Tech Shock - from Parent Zone
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About This Podcast
Tech Shock: everything you ever wanted to know about tech and family life. Podcasting from Parent Zone, the media literacy experts, host Vicki Shotbolt explores the upsides and downsides of family life in the digital age. With a range of expert guests, she looks at online harms to children, from pornography to gambling, and at what should be done about them. Incurably optimistic, Vicki also celebrates the many benefits of tech for children and young people, as she considers how best to live in a world in which family life is now inescapably digital. Listen every Monday, subscribe, and please give us a five star review.
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Recent Episodes
S12E4 3. Katie Searle: Switched on to privacy: chat, choose, check.
In the third episode of Tech Shock's 12th season, Vicki is joined by Katie Searle, Director - Children's Strategy at the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The ICO is the UK's independent…
S12E3 2. Leon Xiao: The House Always Wins. The Home Loses.
In the second episode of Tech Shock's 12th season, Vicki is joined by Leon Xiao, Assistant Professor at City University Hong Kong, specialising in video game law and the regulation of loot boxes,…
S12E2 Spring Special Episode 4: Melinda Tankard Reist: ‘A Callous Society?’
In the final episode of Tech Shock's Spring Special Series on the social media ban and government consultation, Vicki is joined by Melinda Tankard Reist. Melinda is the Movement Director of…
S12E1 1. Natalie Foos: VoiceBox and AI chatbot support for parents
In the first episode of Tech Shock's 12th season, Vicki is joined by Natalie Foos, Director of VoiceBox — a global youth organisation that surfaces the lived experience of young people for decision…
S11E10 Spring Special Episode 3: Haroon Chowdry: ‘Levelling the Playing Field’
This week in our special episodes examining the arguments for and against the social media ban, Vicki speaks to Haroon Chowdry, Chief Executive of the Centre for Young Lives.The Centre for Young…
S11E9 Spring Special Episode 2: Andy Burrows: ‘Towards a Safer Future’
As we continue our special series of Tech Shock exploring arguments for and against the social media ban and the government consultation, this week we are joined by Andy Burrows, CEO of the Molly…
S11E8 Spring Special Episode 1: Maeve Walsh: ‘Has the Online Safety Act Failed?’
The beginning of March saw the government launch its consultation on whether to ban social media for under-16s, as well as calling on the public to share opinions and concerns on more nuanced…
S11E7 7. How to find friends and alienate people: geolocation, gender, and unhelpful legislation
December saw the launch of an international coalition to end violence against women and girls with additional support to tackle online harms. At the same time, debates around the banning of…
S11E6 6. Being ‘literate’ in the age of AI
Amidst a paradigm shift in technology, it looks to be the case that a failure to understand (and use) AI is a failure to prepare for a rapidly approaching future. But plenty of questions remain. How…
S11E5 5. Deepfakes, disinformation, and a trundle towards ‘reality apathy’?
AI technologies are becoming more and more embedded in daily life – in ways that go well beyond smart speakers or nifty thermometers. But this embedding raises lots of questions. Some people have…
S11E4 4. Experience AI
Understanding AI has never been more critical. It’s part of most conversations around emerging tech. It raises endless questions around safety, creativity, copyright and intellectual property. The UK…
S11E3 3. RSE in the era of nudification apps and AI romance
The subject ‘RSE’ (Relationships and Sex Education) was introduced to educate pupils about sexual health as well as their relationships and intimacies with others. Is it meeting the challenge or is…
S11E2 2. A new gambling levy, and the dark side of the industry
Contrary to what many of us would like to believe, gambling is not an exclusively over 18 activity – in fact it’s far from it. Popular sports and surrounding media burst at the seams with gambling…
S11E1 1. "A range of questionable trends and industry practices” – gaming in 2025
As the Tech Shock podcast returns for its 11th season, Vicki is joined by Sara Grimes, McGill University professor and expert in child rights and ethical game design, to explore the views of young…
10. Everyday Digital – a media literacy programme that works
Media literacy. It’s at the core of a three-year strategy from Ofcom, featured in DSIT’s ‘Digital Inclusion Action Plan’ and looks set to make more than just a fleeting appearance in the reviewed…
S10E9 9. EdTech: “Big Tech in a school uniform”?
After a shift to online learning during COVID-19, EdTech – everything from digital whiteboards and eBooks to Google Classroom and virtual reality equipment – is an industry that’s gone from strength…
S10E8 8. Violence against women and girls: what’s needed for change?
Easily accessed tech like generative AI can facilitate the nudification of another's images, platforms’ hate speech policies around gender are suddenly being watered-down, and misogynistic content…
S10E7 7. Is tech destroying our attention spans?
In the ‘information age’ it’s easy to find any number of resources and strong opinions. This makes it more crucial than ever that we're able to filter out the noise and access evidence and…
S10E6 6. Family vlogging, young people’s perspectives and the response ‘across the pond’
Awareness of emerging harms gradually develops and debates around smartphone bans and social media restrictions for children are ongoing. At the same time, the series 'Adolescence' has been turning…
S10E5 5. What's next for the Online Safety Act?
With Ofcom's duties and guidance around illegal harms and content, services’ transparency, the safety of women and girls, as well as the protection of children all being published in 2025, it’s…
Frequently Asked Questions
Tech Shock - from Parent Zone has published 138 episodes since October 2020, covering topics in Arts, Kids & Family.
Tech Shock - from Parent Zone is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 41m.
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