Meta has officially launched premium subscription tiers across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Does this mean we'll finally be able to rid ourselves of ads on social media? Plus, it's been a rough few weeks for the 'clankers'. During Vivid, nearly 90 drones fell from the sky into Sydney Harbour. And they're not alone. Humanoid robots are finding creative new ways to embarrass themselves in public. Why have we seen so many of them out and about, if they're not ready? And, a growing number of people are actively searching for ways to avoid AI-generated search results. How big will this emerging market become? GUESTS: Seamus Byrne, technology researcher and PhD research candidate with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADMS). Josh Taylor, technology reporter for The Guardian. Seamus and Josh mentioned a few tech products during the chat. They are: search engine alternatives StartPage and Kagi; RSS aggregator Feedly; and dice roller Roll Hammer. ------------ This episode was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Burramattagal people. ------------ Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at downloadthisshow@abc.net.au Find all the episodes of Download This Show on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Download This Show

ABC Australia

Would you pay to use Instagram?

JUN 5, 202629 MIN
Download This Show

Would you pay to use Instagram?

JUN 5, 202629 MIN

Description

<p>Meta has officially launched <a href="https://au.pcmag.com/social-media/117907/would-you-pay-to-use-facebook-meta-plus-subscriptions-rolling-out-now">premium subscription tiers</a> across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Does this mean we'll finally be able to rid ourselves of ads on social media?</p><p>Plus, it's been a rough few weeks for the 'clankers'. During Vivid, nearly <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-30/vivid-sydney-drone-shows-cancelled-after-harbour-crashes/106739784">90 drones fell from the sky</a> into Sydney Harbour. And they're not alone. Humanoid robots are finding creative <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/robot-watch-the-weirdest-things-the-clankers-did-this-month-including-moonwalking-themselves-to-death-losing-a-fight-to-a-step-and-drowning-by-the-dozens-in-sydney-harbour/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">new ways to embarrass themselves</a> in public. Why have we seen so many of them out and about, if they're not ready?</p><p>And, a growing number of people are actively searching for <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/26/duckduckgo-installs-are-up-30-as-users-reject-being-force-fed-googles-ai-search/">ways to avoid AI-generated search results</a>. How big will this emerging market become?</p><p>GUESTS:</p><ul><li>Seamus Byrne, technology researcher and <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/hdr/seamus-byrne">PhD research candidate</a> with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (<a href="https://www.admscentre.org.au/">ADMS</a>).</li><li>Josh Taylor, technology reporter for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/josh-taylor">The Guardian</a>.</li></ul><p>Seamus and Josh mentioned a few tech products during the chat. They are: search engine alternatives <a href="https://www.startpage.com/">StartPage</a> and <a href="https://kagi.com/">Kagi</a>; RSS aggregator <a href="https://chromewebstore.google.com/publisher/feedly/u5d67bbd9f9f49c6e9accaa01f8e6c410?pli=1">Feedly</a>; and dice roller <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lastlevel.dicecup&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1">Roll Hammer</a>.</p><p>------------</p><p>This episode was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Burramattagal people.</p><p>------------</p><p>Get in touch:</p><p>We'd love to hear from you! Email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a></p><p>Find all the episodes of Download This Show on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.</p>