From its spot within one of the country’s technology hubs, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts watched as the world grew increasingly reliant on algorithms and artificial intelligence — technologies known to pose a risk to equality and personal freedoms.
In response to these trends, the Mass. ACLU has launched Freedom Unfinished, a new podcast series to discuss the impact of emerging technologies, such as AI and biometric surveillance, on civil liberties.
The four-part podcast is hosted by Carol Rose, executive director of the state’s ACLU chapter, and Kade Crockford, director of its Technology for Liberty program. The initiative aims to ensure new technologies maintain the right to free expression, association and privacy.
The first three episodes of Freedom Unfinished are now available. The remaining episode is set to drop in two weeks.
In the first podcast episode, Rose and Crockford discuss the private sector data economy. The second episode, which is available today, focuses on the rise of the surveillance state and the private-public surveillance partnership. Guests include Just Futures Law executive director Paromita Shah, privacy and technology attorney and professor Woodrow Hartzog, and Senator Ed Markey.
The two final episodes on the podcast will look at algorithmic injustice and racism in the technology sector and the dangers of utilitarianism and innovation shrouded in secrecy.
Rose recently sat down with BostInno to discuss the impetus for launching this podcast, how you can (and cannot) secure your personal data, oversight in the tech industry and more.
Watch the video above for the full conversation.
