S3 Ep5: Nick Couldry | LSE

Today, I am very honoured to be joined by a special guest. Nick
Couldry. He is Professor of Media, Communications and Social
Theory in the Department of Media and Communications at the
London School of Economics and Political Science.
His work has been highly influential, I remember his work with
Prof. Hepp on the mediated construction of reality was immensely
eye-opening for me personally and for the past 10 years,
Prof.  Couldry increasingly focused on the implications of
Big Data when it comes to questions regarding social and
political order as well as power relations.

Some Key Takeaways:


Professor Nick Couldry discusses similarities between data
colonialism to historical colonialism by highlighting that our
personal data is exploited (by Big Tech) similarly to how
colonial powers exploited new lands.

Data that is extracted from us, can be used against us, will
be used to judge us, will be used to categorize us.

Almost every aspect of human life is being datafied and
therefore open to business opportunities. This leads to
asymmetrical power relations that we collectively need to
question.

Generative AI can, if we let it, redefine what knowledge
actually means, who our experts are and who has access to that
knowledge. 

We need to be careful of "civilizing narratives" that
basically justify data extractions.

We talk about methods of resistance, e.g. exposing biases in
AI, collective approaches like getting off of social media to
talk, etc.

entrepreneurs and students (and everyone else too) need to
critically reexamine their use of AI and data technologies
because WE can redesign our society. 




Further Links: 


Interview with Nick Couldry, conducted by Thomas Bächle

Data Grab: The New Colonialism of Big Tech and How to Fight
It 

The Cost of Connection

The Mediated Construction of Reality



Welcome to the international edition of my podcast Rath Up. I am
your host Linda Rath and I interview entrepreneurs who I admire
and look up to. I want to know more about their business AND ….
What drives them? What inspires them? I believe you need so much
more than just talent and skills to be successful in business.
So, let’s find out what secrets our entrepreneurs will reveal to
us. 
If you have any questions or want to share some thoughts, feel
free to contact me via Twitter @Lynda420. I am your host Linda
Rath and I am looking forward to connecting with you in my next
episode.

This episode is brought to you by Media Tech Hub Potsdam. It is
one of 12 digital hubs in Germany, initiated by the Federal
Ministry of Economics and Energy – and the only one with a focus
on MediaTech. it encompasses a working space, an accelerator and
an annual conference and i highly recommend you check it out if
you want to start a business and look for networking
opportunities. I am an entrepreneur myself and our startup
Vragments used to be located at the media tech lab in
Potsdam.

Credits:


Music/Jingles by Mara Niese

Produced by Linda Rath

Photo kindly provided by Nick Couldry

Photo Linda Rath by Stefan Walter for Causalux Fotos 

Podcast Cover by Nicole Koppe