynamics in Silicon Valley, investigate the ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence, and explore how entrepreneurship is being redefined across different cultures. The podcast digs into the substance behind the hype, asking whether emerging technologies truly deliver on their promise to improve society or if they introduce new perils we are only beginning to understand. By weaving together threads from technology, business, and culture, the discussions offer a nuanced perspective that challenges simplistic narratives. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that connects the dots between boardroom strategies, algorithmic biases, and the everyday experiences that define our increasingly connected world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

FT Tech Tonic
Podcast Episodes
The Telegram case: Privacy vs security [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:50
What are the limits of privacy when it comes to our online lives? If authorities are investigating a crime, should they be able to access private messages sent between two individuals? In this episode of Tech Tonic, John…
The Telegram case: Pavel Durov [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:52
The FT’s Innovation editor John Thornhill and San Francisco tech correspondent Hannah Murphy have in the past both met and interviewed Pavel Durov, the secretive founder of Telegram who was arrested in France for alleged…
The trouble with deepfakes: Beyond control? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:44
Anita was scrolling on Twitter when she found someone had made deepfake porn of her, without her permission. But that was just the start of her problems; she found it was difficult and expensive to get the deepfakes take…
The trouble with deepfakes: Liar’s dividend [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:56
A new breed of AI generated fake pictures, videos and audio clips is spreading across the internet - content anyone with an internet connection can generate. And some of these deepfakes are now so convincing that even ex…
China's race to tech supremacy: New frontiers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:43
China is pushing the frontiers of scientific research, launching missions to the Moon and exploring the remotest places on Earth. It’s part of China’s grand plan to be the world leader in science and technology. But why…
China's race to tech supremacy: Chatbots & chips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:37
Since the emergence of chatbots like ChatGPT, China has made building its own advanced AI a priority. But to build AI it needs the most advanced computer chips, and the US has banned companies from selling them to China.…
China’s race to tech supremacy: Robot generation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:25
In China, you can find robots serving food in restaurants, delivering room service in hotels, and cleaning floors in office buildings. But it’s in factories where China wants robots to make the biggest difference. China’…
Introducing Untold: Power for Sale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:25
Introducing Power for Sale, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. In Untold: Power for Sale, host Valentina Pop and a team of FT correspondents from all over Europe investigate what happened in the Qatargate s…
China's race to tech supremacy: Embracing Africa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:37
In this episode, long-time FT China correspondent James Kynge travels to Lagos to hear about the success of Chinese-backed companies in Nigeria – and some of the looming concerns. We hear about Transsion, a massive Chine…
China's race to tech supremacy: Driving into Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:21
China’s BYD has become one of the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers, thanks to its low production costs. The US has slapped a 100% tariff on Chinese EV imports to protect its own sector but BYD has its sight…