Quick Smart

The Victorian government has signed into law a historic Treaty with First Nations people. It’s supposed to help fix the effects of institutional harm. So, what will actually change?

Ray Johnston, a tech reporter and host of Download This Show, dives deep into the complexities of digital privacy. He explains how personal data can manipulate everything from prices to political opinions. Johnston highlights the threats of data brokers and warns against sharing sensitive details with AI. He shares personal anecdotes, revealing shocking insights from auditing his own digital footprint. Ray also offers practical tips to tighten data security, emphasizing the importance of withholding unnecessary information online.

From pub bands and street buskers to TikTok-ing teens, the world is full of music covers. Some are admirable, others are average. Yet every so often, an artist will release a cover that flips a song on its head. So, why are we drawn to making the old new again? 

David Rutledge, host of The Philosopher's Zone and a philosopher focused on democratic theory, delves into the precarious state of democracy today. He discusses how some leaders resemble monarchs and the dangers of disinformation. Rutledge explores Plato's skepticism about democracy and how societal fears can lead to voter apathy. He highlights the cultural shifts that made same-sex marriage possible and emphasizes the need for robust journalism to combat anti-democratic forces. Grassroots movements, he argues, are vital for preserving democratic values.

From a muddling Mr Darcy to Clueless diva Cher Horowitz, some of the most iconic characters in books, films and TV were conceived by Jane Austen — or based on her works. So, who was she, really? And what makes her classics... classic?

Google gets billions of searches every day. But now, the tech giant wants to be AI-fuelled “answer engine”, rather than a gateway to other sites. It poses a massive threat to journalism, but it’ll also affect the information we see and don’t see. 

If you needed a life-saving transplant, would you take a gene-edited organ from a pig? It sounds like science fiction, but this procedure has been researched for decades, and it could help solve the massive organ shortage. But is it ethical to use animals for their parts? And are there other risks? 

A Catholic and a Satanist walked into a bar ... and managed to fall in love? During the past two decades, more of us have become non-religious, but we’re also increasingly up for dating and marrying across the spiritual divide. So, how do interfaith couples make it work? And what can we learn from them?

Remember when you could drop off soft plastics at the supermarket and feel a little smug, because you knew they’d be recycled? Turns out that scheme was secretly stockpiling rubbish, not recycling it. So, why are soft plastics harder to recycle? And will a new scheme actually work? 

When you think of a saint, who do you picture? Chances are it’s not a tracksuit-wearing, video game playing teen, but that's exactly who the Catholic Church canonised recently. So, why was Carlo Acutis special? What miracles did he perform? And could his sainthood help drive younger people back to religion?