Tech Life
Tech Life discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives, wherever we are in the world. We meet the people with bright ideas for rethinking the way we work, learn and play, and get hands-on with the products they dream up. We hold tech giants to account for their huge power to affect our lives, and ask who wins, and who loses, in the technology transformation. Tech Life is your guide to a future being made, and remade, at lightning speed in front of our eyes.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 25 minutes
- Episodes
- 320
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
The future of medical virtual reality
We take a look at virtual reality as it helps surgeons in Brazil work with colleagues in Britain on an operation to separate twins joined at the head.
As global temperatures rise how do we keep data c…
The battle over encrypted messaging
The head of WhatsApp signals the firm will resist efforts to weaken its encryption, as the UK and EU look to enact legislation that could compel firms to scan messages.
Is Tesla in trouble?
On Tech Tent this week, tech journalist Charles Arthur on the troubles at Tesla. The boss of Tinder tells our reporter Shiona McCallum how she wants to make the dating platform safer. The creator of …
Twitter and Elon Musk: The deal goes sour
As Twitter launches legal action to compel Elon Musk to complete a takeover he says he now wants to stop, Silicon Valley tech reporter James Clayton and New York business correspondent, Michelle Fleu…
How Wimbledon has gone high tech
This week Tech Tent comes from the Wimbledon tennis championships, in London, and finds out about the sophisticated AI systems powering match predictions, with Kevin Farrar, from IBM. Alexandra Willi…
The profound tech consequences of Roe v Wade
Professor Gina Neff and Eva Blum-Dumontet investigate how individuals and tech companies should react to abortion becoming illegal in parts of the US. David Martin Ruiz from the Eurpoean consumer gro…
The graphic content missed by Meta's moderators
On Tech Tent this week, a BBC investigation into so-called "up-skirting" on Facebook - and Thomas Hughes from Meta's Oversight Board on its first year as an arbiter on disputes on Facebook and Meta. …
Is El Salvador's bitcoin revolution failing?
This week Tech Tent is presented by Joe Tidy, who's been to El Salvador - which has bought thousands of bitcoins and become the first country in the world to make it legal tender. Now prices are cras…
Is the work from home revolution unstoppable?
As new data shows the work from home revolution is accelerating, we ask if technology has forced the world of work to change for ever. Claire McCartney, from the CIPD, shares her expertise and the BB…
Why is the internet still a hostile place for women?
This week, Dianne Olivan, Gender Engagement and Policy Officer, World Wide Web Foundation, and coordinator of the Women’s Rights Online Network, and Kerry Allen, the BBC's China media analyst discuss…
Another setback for facial recognition technology
This week Dr Stephanie Hare, author of Technology is Not Neutral, and Dr Rick Muir, of the Police Foundation, discuss whether facial recognition technology can ever be used in a way that satisfies re…
Is the cryptocurrency bubble bursting?
This week Tech Tent takes the temperature of the crypto market with the BBC's cyber reporter Joe Tidy and the Financial Times' Markets Editor, Katie Martin. Dr Johnny Ryan from the Irish Council for …
Learning the lessons of Wannacry, five years on
Tech Tent speaks to Marcus Hutchins, the British cyber security expert who singlehandedly stopped the Wannacry attack. The BBC's cyber reporter Joe Tidy and the cyber expert Lisa Forte discuss Wannac…
Are we on the cusp of a VR revolution?
Meta announcing plans for a Metaverse has intensified interest in virtual and augmented reality. But does the hardware and content match the marketing hype? Tech Tent hears from Alex Counsell, Techni…
Twitter: The Elon Musk takeover
On the programme this week, Brooke Erin Duffy of Cornell University returns to give her assessment of Twitter's new owner. The MEP Arba Kokalari explains the new tougher approach Europe is taking to …
A setback for Netflix
Tech Tent speaks to Julian Aquilina, from Enders analysis, on how serious a blow Netflix's loss of subscribers is. James Clayton checks back in with an update on Elon Musk and Twitter. And our techno…
Facial recognition technology and the war in Ukraine
A controversial facial recognition company helps identify the dead in Ukraine. And a look at whether age verification tech can stop children viewing pornography online.
What next for Twitter now Elon Musk is on board?
This week, Tech Tent speaks to Professor Brooke Erin Duffy about what Elon Musk investing in Twitter could mean for the social platform. The curator of TED, Chris Anderson, gives details about the re…
A huge, new crypto heist
We report on the latest high-profile, high value theft of cryptocurrency. David Canellis, from the website, Protos, analyses what happened. The space expert Dr Teasel Muir-Harmony explains why the US…
The tech of war crime investigation
This week's episode features an interview with Wendy Betts, who is involved with an app developed for war crimes investigators. John Hultquist, who’s Vice President of the cyber security firm, Mandia…