About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of the Kids Online Safety Act and the potential changes to internet access and privacy.
What happens when the tools built to protect children risk exposing everyone else, and who should decide which parts of the internet are “safe” enough to access without showing ID? As lawmakers in the US push forward with the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a much bigger battle over the future shape of the internet is coming into view. At the heart of the debate is age verification, a measure designed to protect children from pornography and harmful content, but one that could force all of us to prove who we are every time we go online. Digital‑rights advocates warn that tying government‑issued ID to everyday browsing could usher in unprecedented levels of state and corporate surveillance, fundamentally altering how the internet works and how we behave on it.  Also this week: as Meta said subcontracted workers might sometimes review content, including films and images, captured by its AI smart glasses for the purpose of improving the "experience", we ask, who can see what you can see, and do you want them seeing it? And we untangle the mystery of the unlikely resurgence of wired headphones - from security concerns to cultural nostalgia. And, crucially, we ask which sound best…
People in this episode
Hosts: Thomas Germain, Karen Hao, Nicky Woolf
Topics covered
- internet safety
- age verification
- digital rights
- surveillance
- technology impact
Keywords
- internet
- age verification
- KOSA
- surveillance
- Meta
- wired headphones
- digital rights
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Meta, Kids Online Safety Act
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