Technology Pill

From Spiderman, to Toy Story, to One Night Only, this week we’re talking about some of the summers biggest and weirdest movies, as we think about the use of technology and surveillance in film.Links- Silicon valley has a science fiction problem: https://aeon.co/essays/silicon-valley-has-a-science-fiction-problem- One night onlyGuardian review: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/05/one-night-only-movie-reviewNY Times review: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/movies/one-night-only-review.htmlMovies we watched in order discussed: - Spiderman: Brand New Day and Spiderman: Far from Home- Coyote Vs. Acme- Toy Story 5 (and Toy Story 3)- One Night Only- Super Mario Galaxy (Derogatory)- Minions and Monsters- Project Hail Mary- The Odyssey- Devil Wears Prada 2- "The Box" Brooklyn 99 S5 E14

This week we're talking about how the militarisation of tech is shaping civic spaces and what 'dual use' technology actually means with Sophie from Corporate Watch. LinksCorporate watch: What's driving the militarisation of tech - and what can we do about it: https://corporatewatch.org/whats-driving-the-militarisation-of-tech-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/Case studies and info about military tech companies: https://privacyinternational.org/military-tech-companiesSkydio case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5734/dual-use-tech-skydio-exampleAxon taser drones for schools: https://www.wired.com/story/axon-taser-drones-ethics-board/Skydio/The Verge podcast: https://www.theverge.com/podcast/949195/skydio-ceo-adam-bry-autonmous-drones-china-red-lines-militaryBAE systems case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5766/dual-use-tech-bae-systems-examplePokemon go: -> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jun/12/pokemon-go-data-trained-ai-that-could-assist-military-drones-in-war-zonesNiantic sell games division including Pokemon Go to Scopely:https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnieva/2025/05/21/niantic-scopely-pokemon-go/Elbit systems case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5735/dual-use-tech-elbit-exampleIsrael Aerospace Industries (IAI) case study including their relationship with EU Horizon funding: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5703/dual-use-tech-israel-aerospace-industries-iai-exampleAirbus case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5720/dual-use-tech-airbus-exampleLeonardo case study: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5733/dual-use-tech-leonardo-exampleProscription of Palestine Action: https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/breaking-down-the-court-of-appeal-judgment-on-palestine-actions-proscription/ Elbit systems factory raid: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce950111xk7oElbit systems factory close down: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-defense-giant-elbit-said-to-quietly-shut-down-uk-plant-targeted-by-activists/

This week we're talking to Marianne from SMEX about their new report looking at the differing dynamics of producing, testing, and deployment of militarised technology across the Southwest Asia and Northern African region (SWANA). Links* Report - Produced, tested, deployed: the Miltarisation of technology in the SWANA region* Vodafone in Egypt story: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jul/26/vodafone-access-egypt-shutdown* Lebanon and Israel leaflet drop: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2026/03/13/israeli-warplanes-drop-leaflets-over-beirut-causing-panic-* More about QR code leaflet drop: https://smex.org/smex-warns-of-risks-related-to-scanning-qr-codes-on-israeli-leaflets/* More about the data security problem in Lebanon: https://smex.org/lebanons-data-security-problem-explained/* Open Season - PI's old report on Syria: https://privacyinternational.org/report/1016/open-season-building-syrias-surveillance-state* PI's Militarisation of Tech project: https://privacyinternational.org/campaigns/militarisation-of-tech

This week we're discussing borders, biometrics and more, as we take a look at what kind of surveillance you might experience if you're traveling to the World Cup, or to the EU schengen area. Acronyms- ETIAS: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (new for visa exempt; no biometrics - run by a central unit operated by frontex; this is where manual checks carried out if automated checks flag problems)- VIS: Visa information System (obvs for visas; age lowered to 6? - will soon check other systems)- EES: Entry/Exit system (biometrics on entry; records all border crossings)- CIR: Common Identity Repository (only non-eu citizens; weak anti-discrimination; identity info from visa and ta - data from other databases lives here and is used for purposes beyond travel e.g. police checks in country)- Eurodac: (all asylum seekers, and trying to add undocumented migrants)- ECRIS-TCN: European Criminal Records Information System for Third-Country Nationals (data on non-EU citizens convicted in one or more EU member state)- SIS: schengen information system (an EU database for police, judicial and border control/cooperation, to see whether they are wanted by the police or subject to an entry ban; checked on crossing external schengen border inc eu citizens)- MID: Multiple-Identity Detector- SLTED: Interpol’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database (checked on crossing external schengen border inc eu citizens)LinksWorld Cup: https://privacyinternational.org/long-read/5759/moving-goalposts-football-facial-recognition-and-expansion-surveillanceUSATrump Administration: https://privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/5713/trump-administration-wants-your-dna-and-social-mediaAirport Phone searches: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/travel/airport-border-phone-search.htmlCustoms and Border Protection phone searches: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/cbp-search-authority/border-search-electronic-devicesSnooperbowl 2000/2001 NFL seasonhttps://www.aclu.org/press-releases/firm-defends-snooper-bowl-technologyOmar Artan, the Somali Referee not allowed in to the US: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cnv9drg0qzgo Some more info on the Iranian team's travel restrictions https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/iran-thank-tijuana-after-world-cup-exit-support-mexico-second-team-2026-06-30/The EU's database complex - the EES and ETIASPI on EU travel surveillance from 2020 https://privacyinternational.org/explainer/4119/travel-surveillance-euStatewatch on the ETIAS https://statewatch.org/news/2026/april/europe-s-uncertain-plans-for-rolling-out-the-automated-border-system-etias/; Statewatch's full report: https://statewatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sw-automated-suspicion-full.pdfStatewatch on expanding EU stravel surveillance: https://statewatch.org/news/2026/january/eu-member-states-want-to-expand-police-surveillance-of-travel/Court cases against Passenger Name Record directive: https://freiheitsrechte.org/en/themen/freiheit-im-digitalen-zeitalter/nopnr-enUN Counter TerrorPI's Travellers' Surveillance report from 2024 https://privacyinternational.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/PI Travellers surveillance report dec 2024_0.pdfPI's briefing: https://privacyinternational.org/report/5481/pis-briefing-travellers-surveillanceUK Border Search of digital devices https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-12-05/debates/D4EA367E-312B-4FA4-A441-0C4E7967C5D6/DigitalDevicesSearchPowersAtTheUKBorderUK's law on seizure of electronic devices from asylum seekers and migrants https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/powers-and-operational-procedure-caseworker-guidance/border-security-asylum-and-immigration-act-2025-seizure-of-electronic-devices-policy-guidance-accessibleTommy Robinson Court Case https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tommy-robinson-cleared-terror-charges-over-refused-phone-access-1752352Muhammad Rabbani - Director of Cage - Schedule 7 terror charges: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41394156

This week we're joined by Bill Goodwin, investigations editor at Computer Weekly and award-winning journalist, to discuss Europol's secret shadow IT system — and what it tells us about how law enforcement agencies evade oversight.LinksComputer Weekly investigation: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642525/They-protect-the-law-while-breaking-it-Inside-Europols-shadow-IT-systemWe Are Solomon: https://wearesolomon.com/en/mag/focus-area/accountability/they-protect-the-law-while-breaking-it-inside-europols-shadow-it-system/Privacy International's 2019 FOI on Europol: https://privacyinternational.org/report/3225/challenging-drivers-surveillance-eu-access-documents-requestsSpanish police and cryptophone intercepts: https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643318/Spanish-police-systematically-hid-cryptophone-intercepts-from-courts-claims-ex-chiefBill's caseGoodwin v United Kingdom: https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/cases/goodwin-v-united-kingdom/The Independent — Reporter's rights violated: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/reporter-s-rights-violated-1438583.htmlHorizonParliamentary committee on Horizon redress: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/365/business-and-trade-committee/news/212661/post-office-horizon-it-scandal-serious-structural-failings-persist-in-redress/Bill at TCIJ on breaking the Horizon story: https://tcij.org/summer-conference-event/breaking-horizon-post-office-scandal/