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Hello Outriders!

This week on the podcast I have an update on tech and online observation in Libya, a new robot to introduce you all to and one of Outrider's founding fathers back with us - Chris Vallance has been finding a little Chaos.

Many of us online have been observing social networks in order to get a handle on what has been dubbed the Arab Spring. Various revolutionary movements have taken place in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Yemen. The last weeks have seen more bloody fighting as rebel forces in Libya stormed Colonel Gadaffi's compound to find that there was no one home.

So how to make sense of these events from a distance and to translate updates in a timely fashion online - especially when you are not a large news organisation?

Well, has been doing just that and he managed to find a moment way from answering the emails of journalists and web watching to tell us more about his role and exactly what he does online.

It's one thing trying to spread a message when you are an activist so that people like John can hear you - but it's also important to ensure that your data is also safe - safe from those who may use it for other reasons or to do others harm.

Luckily there are organisations who can help to keep data safe for people who need it most. Stephanie Hankey is the executive director of , she told me more about what they do and how their new fits into the team.

Old time Outrider, Chris Vallance returns to take a look at phone-hacking and mobile phone security. Phones have changed a lot since concerns were first raised about voicemail security over a decade ago. As mobiles get ever smarter, Chris talks to some leading security researchers about the next generation of threats to the security of our calls and data.

And there ends another edition of Outriders. In the mean time you can email me at Outriders at bbc dot co dot uk, give me a nudge on Twitter at , or search for Outriders on to find our page there.

Until next week!
~Jamillah

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Hello Outriders!

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On the podcast this week we have another in-depth interview. Once known as the world's most wanted hacker, has spent time in solitary confinement, on the run as a fugitive, been chased down via his mobile phone signal and now turned his skills into a successful security business.

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Mitnick has been the subject of many news reports, documentaries and even a feature film; but now he is finally able to write his own version of events and has done so in the book "Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker".

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It's a memoir that reads like a thriller that not only shows how little we knew about electronic infiltration in the 80's but also how the terms and activities of hackers have changed from the original pranksters in comparison with today's hacktivists.

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You're probably not on the run from the FBI, but if you are up to something slightly less stressful online, as usual, I want to hear about it. Drop me a line and let me know what you have been up to or if there is something you would like to know more about.

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You can email me at Outriders at bbc dot co dot uk, give me a nudge on Twitter at , or search for Outriders on to find our page there.

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Until next week!

~ Jamillah

Hello Outriders!

This week we have an author interview on the podcast and one that might share a picture of some of the movers and shakers in our world online.

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’s book - follows her journey through Germany’s legendary Chaos Computer Club through meetings with extraordinary hackers like Rop Gonggrijp and Julian Assange and asks some tricky questions about the nature of online new radicals and activists.

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We talked about the politics of code and the people who work on making our online environment open.

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Until next week!

~ Jamillah

Hello Outriders!

This week we're going looooong!

In an online environment that is about short clips, grazing and scanning, where can we kick back and take our time over something a little longer? On the podcast, you will find tips and ideas about longer formats for writing, audio, video and art. It's been a pleasure to take my time and indulge a little for a change.

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First up I chatted with Mark Armstrong, the founder of about why it is important to write in long form online. Now that we have tablets and readers, should all writing online be so short and choppy?

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The art of podcasting has been around a very long time and is still a popular method of exchanging ideas and information. But does it stand up to longer formats? I chatted with who is a podcaster and explored the optimum length for podcasting on his blog.

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From audio to video, online streaming and faster downloads have made long form video a popular choice online. In some ways it may be replacing the trip to a physical shop in order to borrow a film. When is the last time you went to your local video and DVD store? Or do you now subscribe to movies online? Christophor Rick is the Associate Editor at , an online news and information resource. We chatted about watching video online.

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And from video to art,and how mobiles can help us spend a little more time with new creations. The Siggraph event is taking place in Vancouver, Canada and there's a bit more interactivity built into the presentation of works in the art gallery this year. Mona Kasra is the Art Gallery Chair for Siggraph 2011 and she pushed the idea of linking works of art to podcasts via QR, so naturally I had to ask her to explain what is and how this came to happen.

It's been fun checking out the places where the hectic glance over content is not the norm. If you are up to something online or would like to point us toward a site you'd like to learn more about, then please do drop a line.

Outriders at bbc dot co dot uk is the email address for longer messages, Twitter of course for short shouts - look for and you can always check our in between by searching for Outriders.

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Until next week!

~ Jamillah

Hello Outriders!

This week we have a mix of flavours on the podcast from fighting crime to meta-networking.

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First up, radio journalist and writer for Global Voices, has been following the curious tale of bloggers fighting crime in Russia. When a well-known photo-blogger got shot at and posts images online, the surrounding digital community sprang into action to identify the person in his images and try to track down who was responsible. Good community action or vigilantism? Ashley and I talked about action online in Russia.

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If you have a great idea and want to develop it into a digital business, where do you start? Smaller ideas may be easily contained, but for further growth there are places where you can be supported from receiving great advice, funding and even a roof over your head.

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Pascal Finette runs the program for Mozilla where they are working on taking good ideas further. He told me why it started and what Mozilla and their fellows get out of the deal.

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Of course you might decide to go it alone, but a solo venture for any developer could turn out to be too big to manage - especially if it is popular. Nate Weiner is the founder and CEO of . His idea grew very quickly and on many platforms. Now he is hiring and expanding. We talked about when he realised it was time to grow outwards and what it is like to relinquish some control for the sake of development.

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Finally this week, social networks within social networks. You may have an avatar on your social network account, but do you need an account for your avatar? It's not as confusing as it may seem. The 3D environment, Second Life has launched a social network for its users. While other parts of the web discuss the importance of pseudonyms online, is a profile for an avatar moving us away from our real selves? San Francisco based writer and journalist Wagner James Au of helped to talk through the issues of hiding behind and name and staying safe with an avatar.

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That's all for this week, but in the space between episodes, you can of course get in touch and let me know what's been floating your digital boat.

You can email me at Outriders at bbc dot co dot uk, tweet at us on Twitter or come and see the for further weekly updates.

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Until next week!

~ Jamillah

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