The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Can you enforce laws in cyberspace like you can in the real world? Facebook, now Meta, has struggled to moderate its massive platforms for over a decade, battling with national governments over how it should be regulated. Now, it's preparing to be the biggest player in a new arena - the Metaverse. Lorna Woods, professor of Internet Law, joins Ros Taylor: “The one thing we can say about the metaverse, is that it won't be what we think it is.” “Have we thought about how this service can be misused? Rather than sitting in a phase of techno-optimism about the whole thing.” “The transient nature of the content might be good, as you won't have those long shadows cast over you.” “If we want to see this freeing capacity of the metaverse then we don't want to be tied to one identity.” “We're going to have to think more broadly about how we're going to safeguard.” Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Alex Rees. Original music by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What would a normal day look like inside the metaverse? When would we plug in, and would we ever switch off? Charles Arthur, former technology editor of The Guardian and author of Social Warming: The Dangerous and Polarising Effects of Social Media, joins Ahir Shah to talk about the upsides, downsides and the practicalities of striking a virtual to real-world balance. “The day in the metaverse will be a lot of meetings, a bit like zoom.”  “Travel might be a lot better than slogging through a train and people generously giving you their colds.”  “Well, everything gets used for work and porn in the end.” “We’ve all been on Twitter, everyone's all mouth and no trousers.”  “Maybe everyone will want to wear their headset all day long and sit in little cubes.” “Where we start to blend the real world and cyber, is augmented reality, which is where you put on glasses and you have an overlay for the real world.” “How much extra value will you get from a metaverse meeting over a zoom meeting? If that gets unlocked, then it'll all start happening.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Ahir Shah. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We explore whether Rishi Sunak’s cost of living package is enough to address the long term hardship faced by millions. Or was it yet another political manoeuvre amid Tory turmoil? Plus, we unpack the issues faced by democracies across the globe with our guest Yascha Mounk, political scientist and author of The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure.  “If Johnson can make it to the long summer break, where MPs have weeks away, that might allow people to calm down a little.” – Arthur Snell  “I think the really difficult economic stuff is going to be next winter. It goes from something you worry about to something that fundamentally changes the way you live your life.” – Arthur Snell  "The government has a tendency to respond too late." - Yasmeen Serhan “A lot of discourse would be improved if people were forced to watch one focus group per week.” – Yascha Mounk  “You make better arguments when you know what your opponent means as well.” – Yasmeen Serhan  “I would distinguish between the angry minority and the majority of people.” – Yascha Mounk  https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented by Ros Taylor with Arthur Snell and Yasmeen Serhan. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees, with research by Elina Ganatra. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With yet another party allegation, how will the PM deal with another twist in this neverending scandal? With a further inquiry being called for – how might this play out in the coming days? Plus, America’s gun debate remains at the fore across the Atlantic. And in Northern Ireland, can Stormont break the deadlock and nominate a speaker? Alex Andreou talks to Naomi Smith about what we can expect to happen this week.  “Apparently people are beyond accountability now.” – Naomi Smith "It doesn’t look like we’re heading anywhere to where the gun lobby doesn’t have a vice-like grip on American politics.” – Naomi Smith  “People are suffering from all sorts of things other than Brexit in Northern Ireland.” – Naomi Smith  “Businesses are crying out for visas to be handed out to people with all skills and none.” – Naomi Smith www.patreon.com/bunkercast Presented by Alex Andreou with Naomi Smith. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Africa is made up of 54 different countries – so why is it so often talked about as one singular place? Dipo Faloyin, a senior editor at Vice and author of Africa is Not a Country, joins Jelena Sofronijevic to discuss the continent’s diversity and how that’s been erased in everyday discussions. What led to the condensed view of today and how can we properly engage with the region? “People would rather see the entire region as a singular monolith, instead of a region that can be anything.” “Too many people have grown up with this idea of Africa as a singular monolith.” “Often when we talk about Africa we look at it from 1,000 miles up in the air or we look at it through the lens of safari, and that isn’t the reality for people on the ground.” “It’s always just so sad to hear that people when they think of Africa they see it as a problem.” “It’s hard to get people to see Africa in a different way when they’re still bombarded with images of babies with flies around their head.” “The most important thing is that we start to see vast stories of success, failure, love. That’s something that’s really missing across the pop culture landscape.” “The history of Africa is also the history of the UK.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Jelena Sofronijevic. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

36 years after the original, Tom Cruise returns for Top Gun: Maverick, plus we don our parkas as we listen to the new album from Liam Gallagher, Come On You Know. Legendary music writer and broadcaster Paul Morley, joins us to talk Island Records, Factory Records, and ALL records, and we get comfy in our nests, to watch the latest major Sky adaptation of The Midwich Cuckoos. And Jelena heads out to the Southbank Centre to speak to International Booker Prize shortlister, Mieko Kawakami. Hear all the music on our rolling playlists.Spotify: https://bit.ly/CultBunkTidal: https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1aea7525-7891-4a88-8474-a08c45ea064bPresented and produced by Siân Pattenden and Alex Andreou. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Theme music: ‘Bunker Theme (Juntos Mix)’ by Kenny Dickinson. Co-produced by Jelena Sofronijevic and Elina Ganatra. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. The Culture Bunker is a Podmasters production. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Islander/Chris-Blackwell/9781982172695  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Monkeypox has hit the headlines with its spread in Europe. What is it? How do we deal with it? And should we be worried? With people on high alert to illnesses due to COVID, we unpack the differences and put context around what’s really going on. Dr. Charlotte Hammer, a fellow in emerging infectious diseases at Downing College Cambridge, explains the virus to Jacob Jarvis.  “Monkeypox actually does not come from monkeys, it comes from rodents in central Africa.”  “The symptoms are pretty unspecific. A fever, backache and muscle pain, progressing onto a rash are all common.”  “In medical terms, monkeypox is a mild but unpleasant disease.” “At the moment, there is very limited risk to the general population.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Alex Rees. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As scientists seek extraterrestrial life, what would we do if we actually found it? How would we manage first contact, and could we even communicate with aliens? Franck Marchis, a senior planetary astronomer from the SETI Institute, unpacks the prospect with Andrew Harrison – and the idea aliens might already know we’re here, but we’re too boring for them to care. “The most important question is intelligent life.”  “This discovery will not be a big surprise for a lot of humans on this planet.”  “If we find a civilisation slightly more advanced to us, maybe 100 years, they may be much more intelligent in terms of technology.”  “We may not see them because perhaps their technology is invisible to us.”  “We have been visible as a civilisation for at least 100 years, so they know we are here if they have slightly better technology.”  “I believe that there is microbiological life everywhere, but the key thing is the I in SETI - intelligence.” “It's obvious if you analyse our planet that there is a civilisation there.” “Maybe the future of our civilisation is purely mechanical or technological rather than biological.” https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Assistant Producer: Elina Ganatra. Audio production by Jade Bailey. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Prime Minister is caught red wine handed, we discuss the crises facing Britain alongside the partygate furore. We unpack the further issues looming as the cost of living situation goes from bad to worse. Is there an end in sight? Plus, why do we still pay so much attention to newspaper front pages? Lord Peter Ricketts, former national security adviser and ambassador to France, is this week’s guest.  “I don’t know why you would bring someone along to photograph your crime.” – Ahir Shah  “The only reason I can see for the Government not introducing a windfall tax is that it’s Labour’s idea.” – Ahir Shah  “It’s always popular with the Tory right to cut the Civil Service.” – Peter Ricketts “There’s one person who sets the culture in Government and that’s the Prime Minister.” – Peter Ricketts  “The world is beset with a whole series of different crises.” – Peter Ricketts “Those who are going to carry the blame for this are the civil servants, they’ve been lined up as scapegoats here.” – Peter Ricketts  “We’ve got a very rocky few years ahead.” – Peter Ricketts  “The frontpage is a news outlet's way of signalling to its readers what they should be paying attention to.” – Yasmeen Serhan https://www.patreon.com/bunkercastPresented by Andrew Harrison with Ahir Shah and Yasmeen Serhan. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees, with research by Elina Ganatra. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. The Bunker is a Podmasters Production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sue Gray’s final partygate report is due, meaning a long week ahead for Boris Johnson. What can we expect it to contain? Meanwhile, the cost of living crisis continues to deepen. Is a windfall tax on energy companies inevitable? Plus, we discuss Australia’s new Prime Minister and the latest from Ukraine. Justin Quirk is joined by Alex Andreou to tee up the days ahead. “It’s damaging the Government all the time because it has reversed all their soft ratings.” — Alex Andreou  “The charge of dishonesty is really difficult to get out of.’ – Alex Andreou  “A windfall tax is entirely logical.” – Alex Andreou  “Scott Morrison's loss is a blow to Johnson's government." – Alex Andreou "The notion that you're a shyster getting away with stuff sticks with the public." – Alex Andreou Presented by Justin Quirk with Alex Andreou. Producers: Jacob Archbold, Jelena Sofronijevic and Alex Rees. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Lead Producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices