The Interface
Podcast

The Interface

BBC

25 episodes

What happens when technology collides with real life? Hosted by BBC technology journalist Thomas Germain and social media expert Professor Jessica Maddox, The Interface dives into the stories, trends, apps, gadgets, algorithms and internet obsessions shaping how we live, work, think and connect. From AI and influencers to memes, data leaks, cybersecurity and the weirdest corners of the web, The Interface explores what happens when technology collides with real life. Cutting through the hype, the hosts unpack the platforms, products and online phenomena that increasingly shape our choices, our culture and our sense of self - whether we like it or not! Sharp, insightful and often very funny, The Interface examines our relationship with technology in all its messy, brilliant, absurd and world-changing glory. Along the way, it tackles one of the biggest questions of our age: what kind of future are the likes of Elon Musk, Chat GPT and all the other Silicon Valley giants building, and does anyone really want to live there?

What this show covers

AI ethicschatbotsconsciousnessinternet culturetech industrymicrodramasAI riskTikTokMeta Museprivacysocial media regulationMetaFrances Haugenteen safetyWorld Cup

What listeners will find here

AI welfare, chatbot cruelty, and the strange question of machine pain
This episode asks whether AI can feel pain and why tech companies are starting to talk about AI welfare. Thomas Germain and Jessica Maddox explore the research, the backlash around an “AI torture chamber,” and what happens if a model’s wellbeing starts to matter alongside our own.
AI doom, inbox agents, and TikTok microdramas collide in The Interface’s return
AI risk is the centerpiece here, as Thomas Germain and new co-host Jessica Maddox dig into apocalypse predictions, Meta’s inbox-managing Muse agent, and the rise of 90-second TikTok dramas. It’s a broad, practical look at how big tech debates are starting to shape everyday life.
Frances Haugen revisits Meta, teen safety, and what real tech oversight could look like
Frances Haugen discusses The Social Reckoning, the film inspired by her story, and why she concluded Meta needed outside scrutiny. The episode also looks at teen safety, social media lawsuits, new regulation, and what AI companies might learn from the social media era.
When football gets smarter, does it get less magical?
World Cup technology is the main event here, as Karen Hao, Thomas Germain and Nicky Woolf debate whether body cams, faster offside calls and AI analysis improve football or drain some of its drama. The episode also looks at AI’s role in the “infinite workweek” and closes season one with reflections and listener mail.
Can you erase your worst internet moments — and should everyone get that right?
This episode looks at whether people should be able to force embarrassing online content about themselves offline, starting with new protections for children of family vloggers in California. It also digs into privacy, consent, AI-era recording, and a viral claim that bot traffic vanished after attacks on Russian data centres.

Episodes

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