New film exposes AI’s role in online child sexual exploitation

I'm sick, so I've been watching, listening, reading and planning instead of writing. Here's what I found...

Forgive me, I spent the first half of this week in Shanghai and the second half in bed, sick with whatever I caught in, on the way to, or back from Shanghai. In my rare moments of lucidness I managed to churn out my first magazine article, commissioned as a result of Pro-Human (yay!), but I have no more original words so must palm you off with recommendations. I am sure you’ll get over it!

New film exposes AI’s role in online child sexual exploitation and calls for urgent global action

In 2012 the We Protect Global Alliance was launched to protect children from the growing threat of online sexual exploitation and abuse. With the launch of AI in 2022 their mission got harder by orders of magnitude.

Last week they launched a short film, Protect Us, based on real testimony from real children who have been the victims of AI scams and deep fakes. Their stories are told through some extraordinary young actors who powerfully articulate what 300 million kids went through last year. I am going to repeat that, slowly: THREE HUNDRED MILLION CHILDREN!

Watch it now and be glad that We Protect are working hard to assess the threats, build the tools and work with over 300 governments, the private sector, civil society and international organisations to do as the film says and protect us.

Harnessing Pedal Power: How Myles Delfin and Bike Scouts aid communities in crisis

The Pro-Human Podcast went live last week with the story of Myles Delfin who gave up a successful career in advertising to found Bike Scouts, a volunteer band of cyclists across the Philippines delivering life-saving aid to hard-to-reach communities in crisis.

Last year, due explicitly to climate change, he and his team bravely rode in to a record-breaking seven consecutive typhoons that displaced 1.4 million people, damaged infrastructure, destroyed homes and crops, costing an estimated US$500million. Watch the 1-minute trailer below and keep scrolling for links to hear his full story on all your favourite platforms.

Watch or listen to the full episode on:

• Substack

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

The Ghosts in the Machine: Spotify’s plot against musicians

You’ve heard whispers on the wind, maybe even read

Ted Gioia

’s posts about them, but journalist Liz Perry has gone in search of incontrovertible proof that ghost artists exist on Spotify 👻

Bookmark this, make a cup of tea and find a comfy spot on the sofa, it’s a long-read but it plays out like a thriller and will leave you wondering what you should do about your Spotify account: https://harpers.org/archive/2025/01/the-ghosts-in-the-machine-liz-pelly-spotify-musicians/

Listen to Linying living her best life in Blond(i)e

I intend to share a lot more Singaporean music on Substack but for now let me just point you in the direction of Linying’s latest EP Blondie featuring breathy female vocals above head-nodding beats, uplifting guitars and odd key changes. My favourite track is Donovan, which has a weird video too!

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Seeing Sound, Hearing Time OR CB Dogs EP launch? 🤔

I’m not in Tokyo but my goodness, if I was, I’d be at the Museum of Contemporary Art for Ryuichi Sakamoto: Seeing Sound, Hearing Time, described by Time Out as ‘the interdisciplinary practice of a creative genius’. As it is I am in Singapore so, instead, I’m probably gonna go to the EP launch of local punks CB Dogs supported by Impermanence, Homeless Scholars and Goose if anyone wants to join me? Get tickets here.

cheapbuyrecords

A post shared by @cheapbuyrecords

And finally, y’know, Christopher Walken just, y’know, being a genius

Some of you may know I act and am often drawn to acting advice and anecdotes and this short video of Christopher Walken at work is a masterclass. Playing Frank Abagnale Sr. opposite Leonard DiCaprio in Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can he delivers the same story in three different takes and astonishes with the final one. This is what we’re aiming at, this depth of humanity, this command of one’s instrument.

Right, more original thoughts next time but that’ll do ya for now! Nx