Fascinated by how technological advancement will shape the future, and the social, ethical and economic challenges humanity will face
Our next event is Thursday 15th April at 8pm BST live on youtube, with Dr Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey. He is on a mission to make all our workplaces more diverse and inclusive.
Don’t forget to get your pen and paper ready for substance over superficial advice. You can find more by listening or watching his weekly information rich podcasts.
This month, the Manchester Futurists welcomed Solana Larsen from Mozilla to talk to us about the 2020 Internet Health Report. Solana is responsible for the report and each year uncovers some of the most interesting research around the topic of internet health.
Defining internet health is difficult to do but the report covers a broad range of issues from diversity in tech to internet blackouts and the power structures we don’t always see when we log on. In this talk, Solana discussed the various approaches we could take to the health of the internet and highlights some of the biggest issues we face today.
As ever, the talk is made available immediately after the YouTube Live event and you can catch-up with it here:
And if you are still hungry for more, here are the links to the Mozilla Festival and the International Health Report itself.
Our next YouTube Live event will be on March18th. This time, we will be discussing Human Values with Lianne Kerlin, a Senior Research Scientist at the BBC. Her work is focused on what people consider to be important and valuable in their lives, taking in ideas such as “connecting with others” and “exploring the world”. While this research began as a look at digital wellbeing, it has quickly expanded to encompass long-term planning and how understanding these values can offer an opportunity to deliver real positive impact to everyone.
You can find the event on Facebook here
And you can take a look at our YouTube Channel here
Don’t forget to give us a like and subscribe!
Last week, the Manchester Futurists welcomed Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan, a reader in Nanomaterials at Manchester University, to present at our very first YouTube Live event. In his talk, Aravind covered a quick history of how graphene was theorized and developed and even let us in on the secret of how to make it at home (hint: you need a pencil and some sellotape!).
It was fascinating to discover just how diverse graphene is as a material. Not only is it super-strong and super-thin, lending it to material coatings, it is also a great conductor and is even showing promise in trainer development! The future of graphene is certainly an exciting field of research.
But if you missed the talk, don’t worry! You can see the whole live event here:
Our next event will be held on our YouTube channel on February 18th 2021 at 8pm. This time, we are welcoming Solana Larson, editor of the Mozilla Internet Health Report to ask a question that couldn’t be more relevant for our time: Is the Internet Healthy?
You can find the event on Facebook here
And you can take a look at our YouTube Channel here
Don’t forget to give us a like and subscribe!
There is no denying the impact social media has had – and continues to have – on our lives. It has affected the way we interact with each other, the way we build our networks and even the products and services advertised to us. But while social media has some incredible positives, there are also significant disadvantages to current systems that must be addressed.
While we may never create the perfect social media site, looking at the compromises that companies make in more detail is essential. For example, there is a tension between moderating posts and users being able to express themselves in any way they like. On the one hand, over-moderating could stifle valuable free speech but on the other, complete freedom often leads to more extreme posts and content.
In this podcast, Derek Caelin joins Caroline, Ahmed and Ian to discuss his work in civic technology, particularly his interest in creating and using decentralised social media networks. Derek is currently working as a Project Manager for Tech Matters but he learned the value of tech for good early on in his career. While working with Peach Tech Lab, associated with the US Institute for Peace, his role was to put on workshops in conflict zones, particularly focusing on transparency and accountability.
Using a host of interesting examples, Derek guides our group through a few decentralised sites that are doing well, exposes a few growing pains and considers what the future might look like for those sites. And, finally, he gives his elevator pitch for why we should all join him on these decentralised platforms.
Listen to our podcast here: archive.org | direct mp3
Decentralized Social Networks vs. The Trolls: Peertube | Youtube
In many ways, the marketing industry has remained exactly the same for generations. Someone has a product they want to sell, someone else has a need they require help with and a marketer introduces the two parties so they can do business. Of course, over the years, technology has affected the route these connections take. The internet can now connect people with mutual interests instantaneously, influencers lend their social prowess to businesses hoping to reach new audiences and online communities are increasingly targeted.
Here to discuss the development of marketing so far is the esteemed author of The Whuffie Factor, Tara Hunt. Tara became interested in marketing from a young age, being one of the first people to identify the potential the internet has for the industry. Though her book is now perhaps a little idealistic, her ideas of personal connection and a genuine desire to match people with the services and products they need remain influential.
In this podcast Georgia and Ian ask Tara about her career in marketing so far, how she is building a community of ethical marketers to share expertise, and where the future of marketing may take us.
Listen the the podcast here: Mpeg3 download
Topics
How you got started
How about The Cluetrain manifesto
The startup in San Francisco (Citizen Agency)
Reading list
The Whuffie factor by Tara Hunt
The Cluetrain manifesto
Sites to visit
Manchester Futurists 