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Download This Show

ABC Australia
Download This Show
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101 episodes

  • Download This Show

    The AI model “too dangerous” for the public

    17/04/2026 | 29 mins.
    Anthropic claims its latest AI model, Claude Mythos, is “too dangerous” to release given its exceptional cyber hacking capabilities. Is it all a PR stunt, or is this a genuine threat? 
    Plus, the FBI extracted messages from the secure messaging app Signal after exploiting a loophole involving iPhone notification databases. So how secure is Signal? And how might the loophole be closed? 
    Meanwhile, several major global news sites are blocking the Wayback Machine, an initiative of the Internet Archive. What threat does it pose to these sites? And what will it cost us to lose this information preservation? 
    GUESTS:
    Justin Hendry -- technology and business reporter and editor of Innovation Aus. 
    Fergus Halliday -- technology & gaming journalist at reviews.org Australia
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    This episode was produced on the lands of the Burramattagal people.
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    Get in touch:
    We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]
    Find all the episodes of Download This Show on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.
  • Download This Show

    Artemis II isn't the only cool thing happening in space tech at the moment

    10/04/2026 | 28 mins.
    In this special episode, what's happening in Australia's space industry? Between Australia's first lunar rover, and putting plants on the moon (this year!), we'll take a peek behind the curtain.
    Space technology is having a moment right now. NASA’s Artemis mission is the first time humans have launched themselves into space since 1972. The 2026 Australian of the Year, Katherine Bennell-Pegg, is an astronaut. So, what does our local space industry look like right now? And where is it headed?
    GUESTS:
    Professor Andy Koronios -- Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Australasian Space Innovation Institute.
    Dr Lauren Fell -- outreach and marketing specialist at Lunar Outpost Oceania, co-lead of the ELO2 industry consortium building Roo-ver. She's also a director at Lunaria One, who is putting plants on the moon.
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    This episode was produced on the lands of the Burramattagal people.
    ------------
    Get in touch:
    We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]
    Find all the episodes of Download This Show on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.
  • Download This Show

    Does Australia have the energy and water to power the AI data centre boom?

    03/04/2026 | 29 mins.
    The world's biggest tech companies are scoping Australia out as a data centre hub. As they see it, we have an abundance of space, electricity and water. But do we actually have enough?
    About 270 data centres have already been built in Australia, and there are a whole lot more on the way.
    The amount of electricity and water these massive buildings are projected to consume is staggering. We'll walk through the numbers this episode, and who is likely to end up footing the bill.
    The MIT Technology Review article Bronwyn referenced during the episode is here.
    GUESTS:
    Petra Stock, climate and environment reporter for The Guardian Australia.
    Bronwyn Cumbo, lecturer at University of Technology Sydney and transdisiciplinary social researcher. Her Conversation article is here.
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    This episode was produced on the lands of the Burramattagal people.
    ------------
    Get in touch:
    We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]
    Find all the episodes of Download This Show on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.
  • Download This Show

    On the down-low: Do tech companies have a duty of care when it comes to kids?

    31/03/2026 | 15 mins.
    John Livingstone is the Head of Digital Policy at UNICEF Australia. He's been talking directly to students about how the Australian social media ban is affecting young people, and whether it's making their lives better.
    This is Rae's full conversation with John. You can hear a broader analysis of the social media ban in our recent episode.
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    This is the first edition of our 'on the down-low' series -- longer standalone interviews with interesting people in the tech world.
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  • Download This Show

    Is Australia's social media ban *actually* working?

    27/03/2026 | 29 mins.
    Australia banned under-16s from social media at the start of summer, and the world has been watching.
    Today, we're doing a full audit. What the ban is doing, what it isn't, and whether we even built it on the right foundations.
    GUESTS:
    Josh Taylor -- technology reporter for The Guardian.
    Jocelyn Brewer -- psychologist and founder of Digital Nutrition.
    With a special appearance from John Livingstone, Head of Digital Policy at UNICEF Australia. You can hear Rae's full interview with him when it's released next Wednesday (25/03/2026).
    Rae also mentioned If Books Could Kill's analysis of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt.
    This episode was produced on the lands of the Burramattagal people.

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About 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.
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