Selfie Reflective

Dr David Hall is a Political Theorist and lecturer at AUT University ~

On March 15th, 2019, our social media landscape and our real world became horrifyingly intertwined after a gunman entered two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and committed an act of terror.

Fifty-one people lost their lives in the attacks. Our hearts still ache for those who were most personally affected by this abhorrent crime. Since March 15th 2019, what’s now known as New Zealand’s darkest day, some citizens have grappled with the idea that perhaps our country is not as accepting, welcoming and kind as they might like to imagine - others have wondered with frustration and urgency about how we can dismantle the systems that listen to and respect some voices over others.

This terrorist attack was different to others that have occurred before, in that the gunman planned and chose to live-stream this attack through Facebook. The video was viewed over 4,000 times before it was removed, and what became painfully clear is that our online spaces do not operate in a framework that keeps us safe from the amplification of content like this, which deliberately intend to incite hate, fear, intolerance and violence. In fact, with the way these platforms are built, the algorithms can even favour this type of content. For any sentient human being, many urgent questions were raised. Why was this video allowed to stream live for so long? What are the moderation policies? How can we prevent this from happening again?

Off the back of this horrific crime, the government introduced the Christchurch Call, which is - and I quote from the Christchurch Calls' website - ‘a commitment by Governments and tech companies to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.’

The Helen Clark Foundation, which is an independent public policy think tank, built on the Christchurch Call with what they coined The Christchurch Principles - ten principles which act as a role and responsibility framework for tech companies, states and society as a whole to respect human rights and enable those rights to flourish online.

In this episode, we’re speaking with Dr David Hall, a political theorist and AUT lecturer who helped write The Christchurch Principles, and even presented them at the Paris Peace Forum in 2019. David talks us through some of the challenges to democracy online, where the idea of free speech can be misguided and what The Christchurch Principles hope to inspire.

Dr David Hall is a political theorist with a focus on complex contemporary issues, including climate change, migration, and democracy in the digital era. He is a Lecturer at AUT University, co-director of the newly launched Climate Innovation Lab, and recently attended the Paris Peace Forum to promote the Christchurch Principles, a democratic framework for reducing harmful online content. His most recent publication is A Careful Revolution: Towards a Low-Emissions Future (BWB Texts).

Shownotes:

To read more about The Christchurch Principles, check out the full Christchurch Principles' document here, and this Spinoff article. David has written extensively about free speech. Read this, this and this to keep the critical thinking going. Dr David Hall also edited and features in Fair Borders, a book that looks closely at modern migration policy.

Email any thoughts or reflections on this episode to [email protected].

Humphrey Hanley is a content-creator, motivational Twitch partner and accessibility advocate ~

I’d just like to take a moment to say - we’ve reached episode 30.

I can’t quite believe that since February 4th 2020, myself and my boyfriend, Tom, have managed to release a new episode of Selfie Reflective every week. Each week has brought a brand new research and content-development project - a new guest, a new theme, a new release - and, based on feedback, this podcast is doing exactly what I hoped it would - encouraging critical thinking around our social media and digital spaces.

I’d like to say thanks to Tom for selflessly editing and finessing every single one of the episodes. He’s also found many-a-great-guest along the way. I’d like to thank InternetNZ who were early supporters of the show. I’d like to thank the guests who have committed their time and shared their expertise and stories so generously to all of us listening. And of course, I’d like to thank you for choosing to listen to this independent, NZ-grown grassroots podcast. I wish we could have these conversations together over beers and fries - maybe one day in the future.

As always, if you’d like to show your appreciation for the show, subscribe and leave a rating and review in your favourite podcast app. In case you’d like to shout Tom and I a coffee so we can continue to stay up late and edit more episodes for as long as possible, I’ve also recently launched a little Patreon account, where you can sign up and send us a small donation each month. That link is in the bio. If you aren’t in a position to support financially, no worries, ratings and reviews really do feed our souls.

We’ve got some more to uncover yet - so let’s get on with it.

We’ve spoken to many issues on this show that centre around social media. There’s no denying that trends like diet culture and disinformation are incredibly important things to dissect, critique and examine on our online spaces. But for episode 30, I wanted to bring someone who is able to speak to the positive aspects of tech and social media that we may not always think about.

This person’s name is Humphrey Hanley, and I met him just over a week ago in an elevator. We were both heading up to the InternetNZ offices. The team there were putting on a lunch for the content creators that they support - one of those creators is me, and another is Humphrey.

We ended up getting on really well immediately, and after the event even grabbed a beer so we could continue to talk about social media and technology - which, yes, I also do in my spare time... In a second I’ll hand over to Humphrey so he can tell you about his background and story in his own words - but Humphrey’s thoughts on and relationship to technology might be a little different than some of the perspectives and ideas that we’re used to hearing about. Why? Because Humphrey is a passionate digital content creator, a Motivational Twitch Partner, Coffee Drinker, Husband, Videographer, Photographer, and Drone Pilot - with fragile skin and no hands.

In this episode, Humphrey speaks to accessibility, accessibility advocacy, and why for him the internet and social media were not just life-changing - but life-saving.

Enjoy the show.

Shownotes:

Follow the inspirational. Humphrey on Twitter or Twitch, or check out his skillset and get in touch with him to support your accessibility initiatives via his website.

Email any reflections on this show to [email protected]. Share the episode on Twitter and tag @SelfieReflect, or on Instagram stories and tag @lucyohello.

Don't forget, you can now also support Selfie Reflective on Pateron! Thanks so much in advance.

Kathleen Kuehn is a senior lecturer of media studies at Victoria University in Wellington ~

If asked, most of us would say that when we post about our lives on social media for fun, right? Whether individual or business, we’re constantly crafting fragments of content that we feel is in a good enough place to share with an audience - whether that audience is made up of friends or thousands of strangers.

But all of this crafting - is definitely a lot of work, especially if you are creating content online with an end goal, dream or hopeful vision in mind. This uncertain, inarticulable dream was definitely the reason I committed to leveraging social media when I was running Monday Hustle - and as you’ll hear in this episode, I’m still conflicted about whether on the balance, that three years of labour was a good, bad, neutral or, like most decisions in life, an infinitely complex thing.

Today, we’re speaking with Kathleen Kuehn, a senior lecturer of media studies at Victoria University in Wellington. Kathleen’s teaching and research focuses broadly on digital privacy, surveillance culture and issues around labour and consumer culture.

Today, Kathleen and I speak about systems of power, authenticity, her current research and a term she coined called ‘Hope Labour’, which is the idea that if we put the work in now - eg, if we commit to crafting a brand online - then one day, that labour will pay off in terms of financial capital. But is hope labour really all that fun?

Shownotes:

Check out Kathleen's profile on the Vic Uni website, or her personal website here. Also - surprise! - Kathleen is a yoga instructor, so if you wanna get bendy with this incredible academic, find out more on this page.

To share reflections on todays show, email [email protected] or tweet @SelfieReflect.

Sean Lyons is the Director of Engagement and Education at Netsafe, New Zealand ~

If you’re a New Zealander, you’ve likely heard of a company called Netsafe. Netsafe was founded way back in 1998, when a group of people who worked with young people decided that technology was going to be brilliantly enlightening for everyone - but that it also came with a whole different set of different risks and challenges. This group of people saw that the use of tech was going to require a separate set of eyes and some different thinking around how it was used and managed, especially in terms of how the use of this tech would evolve for young people in schools and in the home. Fast forward to 2020, and today Netsafe still spends time working with young people and parents to ensure that the technological tools they have in their hands are will get them to where they want to go in a way that doesn’t lead to them experiencing unnecessary harm or ending up out of their depth in terms of what they can manage.

But Netsafe isn’t just for young people - Netsafe is here to help everyone. They run a free confidential helpline, which doesn’t even require a name in many instances. It’s Netsafe’s belief that we shouldn’t have to put up with feeling harmed online, just like we shouldn’t have to put up with feeling harmed while walking down the street. If you or a person you know is facing a challenge that needs extra support or practical help - Netsafe is the place to call.

On today’s episode, we’re speaking with Sean Lyons, the director of Education and Engagement at Netsafe. He’s been there just short of 14 years, and Sean focuses on ensuring that all NZ internet users are able to confidently and capably access technology without suffering the harms that could potentially go with that - and, as you might imagine, lots of his work involves working with young people.

Today Sean talks about the experiences young people are having online, the challenges they are facing and the ways adults can support them through this internet age. Sean also gives us an overview of what’s called the Harmful Digital Communications Act, which offers protection and recourse for those who do experience harm online.

This episode is a great resource for teachers, parents or anyone who is concerned about the next generation in reference to our accelerating technological world.

Shownotes:

Learn more about Netsafe and their work by visiting their website.

Tweet your thoughts to @SelfieReflect, or email them to [email protected]

Jeff Orlowski is a director, producer and cinematographer ~

For the finale of season one, I am so excited to introduce you to the man who recently brought a documentary to Netflix that speaks to issues around the attention economy on social media. If you’re a fan of this podcast, it’s likely you’ve heard of it and if you haven’t - get on it, like, now! The film is called ‘The Social Dilemma’, and today we are speaking with the Director - Jeff Orlowski.

Jeff Orlowski is the director, producer, and cinematographer of award-winning films, Chasing Coral and Chasing Ice, which tackle issues that pertain to our climate crisis. He is also the founder of Exposure Labs, a production company dedicated to impact through film. Jeff’s latest release is called ‘The Social Dilemma’, and it had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Through interviews with tech experts and critics, The Social Dilemma takes a wide lens on the human impact of social networks. It is now on Netflix, where it is described as a documentary-drama hybrid where tech experts sound the alarm on their own creations.

In this episode, Jeff talks about his own personal relationship to social media and tech. He unpacks what tech is helping us to accomplish, what it is looking for and how it exists in competition with the rest of our lives. Jeff speaks to the critique that ‘The Social Dilemma’ is oversimplified. He also talks us through something that sounds as terrifying as it is - a resurrection algorithm.

Shownotes:

Check out Jeff's production company, Exposure Labs, and DEFINITELY watch 'The Social Dilemma' on Netflix.

Email any reflections on this show (or 'The Social Dilemma') to [email protected]. Share your fave Selfie Reflective episode on Twitter and tag @SelfieReflect, or share on Instagram stories and tag @lucyohello.

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A note from Lucy:

Hello listener. This episode - episode 35 - will be the last release in what we’re calling Season 1 of Selfie Reflective. We’re hitting pause on the show for now - but hopefully not forever!

I love this podcast and I am so passionate about the subject matter. In my notebook I am still collecting the names of people I want to interview and topics I want to cover, and this list easily exceeds ten pages! I hope that one day I will be able to reignite this show for Season Two, and that I’ll also be able to bring even more depth to the way I host this show.

I believe with my whole heart that the subjects that are being presented on this show are desperately important - and that feeling seems to be one that is shared by not just Jeff Orlowski (our final season one guest (who is kind of a big deal)) - but every guest who has generously given their time and knowledge to this show.

Thank you so much for listening.