In the future, everyone will have a podcast — and by “future,” I mean like mid-2020. But one step at a time, starting with Facebook founder, CEO and definite human person, Mark Zuckerberg.
Facebook announced the podcast’s Spotify link on Twitter. How’s that for platform synergy? The rather dryly named “Tech and Society With Mark Zuckerberg” will feature, well, conversations on tech and society with Mark Zuckerberg. Honestly, folks, it’s right there in the name.
“Hey everyone,” Zuck says, opening the second of two posted episodes. “This year I am doing a series of public discussions on the future of internet and society,” referring to what looks to be a finite lineup of episodes. The executive explains in the first episode that show constitutes this year’s “personal challenge,” an annual homework assignment that has resulted in things like Zuckerberg learning Mandarin and writing a home AI.
The first episode features an interview with Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain about technology and the law, while the second conversation with Mathias Dopfner of Axel Springer SE explores journalism. Obviously both have become key points for Facebook in the previous year — though not always under the most ideal circumstances.
At very least, it offers a rare and sustained look at one of technology’s top executives that doesn’t involve drinking glasses of water in front of Congress. And who knows, maybe Zuckerberg and Facebook will learn a little about themselves along the way.