Charities Aid Foundation's Giving Thought podcast explored the big issues, themes and news stories relating to philanthropy and the work of civil society.
In episode 18 of the podcast, Rhod takes a look at the
relationship between philanthropy and technology. Including:
Supporting technology: How has philanthropy
has supported the development of new technologies over the years?
We look at the rich history of the Rockefeller Foundation’s
Department of Natural Sciences and the growth of the open source
movement. We also consider the blurred lines between long-term tech
investment and philanthropy, and the “moonshot” approach of Silicon
Valley figures like Elon Musk.
Harnessing Technology: How have philanthropic
organisations used new technologies to further their missions? We
consider some current examples of “Tech for Good”, and take a brief
detour into the history of Victorian chimney sweeps to see how
similar approaches have been used in the past.
Challenging Technology: New technologies may
have negative as well as positive impacts, and charitable
organisations are often required to play a part in addressing these
problems. What new social and environmental challenges might
disruptive technologies pose in the future, that charities will be
called upon to help solve? What role can philanthropy play now in
helping to avoid some of the potential downsides of new
technology?
Charities Aid Foundation's Giving Thought explored the big issues, themes and news stories relating to philanthropy and the work of civil society.
This podcast is no longer produced.