The Audio Long Read

The Audio Long Read

The GuardianThe Guardian
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Democracy v the machine: the birth of the digital age and the warnings that were ignored

Many hoped that the march of technology would usher in an egalitarian utopia – but some foresaw the threat it would pose to liberal society. Why did nobody listen? By Jill Lepore. Read by Laurel Lefkow. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

 . 46min 26sec

All Episodes

Democracy v the machine: the birth of the digital age and the warnings that were ignored

Many hoped that the march of technology would usher in an egalitarian utopia – but some foresaw the threat it would pose to liberal society. Why did nobody listen? By Jill Lepore. Read by Laurel Lefkow. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

 . 46min 26sec
The long shadow of Argentina’s dictatorship: she wasn’t who she thought she was. Neither was her father

A young activist thought her father’s disapproval of her leftwing views was purely political. Then one evening, a kiss goodbye sent her on a remarkable journey that continues today By Meaghan Beatley. Read by Cynthia Farrell. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian ...  Show more

 . 43min 25sec
From the archive: Sudan’s outsider: how a paramilitary leader fell out with the army and plunged the country into war

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2023: The civilians of Sudan have been trying to throw off military rule for decades, but now find themselves caught in the mi ...  Show more

 . 42min 39sec
The great silence: why haven’t we found any aliens yet?

Given the size and age of the universe, it should be full of species with technology far more advanced than our own. So where are they? By Adam Kirsch. Read by James Sobol Kelly. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

 . 38min 31sec
Introducing Black Box: The Chatbots

Across the world, hundreds of people have come to believe they have made extraordinary scientific discoveries with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. Others say their AI has ‘awakened’, or is leading them to a higher spiritual realm. The Guardian journalist Michael S ...  Show more

 . 39min 45sec