Fortifying Truth in the Age of Deepfakes: Lessons from Yvette Alberdingk Thijm, ex-Director of Witness
Release Date: 02/23/2024
Season Three Wrap-Up: Choosing Our AI Future
Tech Matters
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More Than a Message: Debbie Rogers of Reach Digital Health
Tech Matters
In this episode, Jim Fruchterman speaks with , CEO of . Debbie details the evolution of Reach Digital Health (formerly the Praekelt Foundation), which was founded on the insight that mobile phone penetration in Africa was leapfrogging the rest of the world. This created a unique opportunity to address systemic health challenges like HIV and maternal mortality. One of their first projects reduced "loss to follow-up" at HIV clinics from 30% to just 6% using simple SMS reminders and "please call me" technology. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in how to...
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Design as a Lifeline, Jonathan McKay on Supporting LGBTQI+ Youth with SameSame
Tech Matters
In this episode of Tech Matters, we sit down with Jonathan McKay, the founder of SameSame, a social enterprise dedicated to providing mental health support and access to services for LGBTQI+ youth. During the conversation, we explore Jonathan's journey from graphic design and for-profit marketing to the social sector with SameSame, using anonymity to create safe, accessible pathways for young LGBTQI+ people. Listeners will learn about the unique challenges in the mental health nonprofit world and why technology—when used ethically—is a lifeline for those who'd otherwise live with no...
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The Farmer-to-Farmer Playbook, with Rikin Gandhi of Digital Green
Tech Matters
Inspired by astronauts and grounded in the realities of rural India, the founder of Digital Green shares a 15-year journey of using technology to support smallholder farmers. In this episode, we hear how a Microsoft Research project grew into a global nonprofit working with governments and NGOs, first by using low-cost farmer-to-farmer videos, and now by building AI-powered advisory tools in local languages. We dig into what actually works in the field, how costs dropped for farmers using Digital Green's tools, and why partnership, farmer agency, and careful tuning of AI models matter more...
info_outline![Helplines Reimagined, with Dee Luo and Nick Hurlburt of Aselo [added commentary] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/196645315?height=50&width=50)
Helplines Reimagined, with Dee Luo and Nick Hurlburt of Aselo [added commentary]
Tech Matters
In this special episode, we revisit the origin story of Aselo, the open-source contact center platform transforming how child helplines operate around the world. Jim talks with Aselo’s leaders, Dee Luo and Nick Hurlburt, about modernizing helplines by integrating calls, texts, and social media to meet young people where they are. From global partnerships to the careful use of AI, this conversation offers a clear-eyed look at what it takes to build trustworthy, privacy-first technology for children in crisis. Full transcript: DEE LUO [Director of Product & Business...
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Decolonizing Drones, with Sonja Betschart of WeRobotics
Tech Matters
What if drones weren’t symbols of surveillance and warfare, but everyday tools for local communities to protect forests, cities, and coastlines? Sonja Betschart is the co-founder of and the . Thanks to these organizations, drones, geospatial data, and AI are being put in the hands of local experts across the Global South. From mapping shark nurseries in the Seychelles to assessing landslides in Nepal and supporting farmers in Tanzania, Sonja explains how a small, global network is turning cutting-edge tech into practical, community-led solutions. Full transcript: ...
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Breaking the Silence: Helping Survivors of Assault with Tracy DeTomasi of Callisto
Tech Matters
CONTENT WARNING: This episode makes reference to sexual assault. In this episode, Jim speaks with , CEO of , a nonprofit using secure technology to connect survivors of sexual assault and expose serial perpetrators. Tracy, a licensed clinical social worker, explains how Callisto’s end-to-end encrypted platform lets survivors safely discover if their assailant has harmed others — and why confidentiality, trust, and survivor choice are at the core of its design. Full transcript: TRACY DE TOMASI (CEO) Tracy De Tomasi has over 20 years of...
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From Idea to Fruition: Accelerating Nonprofits, with Shannon Farley and Kevin Barenblat of Fast Forward
Tech Matters
What do you do when you have a great social impact idea but no experience with making it a reality? With all its risks, is Artificial Intelligence something that replaces human ingenuity or can it really be used to bring your idea to fruition? Delve into how takes a page from the iconic Y Combinator playbook to shake up the nonprofit scene. Entrepreneurial spirit meets social impact—discover the innovative accelerator model that's bridging startup culture with philanthropic goals. Full transcript: KEVIN BARENBLAT (Co-Founder & President) is an engineer...
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Introducing Season 3: Flipping the script from harmful tech to Tech For Good
Tech Matters
Welcome to our third season, featuring amazing guests: Shannon Farley and Kevin Barenblat of Fast Forward, Tracy De Tomasi of Callisto, Sonja Betschart of WeRobotics, Rikin Gandhi of Digital Green, Jono McKay of SameSame, and Debbie Rogers of Reach Digital Health. Tune into the biweekly Tech Matters podcast by following and subscribing on your favorite platform!
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Helplines Reimagined, with Dee Luo and Nick Hurlburt of Tech Matter's Aselo
Tech Matters
In this special episode of the Tech Matters Podcast, we dive into the inspiring story of , a groundbreaking contact center platform designed to empower child helplines worldwide. Aselo is revolutionizing how organizations provide counseling, resources, and care through modern, purpose-built technology. Join us as we explore the journey of Director of Product and Operations Dee Luo and Executive Director Nick Hurlburt, the visionary leaders behind Aselo, who share how they transitioned from the tech industry to building a social enterprise that’s making a global impact. Aselo is now...
info_outline“Seeing is no longer believing. You need to fortify the truth.” (Y.A.T.)
Generative AI, deepfakes… we’ve known the risks for a while, but the dangers feel ever closer given the amazing advancements of orgs like OpenAI. Meanwhile, human rights activists have faced these risks for years (think of doctored videos, misleading evidence, or the total absence of context).
Witness was ahead of its time by giving people tools to document human rights violations (departing from conventional notions of “acquiring data”) and prioritizing authenticity, personal security, and safety, particularly through its focus on human rights use cases. This issue of authenticity is a major one: Despite the ongoing challenge of combating weaponized misinformation and disinformation, organizations like Witness have been navigating all the complexities of trust - trusting the source, but also trusting those who are making the tools to document the truth, especially across cultural and social barriers.
Yvette is an advisor/consultant/board member, and previously Executive Director of Witness, with decades of experience leading org design and ecosystem thinking at the intersection of human rights, video, and technology. Tune in to hear about how she has been addressing the issue of trust and authenticity in media!
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