Chris Vallance

In this enlightening discussion, Chris Vallance, a technology correspondent, delves into Australia's groundbreaking law prohibiting under-16s from accessing social media, unveiling its implications and hefty fines for non-compliance. Katie Watson, the Australia correspondent, shares compelling stories from teenagers and families adapting to life without social media, highlighting both connectivity challenges in rural areas and the potential for reduced bullying. Together, they explore the ban's societal impact and the ongoing debate on its effectiveness.

Guy Bisson, an expert in the media industry, dives into Paramount Skydance's audacious $108 billion bid for Warner Bros Discovery and the regulatory hurdles Netflix might face. Fabian Sulig analyzes China's staggering $1 trillion trade surplus and its repercussions for the EU's economy. Meanwhile, Chris Vallance reveals the latest on the European Commission's clash with X over blue verification badges and the escalating tensions between US and EU tech regulations. It's a captivating discussion on media, trade, and technology in a rapidly changing landscape.

Chris Vallance, a BBC technology reporter, unpacks the recent AWS outage that disrupted major apps like Snapchat, Fortnite, and Delta Airlines. He explains how a DNS issue caused widespread service failures, putting a spotlight on our heavy reliance on a few dominant tech firms. Chris discusses the risks of future outages, why startups flock to these services, and the geopolitical implications of this dependency. Listeners also hear how students were personally affected by the downtime, highlighting the vulnerability of our digital lives.