Technology seems to be the answer to everything these days, also in the migration space. The European Union spends large amounts of tax money on the development of tools and programmes for border surveillance. While governments hope that technology will help to manage migration more efficiently, experts paint a darker picture. They warn that the use of technology is having a serious impact on the fundamental rights of people on the move. Our host Florian Schmitz has invited journalists and researchers to shed light on an issue that brings in a new angle on the discussion around migration. Giorgos Christides (journalist), Petra Molnar (researcher), Wael Qarssifi (journalist), and Drew Mitnick (Programme Director, Digital Policy, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington DC Office) will talk about what role technology played in the Pylos catastrophe, what impact technology has on people on the move and how companies cash in. 

The podcast episode “Is the Big Brother a saviour or a perpetrator?” was recorded on the sidelines of the Shipwrecked. Rethinking migration & asylum in Europe congress organised by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Thessaloniki, Greece on 24-25 June 2024.