Backlight 2025: Episode Guide & Ratings

The World Wide Web, once a symbol of hope and freedom, has grown 35 years later into a web of commercial interests, dependency and disinformation. A number of large tech companies determine what we see and do, while democracy and autonomy are under pressure. How did it come to this and how can we make the internet available to everyone again? These pioneers are committed to a healthier internet that takes our human rights into account: Rudy van Belkom of the Future Image of Technology Foundation, MEP Kim van Sparrentak, Nabiha Syed of Mozilla Foundation, action group Ctrl + Alt + Reclaim and lawyer Ramya Krishnan.

At the bottom of the deep sea, large quantities of cobalt, nickel and copper are apparently there for the taking. We are in the crucial phase of the energy transition and are at the beginning of a geopolitical race to mine these raw materials for our batteries. A devilish dilemma, because with it we inevitably cause damage to the bottom of the deep sea. A look at the companies in this emerging industry, a deep-sea biologist and actions by environmental organizations.

How has the world been able to watch the human rights violations in Gaza for so long? Why do we look away from this and what are the consequences for the meaning of international law in the future? A tour of those Dutch people who do feel responsible and speak their conscience, such as civil servants who have protested every week and who are prepared to accept the ultimate consequences. With Liesbeth Zegveld, Alma Mustafic, Berber van der Woude, Angélique Eijpe and Jan Pronk.

In the pressure cooker of war in Ukraine, drone warfare is developing at breakneck speed. How close are we to the ultimate killer drone, an autonomous weapon that selects and destroys a target without human intervention? An investigation into how this technology is changing the battlefield forever. What does it mean when machines are given a decisive role in matters of life and death? Can we limit this technology to the battlefield, or will it seep into the wider society? And does it really matter whether you are killed by a human or a machine?

Can we still do without consultants? A study into the role of consultants within the Dutch government in collaboration with the theatre group De verleiders. While the government outsources tasks, the influence of external advisors is growing. What does this mean for the future of public administration? The proliferation of consultants within the Dutch government is the result of a deliberate management culture that has driven out professionals and replaced them with managers. But the more knowledge is outsourced, the weaker and more dependent the government itself becomes. Who is actually still in charge here? With Mariana Mazzucato, Simon van Teutem and Harry Starren, among others.