Episode archive
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How are video games rewriting narratives?
In this episode of Looks Like New, host Júlia Martins Rodrigues speaks with Warren Liu, a Media Studies doctoral student and contributor to Techno-Orientalism: Imagining Asia in Speculative Fiction, History, and Media. Liu examines how video games shape culture—both by reflecting colonial legacies and by offering space to challenge them. Their conversation explores how games…
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Who gets to belong in the digital future?
Who gets to participate in society—and how do we build systems that serve everyone, not just the privileged few? In this episode of Looks Like New, MEDLab’s Júlia Martins Rodrigues speaks with Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, a leading expert at the intersection of technology and social justice, about what happens when entire communities are left…
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Are you being trained?
AI is advancing at lightning speed—so fast that questions of ownership and data use often get left behind. What control do we really have over our data in these massive language models? And how can we rethink governance for AI? On this episode of Looks Like New, MEDLab fellow Andy DiLallo speaks with Berlin-based artist,…
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Is anything new in influencer marketing?
It’s easy to look at today’s pop culture and advertising and feel nostalgic for earlier generations—but were those eras really so different? What trends have remained consistent throughout our history? In this month’s episode of Looks Like New, hosted by MEDlab’s associate director Júlia Martins Rodrigues, we hear from Art Bamford, Ph.D., lecturer in Media…
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Are our health apps negatively impacting us?
In the digital age, it’s hard to resist free conveniences—but are they really free? So much of our data is constantly being bought and sold without our knowledge, making it crucial to find safe alternatives to keep our private information truly private. On this month’s episode of Looks Like New, hosted by MEDlab fellow Stephanie…
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How is open-source software like magic?
Writing code can be like casting a spell: magic words, written in a special language, bring new worlds into existence. But spells can have consequences. Who is responsible for how technology impacts society? This month on Looks Like New, MEDlab research fellow Adina Glickstein talked to Coraline Ada Ehmke. Who is dedicated to helping technologists…
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What if social media were under our control?
Political discourse around social media has become increasingly significant, particularly during the recent presidential transition. Debates about TikTok’s viability, new censorship policies on Meta platforms, and the ongoing turbulence on X underscore the growing importance of decentralized media development. On this month’s episode of Looks Like New, we’re bringing you a conversation between guest mentors…
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How has racism held back economic democracy?
How connected is the struggle for racial justice and the fight for a democratic economy? How has racism hindered the fight, and how can activists work together for a better future on both fronts? This month on, Looks Like New, MEDlab director Nathan Schneider hosted a group conversation of 100+ guests to understand these questions.…
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Is online life heading into dark forests?
In an ever more messy online media environment, it can be hard to know where to let ourselves be truly creative. This month on Looks Like New, MEDLab community fellow Andy DiLallo spoke with Yancey Stricker, best known as a co-founder and former CEO of Kickstarter. Strickler’s story started on a farm in Virginia before…
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What does digital privacy mean for young people?
Whether or not we have children of our own, many of us have wondered how we approach their privacy in the digital world. What’s the best way we can approach this increasingly important question? In this episode, MEDLab research fellow Antoinette Kendrick speaks with danah boyd, a leading researcher, scholar, and thought leader in the fields…