Tech Won't Save Us
by Paris Marx
Latest episode
Starlink Mobile is Another Elon Musk Power Grab
Starlink Mobile is Another Elon Musk Power Grab
About this podcast
Silicon Valley wants to shape our future, but why should we let it? Every Thursday, Paris Marx is joined by a new guest to critically examine the tech industry, its big promises, and the people behind them. Tech Won’t Save Us challenges the notion that tech alone can drive our world forward by showing that separating tech from politics has consequences for us all, especially the most vulnerable. It’s not your usual tech podcast.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 370 episodes
- Starlink Mobile is Another Elon Musk Power Grab · 34 min · Episode 354Elon Musk is wants Starlink to become a wireless provider, powering mobile phones in the United States and beyond. But that would grant him even more control over our…
- Did Meta Meddle in the Brazilian Election? w/ Laís Martins · 57 min · Episode 353Lula has made history as the first candidate to win a presidential election despite losing the first round of voting, all while Meta seemed to be putting its thumb on the scale…
- Why Communities Want to Stop Flock Cameras w/ Jason Koebler · 1 h 2 min · Episode 352No one is comfortable with police surveillance in the US, which is why there’s a bipartisan backlash to Flock cameras. Jason Koebler joins Paris Marx to discuss the rise of…
- Too Much Computer: Ingrid Burrington discusses Hyperscale with Paris Marx · 1 h 0 min · Episode 351Hyperscale data centers are not an inevitable infrastructure, but a product of capitalist financialization pushing us further from a livable future. Ingrid Burrington interviews…
- Taking Data Centers to Court w/ Martha Dark · 1 h 0 min · Episode 350Data centers are being approved without proper oversight into their broader impacts, but there are organizations pushing back. Martha Dark joins Paris Marx to discuss her work at…
- Brazil’s Data Center Boom is Enabled by Renewables Firms w/ Laís Martins · 1 h 8 min · Episode 349Brazil’s renewable energy is being exploited to justify unnecessary data center construction. Laís Martins joins Paris Marx to discuss why the renewable energy sector is behind a…
- The AI Buildout is a Boon for the Fossil Fuel Industry w/ Ketan Joshi · 1 h 7 min · Episode 348Tech companies are working with the fossil fuel industry to push unnecessary data center projects while misrepresenting the climate impact — and governments are letting it all…
- Data Vampires Redux: Fighting for Control (Episode 4) · 39 min · Episode 347Paris’ new book Hyperscale: The Ambition and Excess of Big Tech’s Data Empires is coming out in October. To celebrate, we’re revisiting the series that planted the seeds for his…
- Data Vampires Redux: Sacrificing for AI (Episode 3) · 34 min · Episode 346Paris’ new book Hyperscale: The Ambition and Excess of Big Tech’s Data Empires is coming out in October. To celebrate, we’re revisiting the series that planted the seeds for his…
- Data Vampires Redux: Opposing Data Centers (Episode 2) · 36 min · Episode 345Paris’ new book Hyperscale: The Ambition and Excess of Big Tech’s Data Empires is coming out in October. To celebrate, we’re revisiting the series that planted the seeds for his…
- Data Vampires Redux: Going Hyperscale (Episode 1) · 36 min · Episode 344Paris’ new book Hyperscale: The Ambition and Excess of Big Tech’s Data Empires is coming out on October 20. To celebrate, we’re revisiting the series that planted the seeds for…
- How Mass Layoffs Changed Working in Tech w/ Clarissa Redwine & JS Tan · 60 min · Episode 343Not long ago, tech jobs were sought after for their security, benefits, wages, and the progressive values promoted by Silicon Valley companies. But now workers are barely hanging…
- Tech Fascism Has Come for American Democracy w/ Gil Durán · 1 h 4 min · Episode 342A cult of fascist ideology has gripped Silicon Valley, and the tech industrial complex is threatening US democracy. Gil Durán joins Paris Marx to discuss the radical billionaire…
- Government is Putting AI Before People and the Planet w/ Matt Haugen · 52 min · Episode 341Governments are prioritizing data centers at the expense of communities and the planet, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Matt Haugen joins Paris Marx to discuss how national…
- Shopify’s Leaders Are Pushing Right-Wing Politics in Canada w/ Rachel Gilmore · 59 min · Episode 340Canada has tech bros too, like Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke who has a new idea to link voting rights to how much income tax you paid. Rachel Gilmore joins Paris Marx to discuss how…
- How Cloud Giants Wield Their Power Against Us All w/ Cecilia Rikap · 1 h 3 min · Episode 339As Big Tech’s power continues to grow, it's more important than ever to understand how companies use their control over cloud infrastructure and services to shape more than just…
- Librarians Are Helping the Public Ditch AI w/ Hannah Cyrus & Alison Macrina · 1 h 1 min · Episode 338Librarians are working harder than ever to support their neighbourhoods — including by teaching and promoting digital literacy. Hannah Cyrus and Alison Macrina join Paris Marx to…
- Tech Refusal Has a Very Long History w/ Thomas Dekeyser · 1 h 3 min · Episode 337We are often told that resisting technological development is impossible and ‘progress’ is inevitable, but history says otherwise. Thomas Dekeyser joins Paris Marx to discuss how…
- The AI Industry Is Spending Big on the US Midterms w/ Molly White · 60 min · Episode 336Last time it was the crypto industry; now the AI industry is stepping up to join it. Molly White joins Paris Marx to discuss how the tech sector is spending big to buy influence…
- The RAM Crisis is Coming for All Your Tech w/ Chris Person · 56 min · Episode 335Public ire toward AI keeps growing as the data center boom continues to hit people’s pockets. Chris Person joins Paris Marx to discuss the soaring cost of consumer electronics…
- Data Center Opposition is Uniting Communities w/ Saul Levin · 1 h 3 min · Episode 334As tech companies race to build hyperscale data centers, communities are coming together to push back. Saul Levin joins Paris Marx to discuss how rising opposition to data center…
- Canada’s Government is Rushing AI Adoption w/ Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood · 1 h 1 min · Episode 333The Canadian government is going all in on AI, without understanding the real effects of the technology. Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood joins Paris Marx to discuss Mark Carney’s push…
- Silicon Valley Is Turning Nurses Into Gig Workers w/ Katie J. Wells · 57 min · Episode 332The Uber model is finally coming for healthcare. Katie J. Wells joins Paris Marx to discuss how much the healthcare gig apps resemble Uber’s rollout, why they aren’t being…
- The SpaceX IPO Gives Elon Musk Even More Power w/ Sean O’Kane · 1 h 3 min · Episode 331SpaceX is finally going public, and it’s bad news for anyone who wants to rein in Elon Musk. Sean O’Kane joins Paris Marx to discuss the flimsy sci-fi ideas Elon Musk is using to…
- Do Chatbots Really Belong in Schools? w/ Tom Mullaney · 55 min · Episode 330Generative AI is making its way into many parts of society, and schools are no different. Tom Mullaney joins Paris Marx to discuss how generative AI has been adopted in K-12…
- Prediction Markets Want to Financialize Everything w/ Jathan Sadowski · 1 h 1 min · Episode 329Polymarket and Kalshi are everywhere. But what are they doing to society? Jathan Sadowski joins Paris Marx to discuss the rise of prediction markets and their negative social…
- The UK Government’s AI Obsession is a Big Risk w/ Will Dunn · 59 min · Episode 328What happens when a government goes all in on AI? It creates some huge vulnerabilities. Will Dunn joins Paris Marx to dig into how the UK government is using chatbots to write…
- Muskism is the New Fordism w/ Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian · 1 h 5 min · Episode 327Paris Marx is joined by Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian to discuss their new book Muskism which explores how Elon Musk exemplifies a new economic system shaping our lives…
- Tim Cook’s Real Legacy at Apple w/ Brian Merchant · 60 min · Episode 326Paris Marx is joined by Brian Merchant to discuss Apple’s announcement that Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO, including his history and legacy, and what may be next for the…
- The Problem with "CEO Said a Thing" Journalism w/ Karl Bode · 60 min · Episode 325Paris Marx is joined by Karl Bode to discuss how tech journalists coupled with corporate interests are irresponsibly boosting the profile of tech CEOs, further damaging public…
- Cybertrucks Are a Safety Disaster w/ Dara Kerr · 54 min · Episode 324Paris Marx is joined by Dara Kerr to discuss how Elon’s decision to prioritize aesthetics over safety has created a safety crisis causing people to burn alive in their…
- Take A Break From The Feed w/ Amanda Mull · 1 h 2 min · Episode 323Paris Marx is joined by Amanda Mull to discuss the effects of constantly “monitoring the situation” through custom news, social, or live feeds, including higher rates of anxiety…
- Why Iran is Attacking Data Centers w/ Sam Biddle · 60 min · Episode 322Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss what it means for data centers to become targets in a war, and how Silicon Valley is aiding the US war against Iran. Sam Biddle is a…
- The Long History of the US War on Iran w/ Spencer Ackerman · 1 h 6 min · Episode 321Paris Marx is joined by Spencer Ackerman to discuss the US and Israeli war on Iran, including the history that led to this moment and what we might see from here. Spencer…
- Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein w/ Ed Niedermeyer · 1 h 18 min · Episode 320Paris Marx is joined by Ed Niedermeyer to discuss the years-long relationship between Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein, and how their relationship sheds light on the murky inner…
- The Left Doesn’t Hate Technology w/ Gita Jackson · 1 h 2 min · Episode 319Paris Marx is joined by Gita Jackson to discuss why the left’s hatred of AI is justified, why a different approach to technology is necessary, and how they’re reassessing their…
- Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein w/ Tim Schwab · 58 min · Episode 318Paris Marx is joined by Tim Schwab to discuss the evolving story of Bill Gates and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, as well as the issues that arise from allowing…
- The Luddite Club is For Everyone w/ Amanda Hanna-McLeer & Lucy Jackson · 55 min · Episode 317Paris Marx is joined by Amanda Hanna-McLeer and Lucy Jackson to discuss the story of The Luddite Club, from its beginnings as a high school organization to its pivot into a…
- What’s Driving the Push For Humanoid Robots w/ James Vincent · 59 min · Episode 316Paris Marx is joined by James Vincent to discuss why we’re seeing humanoid robots everywhere, the motivations to pursue an all-purpose robot, how close we are to achieving that…
- The Green Transition Needs So Much Mining w/ Thea Riofrancos · 1 h 1 min · Episode 315Paris Marx is joined by Thea Riofrancos to discuss the global struggle to move away from fossil fuels and the future of the green transition, including the limitations of…
- Netflix Buying Warner Would Be a Disaster w/ AS Hamrah · 55 min · Episode 314Paris Marx is joined by AS Hamrah to discuss the proposed Netflix-Warner Bros Discovery merger and what it might mean for the state of decline already facing modern cinema. AS…
- Elon Musk Profits Off Non-Consensual Deepfakes w/ Kat Tenbarge · 1 h 6 min · Episode 313Paris Marx is joined by Kat Tenbarge to discuss the explosion of abusive deepfakes on X, including how Elon Musk is profiting from the sexual exploitation of women and children…
- Bring Back Meddling With Tech Hardware w/ Chris Person · 58 min · Episode 312Paris Marx is joined by Chris Person to discuss the state of hardware and manufacturing in the tech industry, ways to hack your stuff, options to undermine Microsoft’s software…
- Reimagining Our Relationship with Digital Tech w/ Paris Marx · 49 min · Episode 311Paris Marx marks the beginning of 2026 by discussing some of the big themes that will be moving the conversations he’ll be having this year, particularly digital sovereignty and…
- We All Suffer from OpenAI’s Pursuit of Scale w/ Karen Hao [Replay] · 54 min · Episode 310Paris Marx is joined by Karen Hao to discuss how Sam Altman’s goal of scale at all costs has spawned a new empire founded on exploitation of people and the environment, resulting…
- How Spotify Remade the Music Industry w/ Liz Pelly [Replay] · 1 h 6 min · Episode 309Paris Marx is joined by Liz Pelly to discuss how Spotify changes how we listen to music and the broader impacts it has on the wider music industry. This episode previously aired…
- The Year in Tech w/ Jathan Sadowski & Brian Merchant · 1 h 28 min · Episode 308Paris Marx is joined by Jathan Sadowski and Brian Merchant to reflect on the year in tech, discuss the worst people in Silicon Valley, and share what they’ll be keeping an eye on…
- How Effective is Australia’s Social Media Age Limit? w/ Cam Wilson · 59 min · Episode 307Paris Marx is joined by Cam Wilson to discuss the new social media age limit in Australia, including how successful the rollout has been so far and the missed opportunities of…
- Europe’s Subservience to the United States w/ Ben Wray · 59 min · Episode 306Paris Marx is joined by Ben Wray to discuss the Europe’s capitulation to pressure from the United States on Nexperia, as well as on digital protections and labor rights that…
- Europe is Gutting Its Tech Regulations w/ Aline Blankertz · 57 min · Episode 305Paris Marx is joined by Aline Blankertz to discuss how right-wing governments and international corporations in the European Union are pushing to gut tech regulations with the…
