Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast

Ania Lichtarowicz
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast - Tech That Actually Matters If you’re tired of hype, gadgets-for-gadget’s-sake, and the same recycled tech headlines, welcome to Somewhere on Earth (SOEP) - the weekly global tech podcast that digs way deeper. Made by and hosted by the ex-BBC World Service Digital Planet team (yes, the award-winning crew behind 21+ years of world-leading tech journalism and 1.5M annual downloads), SOEP uncovers the untold stories shaping our digital world. This isn’t a show about the latest shiny toy. It’s about technology that changes lives, cultures, and global societies. Each episode explores: ⚡ The real-world impact of emerging tech 🌍 New innovations driving social good 🔍 Under-the-radar digital trends you should be paying attention to 🧠 How tech is reshaping communities, culture, and the way we live 📰 The technology behind the week’s biggest world stories - explained simply Our mission? To build a tech-for-good ecosystem where new ideas, powerful insights, and meaningful innovation can grow. If you want smart, globally minded tech storytelling from journalists who’ve been doing this longer (and better) than almost anyone else - SOEP is your new must-listen podcast. 🌎 Somewhere on Earth: Where tech meets humanity.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

  1. 13h ago

    AI, Visas and Border Control: Can Artificial Intelligence Decide Who Gets Through

    AI Is Changing How Visas and Borders Work AI is increasingly being used in consular services to check documents, detect patterns, flag potential fraud and help process huge numbers of visa applications. But when an algorithm influences what a human officer sees, where does human judgement end and machine influence begin? We speak to the authors of AI Use Cases for Consular Affairs Don Kilburg and Virginia Blaser about the opportunities and risks of using AI in decisions that can determine who gets to cross a border. Can AI Make Social Care Research Better? We also explore NarrativeVoice, a new project using AI to capture the experiences of care-experienced young adults and turn them into evidence for policymakers. Could technology help researchers analyse more voices, identify patterns and bring improvements to social care systems faster? Or could AI introduce new biases and lose the human context behind people's stories? Associate Professor Oras Al Hassani leads the project at Ravensbourne University in London and is on the show. The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

  2. Sep 29

    We’re Throwing Away the Technology Keeping Us Healthy: The Hidden Crisis of Healthcare E-Waste

    Medical Devices, Critical Materials and the Race to Build Circular Devices Digital healthcare is producing a fast-growing mountain of electronic waste. Glucose monitors, wearable sensors and medical devices can contain lithium, copper, gold and rare earth elements, yet many are discarded or incinerated rather than repaired, reused or recycled. The DiCE project has spent four years investigating how to keep these devices, components and materials in circulation for longer, without compromising patient safety.  Can Healthcare Cut Carbon Without Becoming Less Resilient? Healthcare faces another huge challenge: reducing emissions while dealing with climate change, extreme weather, energy insecurity and fragile supply chains. We explore a new blueprint for future-proofing healthcare, and ask how technology, smarter systems and changes to infrastructure could make healthcare both lower-carbon and more resilient. The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

  3. Sep 22

    When Your Data Becomes a Weapon: Myanmar and Customer Privacy

    Myanmar, Customer Data and Human RightsAfter Myanmar’s military coup in 2021, authorities demanded access to sensitive customer information held by a major Norwegian telecommunications company. Data linked to customers suspected of opposing the military was handed over, according to allegations in a new civil case. Now, more than 1,200 customers are part of a legal action in Norway seeking damages over the sharing of their data. A Norwegian court has ruled that the case can proceed as an opt-out class action. We examine what happened, what the lawsuit alleges, and the wider question of whether technology companies have a responsibility to protect customer data when operating under authoritarian regimes.Could Yeast Build Houses on Mars?Then we leave Earth for Mars, where future astronauts will face an extraordinary problem: how do you build a home when resources are scarce, temperatures are extreme and the atmosphere is just a fraction of Earth's? We explore how yeast could potentially be used to create building materials for future Martian habitats and whether biology could provide a way for humans to manufacture what they need to survive on another planet.The Programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.Production Manager: Liz TuohyEditor: Ania Lichtarowicz Subscribe and listen to the ad-free PodExtra version here: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/Fancy buying us a coffee? You can do that here: https://buymeacoffee.com/somewhereonearthSomewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.🎥 Learn more about what we do: ➡️ Website: http://www.anialichtarowicz.com📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co 📱 Follow us on socials:➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en) ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)➡️LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast) If you like our show please rate and review us. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

    When Your Data Becomes a Weapon: Myanmar and Customer Privacy

  4. Sep 15

    AI Is Getting More Powerful. Can We Regulate It Before It’s Too Late?

    The future of AI, self-improving systems, cybersecurity, AI for Good and the fight for global AI regulationHow powerful can artificial intelligence become — and can governments, industry and international organisations keep pace? We examine the rapid development of generative, autonomous and agentic AI, the cybersecurity risks that come with increasingly powerful systems, how AI can be used for good around the world, and whether global standards and regulation can provide meaningful guardrails without stopping innovation.The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz with David Girvin, Bilel Jamoussi and Louise Humpington.Production Manager: Liz TuohyEditor: Ania Lichtarowicz Subscribe and listen to the ad-free PodExtra version here: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/Fancy buying us a coffee? You can do that here: https://buymeacoffee.com/somewhereonearthSomewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.🎥 Learn more about what we do: ➡️ Website: http://www.anialichtarowicz.com📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co 📱 Follow us on socials:➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en) ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)➡️LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast) If you like our show please rate and review us. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

    AI Is Getting More Powerful. Can We Regulate It Before It’s Too Late?

  5. Sep 8

    Internet Shutdowns: 10 Years of Fighting to Keep the World Connected

    10 Years of #KeepItOn: Documenting the Global Fight Against Internet ShutdownsFor a decade, Access Now’s #KeepItOn campaign has been documenting and fighting government-led internet shutdowns around the world. We look at why governments keep cutting people off, the impact on communities, elections and human rights, and what ten years of monitoring and campaigning has taught us. With shutdowns still increasing, has the fight to keep the internet on become more important than ever?Lawyer less Contracts: When AI Starts Making Our Legal DealsAI is changing the way contracts are created — but what happens when it moves beyond writing them and starts negotiating them too? We explore the rise of “lawyerless contracting”, asking whether AI could make legal agreements cheaper and more accessible, or whether we're handing machines — and the companies behind them — too much power over our legal lives.The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.Production Manager: Liz TuohyEditor: Ania Lichtarowicz Subscribe and listen to the ad-free PodExtra version here:https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/Fancy buying us a coffee? You can do that here:https://buymeacoffee.com/somewhereonearthSomewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.🎥 Learn more about what we do: ➡️ Website: http://www.anialichtarowicz.com📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co 📱 Follow us on socials:➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en) ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)➡️LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast) If you like our show please rate and review us. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

    Internet Shutdowns: 10 Years of Fighting to Keep the World Connected

  6. Sep 1

    AI Medical Devices: Are We Using Them Before We Know They Work?

    AI in Healthcare: 1,357 Medical Devices Cleared — Only 3 Tested on PatientsA new PLOS Digital Health study reveals a huge gap between AI medical devices being cleared for use and evidence that they actually improve patient outcomes. We look at what FDA clearance really means, who is being left out of clinical trials, and why countries such as Uganda could face particular risks.Apple Spyware: What Your Threat Notification Really Tells YouAn Apple spyware warning can be frightening but it doesn't necessarily mean your phone has been successfully hacked. We speak to Mohammed Almaskati, Director of Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline, about digital forensics, protecting sensitive information, why “no evidence” doesn't always mean you're safe, and how changing our everyday digital behaviour could help protect us.The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.Production Manager: Liz TuohyEditor: Ania LichtarowiczSomewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.🎥 Learn more about what we do: ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/ 📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co 📱 Follow us on socials:➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en) ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)➡️LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast) If you like our show please rate and review us. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

    AI Medical Devices: Are We Using Them Before We Know They Work?

  7. Aug 25

    Could Your Electric Car Power Your Home? Everything-to-Grid Energy, AI & the Future of Electricity

    Everything-to-Grid Energy: Turning Electric Cars, Batteries and Homes into Power StationsWhat if your electric car could do more than get you from A to B? Professor ZhaoYang Dong explains how electric vehicles, home batteries, solar panels and buildings could become active parts of the electricity grid – helping balance renewable energy and demand.From Broken Beans to Better Food: Bean Possible’s Waste-to-Protein TechnologyAt Web Summit Brazil, I meet Gabrielle Gautério, CEO of Bean Possible, a start-up turning broken beans into protein, fibre and starch for use in everything from bread and biscuits to sauces and yoghurt. Could upcycling food waste make everyday food more sustainable and affordable?The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.Production Manager: Liz TuohyEditor: Ania LichtarowiczSomewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.🎥 Learn more about what we do: ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/ 📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co 📱 Follow us on socials:➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en) ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co)➡️LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast) If you like our show please rate and review us.To subscribe to the ad-free PodExtra version please subscribe here: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

    Could Your Electric Car Power Your Home? Everything-to-Grid Energy, AI & the Future of Electricity

  8. Aug 18

    AI for Domestic Violence Support & Cybersecurity: Why We Need to Pause Before We Act

    Brazil’s AI-Powered Technology Helping Women Escape Bureaucracy and Access SupportFrom Web Summit Rio, we hear about a company that uses technology and AI to help women experiencing domestic violence to navigate Brazil’s complex public-service system. Its platform digitises paperwork, protective orders and social assistance, helping women access support more quickly, including women in remote communities who rely on WhatsApp and mobile data.Cyber Judgment: Why Stopping Could Be Our Best Defence Against AI ScamsAs generative AI makes phishing and social-engineering attacks more convincing, cybersecurity may no longer be simply about recognising the warning signs. We explore Cyber Judgment; a human-centred approach that teaches us to pause, question, verify and ask for help before acting. At its heart is the Japanese concept of Ma: creating a moment of space between stimulus and response, giving us time to make a safer decision.The programme is presented by Ania Lichtarowicz.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/some... (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/some...).Production manager: Liz TuohyEditor: Ania Lichtarowicz Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing.🎥 Learn more about what we do:➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/ 📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co📲 Follow us on socials:➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/➡️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co?locale=en_GB➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/100614032/admin/dashboard/ If you like our show please rate and review us. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support. Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz   Somewhere on Earth Productions UK Ltd. We’re a UK based production company creating podcasts and branded content that bring stories, places and people into focus. We’re all ex-BBC so the quality of the content is excellent and quality of the sound is amazing. 🎥 Learn more about what we do:  ➡️ Official Website: https://somewhereonearth.co/  📩 Contact us or book a project: hello@somewhereonearth.co  ➡️ Email: hello@somewhereonearth.co    📱 Follow us on socials: ➡️ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/soeptech/?hl=en)  ➡️ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/httpssomewhereonearth.co) ➡️ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast)     If you like our show please rate and review us.

    AI for Domestic Violence Support & Cybersecurity: Why We Need to Pause Before We Act
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Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast - Tech That Actually Matters If you’re tired of hype, gadgets-for-gadget’s-sake, and the same recycled tech headlines, welcome to Somewhere on Earth (SOEP) - the weekly global tech podcast that digs way deeper. Made by and hosted by the ex-BBC World Service Digital Planet team (yes, the award-winning crew behind 21+ years of world-leading tech journalism and 1.5M annual downloads), SOEP uncovers the untold stories shaping our digital world. This isn’t a show about the latest shiny toy. It’s about technology that changes lives, cultures, and global societies. Each episode explores: ⚡ The real-world impact of emerging tech 🌍 New innovations driving social good 🔍 Under-the-radar digital trends you should be paying attention to 🧠 How tech is reshaping communities, culture, and the way we live 📰 The technology behind the week’s biggest world stories - explained simply Our mission? To build a tech-for-good ecosystem where new ideas, powerful insights, and meaningful innovation can grow. If you want smart, globally minded tech storytelling from journalists who’ve been doing this longer (and better) than almost anyone else - SOEP is your new must-listen podcast. 🌎 Somewhere on Earth: Where tech meets humanity.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast--6924871/support.

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