Download This Show

Download This Show is your weekly guide to the world of media, culture, and technology. From social media to gadgets, streaming services to privacy issues. Each week Rae Johnston and guests take a fun, deep dive into how technology is reshaping our lives.

Episodes

We've got tonnes of space waste orbiting our Earth, is there a way to clean up our act?

October 10, 2025 • 30 mins

There are over 170 million pieces of space junk orbiting Earth right now, and that number is only growing as space orbit becomes more accessible. How are we going to deal with this astronomical littering problem, while keeping up with our satellite-hungry tech needs? Also, an increase in light and radio pollution is making it harder for astronomers to study the stars. How can space tech companies, governments, and even you do somet...

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If 'simulated gambling' is banned in kids games, why are we still seeing Loot Boxes everywhere?

October 3, 2025 • 29 mins

You step up to a box full of prizes, and knowing that there is a chance you may not win anything, you give it your real-life money anyway. No, this isn't a game at the casino, it's a video game that children as young as four are playing in their spare time. Last year, Australia introduced classification to prevent things like this from happening, so why are we still seeing Loot Boxes show up in kids games? Also, one of the largest ...

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Is it true that AI is going to add $60 billion to Australia's economy?

September 26, 2025 • 29 mins

The Australian Finance Industry Association has modelled AI's contribution to economic growth in the years ahead. It found that "scaling", or expanding, the use of AI could add up to $60 billion to GDP over the next decade. But who is actually going to benefit from this, and where are we getting these numbers from? Also, we explain the blossoming $100 billion bromance between Nvidia and OpenAI, and how Gen Z elected their new PM vi...

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How fanfiction took over the world (and stayed free)

September 19, 2025 • 30 mins

Fanfiction has gone from photocopied zines traded at conventions to millions of stories shared online. From smut-filled Harry Potter ships to the fic that birthed Fifty Shades of Grey, we explore fanfiction's growth, its influence on writing and culture, and how Archive of Our Own has stayed free and fan-run in an internet that charges for almost everything. GUESTS: Danielle Binks, fanfiction (and regular fiction) writer, literary...

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How did an Australian team make the biggest video game in the world today?

September 12, 2025 • 30 mins

This week, an Australian video game called Hollow Knight: Silksong is the biggest video game in the world. It’s made by a small team out of Adelaide and has already sold millions of copies worldwide. What could this mean for our quietly successful games industry here in Australia? And why do we still have so much trouble seeing video games as a form of art? Also, new research is out that says up to a third of all women playing vid...

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Why is Australia spending a billion dollars on a quantum computer that doesn't exist yet?

September 5, 2025 • 29 mins

2025 is the 'International Year of Quantum Science and Technology', but what actually is quantum science? IBM and AMD are teaming up to champion 'quantum-centric supercomputing' – but what's the difference between a supercomputer and a regular computer? Will we ever see a supercomputer show up in our own homes? And why is Australia making a billion-dollar bet on a quantum computing facility in Brisbane? Plus, how and why did scien...

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Wimbledon broke 148 years of tradition to replace 300 line judges with AI -- will it be worth it?

August 29, 2025 • 30 mins

How much is human adjudication in sport worth, and how much more accurate is Wimbledon's new system? Plus, the CSIRO and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) have joined forces to research how AI can be used ethically and efficiently in sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How do you protect yourself against AI voice scams?

August 22, 2025 • 30 mins

When 1 in 5 people have been the victim of cybercrime and AI voice scams are on the rise, how do we protect ourselves online? Plus Google may soon be the default browser on Android phones in Australia and say 'hello!' to your new best friend, with new AI-powered kids toys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How will ICE's deportation teams use iris scanning technology?

August 15, 2025 • 30 mins

America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a notice they intend to purchase an iris scanning technology that can identify "suspects and inmates who try to hide their identity". Unsurprisingly, it’s raised some red flags. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Would Cyberbrothel be more ethical than a traditional brothel?

August 8, 2025 • 30 mins

A sex doll brothel in Berlin is offering a combination of new VR and AI technologies in their plastic playmates. But the Cyberbrothel business falls outside traditional brothel regulations, raising questions how consent, sex work, and tech intersect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Is Snapchat’s My AI a safe space or a slippery slope for teens?

August 1, 2025 • 30 mins

Snapchat’s AI chatbot, My AI, is raising concerns among teens and parents — with questions about how it's used, what it says, and whether the platform is doing enough to keep young users safe. While there are parental controls available through Snapchat’s Family Centre, many parents may not know they can restrict access to the bot altogether. So, is this feature really as risky as it sounds? Also, major automakers are cancelling th...

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ID, please? China’s new internet rules and what they could mean for us

July 25, 2025 • 30 mins

Big Brother is getting new powers in China with a digital ID system eerily similar to that being proposed in the upcoming teen social media ban. What are the privacy risks involved in needing your government ID to use any old website on the internet? And could this tech be seen in Australia anytime soon? Teachers have been struggling to manage student use of generative AI for years, but maybe its time teachers were taught how to us...

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How do we tell what's real and what's not, when the internet is flooded with AI slop?

July 18, 2025 • 29 mins

Do you think you can tell the difference between what's real and what's made by AI? What about writing? Or even music? More AI-generated content is making its way into what we hear, read, and write and it's getting harder and harder to tell the difference. And when we can't tell who's making the things we consume, we can't tell their intentions behind it either. This is true when AI is causing more Australian job losses, and when t...

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With 9,000 new layoffs at Microsoft, is AI set to change the gaming industry forever?

July 11, 2025 • 29 mins

In recent years, like many other big technology firms, Microsoft has refocused its business towards developing AI, and this week the firm has announced it's slashing 9,000 jobs. A large chunk of these jobs are coming from its Xbox video gaming unit, with successful and longstanding titles like Elder Scrolls and Forza Motorport in the firing line. Why is Microsoft choosing AI over people? And what difference will this make for playe...

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An expert has quit over the government's planned social media ban, what now?

July 4, 2025 • 29 mins

This week on Download This Show, we're getting up to speed with what on Earth is going on with the teen social media ban. From new standards being announced to experts quitting in protest -- it's proving to be a busy time for the people making decisions about what our teens get to see online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How are online tools being used to resist fascism across the globe?

June 27, 2025 • 36 mins

The apps and online tools that are being used in international political action, Tesla drama and the future of autonomous vehicles, what's going on with AI search engine overviews, and the story behind 40,000 cameras being exposed to the internet. This week on Download This Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Could a new copyright lawsuit from Disney change the way we use AI?

June 20, 2025 • 29 mins

A lawsuit from the house of mouse, Apple being forced to let you download apps outside the app store, a huge hole in Gmail's data security, plus a world where generative AI is doing critical computer coding. This week on Download This Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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'Imperial Kitten' vs 'Fancy Bear': how are kooky hacker nicknames causing serious concerns for cybersecurity?

June 13, 2025 • 29 mins

Why do hackers have weird and wacky non-serious names? And why are British politicians blaming Apple and Google for the rise in phone thefts? Plus, there have been breakthroughs in the world of brain implants, and we break down how and when to use a VPN. This week on Download This Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The human-AI conversation crisis: why we're choosing chatbots over people

June 6, 2025 • 29 mins

In a special AI deep-dive episode of Download This Show, researchers Sandra Peter and Kai Remer break down how AI chatbots are changing the way humans behave, and why we now want to talk to chatbots more than we want to talk to people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Could AI be the 'person' deciding whether or not you get your dream job?

May 30, 2025 • 29 mins

AI interviewing you for a job, hackable digital drivers licences, dating app safety, and CIA-run Star Wars websites. This week on Download This Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}We've got tonnes of space waste orbiting our Earth, is there a way to clean up our act?

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}If 'simulated gambling' is banned in kids games, why are we still seeing Loot Boxes everywhere?

Is it true that AI is going to add $60 billion to Australia's economy?

How fanfiction took over the world (and stayed free)

How did an Australian team make the biggest video game in the world today?

Why is Australia spending a billion dollars on a quantum computer that doesn't exist yet?

Wimbledon broke 148 years of tradition to replace 300 line judges with AI -- will it be worth it?

How do you protect yourself against AI voice scams?

How will ICE's deportation teams use iris scanning technology?

Would Cyberbrothel be more ethical than a traditional brothel?

Is Snapchat’s My AI a safe space or a slippery slope for teens?

ID, please? China’s new internet rules and what they could mean for us

How do we tell what's real and what's not, when the internet is flooded with AI slop?

With 9,000 new layoffs at Microsoft, is AI set to change the gaming industry forever?

An expert has quit over the government's planned social media ban, what now?

How are online tools being used to resist fascism across the globe?

Could a new copyright lawsuit from Disney change the way we use AI?

'Imperial Kitten' vs 'Fancy Bear': how are kooky hacker nicknames causing serious concerns for cybersecurity?

The human-AI conversation crisis: why we're choosing chatbots over people

Could AI be the 'person' deciding whether or not you get your dream job?

Popular Podcasts

We've got tonnes of space waste orbiting our Earth, is there a way to clean up our act?

If 'simulated gambling' is banned in kids games, why are we still seeing Loot Boxes everywhere?