AI is advancing at lightning speed—so fast that questions of ownership and data use often get left behind. What control do we really have over our data in these massive language models? And how can we rethink governance for AI?
On this episode of Looks Like New, MEDLab fellow Andy DiLallo speaks with Berlin-based artist, musician, and technologist Mat Dryhurst. Known for his work on collective ownership and digital governance. We hear how DIY music culture shaped Mat’s approach to technology, the importance of transparency in AI, and the role institutions can play in building ethical, trustworthy AI frameworks.
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Is anything new in influencer marketing?
It’s easy to look at today’s pop culture and advertising and feel nostalgic for earlier generations—but were those eras really so different? What trends have remained consistent throughout our history?
In this month’s episode of Looks Like New, hosted by MEDlab’s associate director Júlia Martins Rodrigues, we hear from Art Bamford, Ph.D., lecturer in Media Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, a fellow at the Center for Media, Religion, and Culture, and co-author of Every Parent's Guide to Navigating Our Digital World.
Art Bamford is currently researching the influence of Protestant revivalism on modern American advertising and public relations. In this episode, he shares fascinating insights into the historical relationship between celebrity, advertising, and scandal—and how these forces have shaped enduring trends in pop culture.
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Are our health apps negatively impacting us?
In the digital age, it's hard to resist free conveniences—but are they really free? So much of our data is constantly being bought and sold without our knowledge, making it crucial to find safe alternatives to keep our private information truly private.
On this month's episode of Looks Like New, hosted by MEDlab fellow Stephanie Abdalla, Anna Muller joins us all the way from Brazil to discuss the importance of data control, especially for individuals with uteruses.
Anna Muller brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation. She is a biomedical specialist in neuroscience and behavior, a health instructor focused on fertility, perception, and hormonal health, as well as a speaker and content producer specializing in menstrual education. Together, Stephanie Abdalla and Anna Muller dive into the world of fertility tracking apps, the risks and realities of data control, and possible safer alternatives—drawing from history, academic discourse, and personal insight.
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How is open-source software like magic?
Writing code can be like casting a spell: magic words, written in a special language, bring new worlds into existence. But spells can have consequences. Who is responsible for how technology impacts society? This month on Looks Like New, MEDlab research fellow Adina Glickstein talked to Coraline Ada Ehmke. Who is dedicated to helping technologists make sense of – and take accountability for – the ethical implications of their work.
Ehmke developed the Contributor Covenant, a code of conduct that is widely used across digital communities, as well as the Hippocratic License, a software license designed to protect human rights. She previously appeared on Looks Like New to explore why software development communities need ethical standards. This month, Ehmke returns to Looks Like New to talk about her work as a tech ethicist, experimental musician, and occult practitioner. As the Executive Director of the Organization for Ethical Source, Ehmke considers software’s real-world impacts and works to promote the fundamental rights and well-being of diverse communities affected by technology.
Ehmke’s writing appeared in the MEDLab publication “Change is in the Cards,” a zine that explores open-source governance through the lens of tarot. The zine is freely available for download here
Curious to hear more about Ehmke’s work as a tech ethicist? Listen to her previous appearance on Looks Like New here
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What if social media were under our control?
Political discourse around social media has become increasingly significant, particularly during the recent presidential transition. Debates about TikTok’s viability, new censorship policies on Meta platforms, and the ongoing turbulence on X underscore the growing importance of decentralized media development.
On this month's episode of Looks Like New, we're bringing you a conversation between guest mentors from MEDlab's Open Social Incubator, where community organizers from all over the world come together to explore alternatives to dominant corporate platforms. These innovators prioritize community building, safety features, and governance structures in their designs. The discussion featured Rudy Fraser, founder of BlackSky on Bluesky; Evan Henshaw-Plath also known as Rabble, a former Twitter developer now working on Nostr; and Christine Lemmer-Webber, a leading author of the ActivityPub protocol, software developer, and Executive Director of the Spritely Institute.
These speakers, alongside audience questions, shared insights into the challenges and opportunities of creating open social software. They explored ways to prevent the re-centralization of power and ensure the protection of marginalized users.
Looks Like New is the podcast that asks old questions about new technology. Each month, we speak with someone who works with technology in ways that challenge conventional narratives and dominant power structures. The name comes from the phrase “a philosophy so old that it looks like new,” repeated throughout the works of Peter Maurin, the French-American agrarian poet.
Looks Like New is a production of the Media Enterprise Design Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder. It airs on the fourth Thursday of every month on KGNU radio at 6 p.m., or online as a podcast at lookslikenew.net.
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