What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future
461 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★ - 224 ratingsEvery Friday and Sunday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.
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Episodes
Why Are Bots Buying Sneakers?
October 29, 2021 10:00 - 29 minutesThe bots aren’t just buying cool sneakers. They’re buying concert tickets. Tickets to basketball games and Broadway shows. At the beginning of the pandemic, they were buying hand sanitizer and face masks. And later, they were booking vaccine reservation spots. Why are bots taking over certain markets? And is there anything we can do to slow them down? Guests: Derreck Johnson, designer at Slate Eric Budish, economics professor at the University of Chicago Host: Seth Stevenson Learn more ab...
Honey, I Sold the House to Zillow
October 22, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutesBetween April and June of this year, Zillow bought nearly 4,000 homes. And they had no intention of holding onto them. The plan was to flip houses, often and at scale, joining the ranks of companies like Opendoor and Offerpad, also known as iBuyers. So, why did Zillow put their plans on pause last weekend? Can online middlemen really change the way we buy and sell houses? Guests: Tony Santos, homeowner Patrick Clark, reporter at Bloomberg Host: Henry Grabar Learn more about your ad choic...
The Return of Hacktivism
October 15, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesOver the last month, the domain company Epik and the streaming service Twitch have fallen prey to massive-scale hacks. The hackers revealed not just email addresses, but detailed personal information too. For Twitch, it was the entire source code for their site. But the attackers aren’t holding this data for ransom. In fact, they don’t seem to want much of anything. What’s motivating this new wave of activist hacks? And who suffers? Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter at the Washington Post...
Will the Facebook Whistleblower Make a Difference?
October 08, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutesThe last month has seen a steady drip of leaked documents from inside Facebook, each seemingly more damning than the next. This week, the whistleblower behind the leaks revealed her identity. What motivates Frances Haugen? And can she do real damage to the social media giant? Guest: Jeff Horwitz, tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal. Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Instagram Does to Teens
October 01, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesSince 2018, internal research teams at Facebook have been studying the effect on Instagram on mental health. Their results couldn’t be more clear: Instagram is causing problems, especially for teen girls. Why has it taken so long for their research to surface? And what can be done to improve the relationship between kids and the platform? Guest: Georgia Wells, tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal. Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are We Getting COVID Testing All Wrong?
September 24, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutesIn the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the dease—than the rapid antigen test. What if that isn’t quite true? Guest: Michael Mina, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sponsored: Tech Solutions that Serve L.A. Citizens with Ted Ross
September 22, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutesThe final episode of Season 1 features Ted Ross, Chief Information Officer for the City of Los Angeles. His role became more vital than ever during the pandemic, with L.A.’s 4 million residents and 50,000 employees relying on the city’s complex technological operation for support. Ted helped his city navigate the challenge with tech solutions built on principles designed to serve citizens and inspire employees: focus on people, improve lives, and lean into promising innovations. Learn more ab...
China vs. Video Games
September 17, 2021 10:00 - 18 minutesRecently, China restricted video game playing to just three hours a week for its young people: 8pm to 9pm, Friday through Sunday. And that’s not the only change. Over the last few months, private tutors, diehard celebrity fans, and tech giants have all faced fresh restrictions from Beijing. What’s behind this new wave of crackdowns? Guest: Brenda Goh, technology correspondent for Reuters Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can This River Be Saved?
September 10, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutesThe Colorado River Basin is experiencing its 22nd year of drought. Its reservoirs are at their lowest-ever levels. The water stored in the system is at just 40 percent of its capacity. How did the situation on the Colorado become so dire? And what does the shortage mean for the 40 million people who rely on its waters? Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten, senior investigative reporter at ProPublica Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Rush for Ivermectin
September 03, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesA medicine meant to treat parasites is the latest unproven COVID treatment craze. With warnings from the FDA, and prescribers clamping down, some are going to extreme lengths to get their hands on the drug. What’s behind Ivermectin’s sudden rise? Guest: Brandy Zadrozny, senior reporter for NBC News Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elizabeth Holmes on Trial
August 27, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutesElizabeth Holmes convinced countless people that her company would change the world. Can she convince 12 jurors that she didn’t intend to deceive her company’s patients and investors? Guest: Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Will Booster Shots Make a Difference?
August 20, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutesThe Biden administration says a third dose of vaccines for all American adults will end the pandemic faster. And experts say there is evidence of waning vaccine effectiveness against mild-to-moderate disease. But globally, what’s the best use of the next available dose? Guest: Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. Host: Lizzie O’Leary This episode was produced by Alyssa Edes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What's Taking the FDA So Long?
August 13, 2021 10:00 - 27 minutesExperts say that a “fully approved” designation for the vaccines could have sweeping effects. Broader vaccination mandates, inclusion for new age groups, and reassurance for those hesitant to take a vaccine without the designation. As calls for approval grow louder and more urgent, the Food and Drug Administration is yet to give its blessing. What’s happening inside the FDA as they work toward this milestone? Guest: Sarah Owermohle, health care reporter at Politico Host: Lizzie O’Leary Le...
Can America Fix Its Trains?
August 06, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutesAmerica used to be at the vanguard of railroad technology. What went wrong? And can the new infrastructure bill fix our broken system? Guests: Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute at NYU Host Henry Grabar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I Bought It. Why Can't I Fix It?
July 30, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutesWhether it’s a phone screen or a coffee machine, why is it so hard to fix our own stuff? And what can we do to make it a bit easier? Guest: Jason Koebler, editor-in-chief of Motherboard and contributor to the CYBER podcast Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Spyware Mercenaries Hack Your Phone
July 23, 2021 10:00 - 32 minutesThis week, Amnesty International and a French journalism nonprofit named Forbidden Stories revealed that technology from a spyware firm called NSO Group is being deployed on a massive scale. The spyware, called Pegasus, gives the user access to every part of a victim’s smartphone -- notes, messages, photos, and recordings. What’s it like for security researchers to see their worst fears about digital spying play out? And what are they worried about next? Guests: John Scott Railton, Senior R...
It's Hot. It's Flooding. Is This the New Normal?
July 16, 2021 10:00 - 24 minutesOver the last month, North Americans have seen record-breaking heat, droughts, wildfires, and floods. The science is clear: we are living through the effects of climate change. Now scientists are trying to answer: is this the new normal? Guest: Daniel Swain, climate scientist at UCLA Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So, What Happens to WFH Now?
July 09, 2021 10:00 - 29 minutesFor many white-collar workers, the full-time work from home era is coming to an end. Some are going back into offices five days a week. Many others will be expected to split the week between home and the office. As the new rules are laid down, office workers are asking themselves: do we want work to go back to the way it was? Or is it time, finally, to try something different? Guest: Brigid Schulte, director of the Better Life Lab at New America Host Henry Grabar Learn more about your ...
Sponsored: The Race to Vaccinate a Nation with Deryck Mitchelson
July 06, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutesFrom Slate Studios & ServiceNow, this episode of Let’s Workflow It features Deryck Mitchelson – one of the leaders taking on the greatest workflow challenge of our time – the effort to vaccinate millions of citizens from COVID-19. As Director of Information Security for NHS National Services Scotland, Deryck manages his nation’s contact tracing and vaccination systems, and shares his unique perspective on the systems and technology necessary to turn vaccines into vaccinations. Listen and subs...
It’s Time to Talk About UFOs
July 02, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesLast week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP. They could only definitively explain one of them. The new report signals a shift in the way we think about UAP. As technology has advanced and evidence of these encounters has increased, the question has become more urgent: What exactly is happening in our skies? Guest: Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for the Washington ...
Welcome to Bitcoin Beach
June 25, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesFor nearly two years, an unprecedented experiment has been taking place in the town of El Zonte in El Salvador. Funded by a mysterious donor, the town’s residents built a Bitcoin economy, using the cryptocurrency to purchase just about anything. Now, El Slavador has passed a new law making it the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. Can they replicate El Zonte’s success at a national scale? Guest: Ezra Fieser, reporter at Bloomberg Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad...
What Cops Are Doing With Your DNA
June 18, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesEver since police used a DNA platform called GEDmatch to crack the Golden State Killer case in 2018, police departments around the country have rushed to use genetic genealogy to crack their own cold cases. The result? Hundreds of violent cases solved. So--why are some states passing new laws to limit this new technology? Guest: Nila Bala, senior staff attorney at the Policing Project at NYU Law. Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Space Billionaires Cost Us
June 11, 2021 10:00 - 24 minutesOver the last decade, billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson have come to embody the future of space travel and exploration. What does it mean when the ideas and ambitions of a few powerful men come to dominate the conversation so thoroughly? Guest: Lucianne Walkowicz, astronomer at the Adler Planetarium and founder of the Just Space Alliance Host Lizzie O’Leary This episode is sponsored by Teamistry. You can listen here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...
The App That Sparked a Manhunt
June 04, 2021 10:00 - 28 minutesTwo weeks ago, as wildfires burned north of Los Angeles, the crime app Citizen offered $30,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of a suspected arsonist. They had the wrong guy. Why is Citizen offering bounties in the first place? And what does this bounty debacle say about the app’s aspirations for the future? Guest: Joseph Cox, reporter at Motherboard Host Henry Grabar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apple and Epic’s Battle Royale
May 28, 2021 10:00 - 22 minutesAfter years of careful planning and public spats, Apple and Epic—the maker of Fortnite—have spent the last three weeks in court, fighting over the future of mobile gaming. What happens if, for once, Apple loses? Guest: Elizabeth Lopatto, deputy editor at the Verge Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Hackers Who Took Down the Colonial Pipeline
May 21, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutesLast week, a hacker group called DarkSide shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Gas prices skyrocketed, people started hoarding gas, and DarkSide walked away with over $4 million in Bitcoin. How did they do it? And what makes this hack different from those we’ve seen before? Guest: David Uberti, cybersecurity reporter at the Wall Street Journal Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How the World’s Great Vaccination Hope Crashed
May 14, 2021 10:00 - 24 minutesThe Serum Institute of India was supposed to supply vaccines not just to India, but to the entire Global South. Now, with cases surging, there aren’t nearly enough vaccines for India’s population, not to mention the many countries that are relying on it. How did such a successful institution come up so short? And what are the costs of that failure? Guest: Samanth Subramanian, senior reporter at Quartz Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oversight Board to Facebook: Nice Try
May 07, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutesThe question of Donald Trump’s banned account--to keep it blocked, or reinstate it--is one of the toughest that Facebook has ever faced. But the social network had a plan: punt the decision to its newly minted Oversight Board, a semi-independent “Supreme Court” tasked with making hard decisions about what content stays up, and what comes down. Did that plan just backfire? Guest: Kate Klonick, professor at St. John’s University School of Law Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad ch...
Tim Apple vs. Mark Facebook
April 30, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutesThere was a time—back when Steve Jobs ran Apple and Mark Zuckerberg was in his early days as Facebook’s CEO— that Apple and Facebook were friends.. Or, at worst, frenemies. But as the companies grew, so did two competing views of how the internet should work. What led to the rift between Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook? And will Apple’s new privacy rules undercut Facebook’s vision for the internet? Guest: Mike Isaac, tech reporter at the New York Times Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more ab...
What's Causing the Tesla Crashes?
April 23, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutesLast week, a Tesla Model S crashed into a tree in a neighborhood north of Houston. Both men inside the car were killed. But according to police, neither of them was in the driver’s seat. This is not the first crash in which Tesla’s “autopilot” feature has likely played a role. Should we really be trusting this technology? Guest: Missy Cummings, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke University Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
Seduced by Substack
April 16, 2021 10:00 - 25 minutesLike countless venture-funded start-ups before it, Substack is “disrupting” the media industry. The newsletter service is siphoning off high-profile talent with a promise of independence and bigger paychecks. But the platform’s influence might reach far beyond the media. Will Substack change the way we think about online creators and their audiences? Can it create a new kind of relationship between them? Guest: Charlie Warzel, writer of Galaxy Brain Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more abou...
The Rise of the Therapy Apps
April 09, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutesSince the start of the pandemic, usage of apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace has skyrocketed. These apps might make mental health care more accessible, but are the products they sell really the same as therapy? Guest: Molly Fischer, features writer for the Cut at New York Magazine Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Introducing: ICYMI
April 04, 2021 12:00 - 28 minutesICYMI is Slate’s new podcast about internet culture. It’s a show for people who have a healthy relationship with the internet, made by people who really, really don’t. It’s hosted by Slate’s Madison Malone Kircher and Rachelle Hampton. Twice a week they’ll explore what’s trending at the top of your feeds, investigate the ghosts of internet past, and help you sound like the smartest person in your group chat. In the episode you’re about to hear, they take you on an all-access tour of Clubhous...
The Fight Over Vaccine Passports
April 02, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutesThere are at least 17 different “vaccine passport” initiatives underway in the United States. And leaked documents reveal that the Biden administration fears that “a chaotic and ineffective vaccine credential approach could hamper our pandemic response by undercutting health safety measures, slowing economic recovery, and undermining public trust and confidence.” Without coordination, a chaotic and ineffective approach seems likely. So, what can, and what should, the Biden administration do...
The AstraZeneca Saga
March 26, 2021 10:00 - 26 minutesBack in April 2020, AstraZeneca was hailed as a frontrunner in the race to get an effective vaccine to market. A year later, after a series of trial pauses, communication blunders, and PR problems, the vaccine is on the cusp of FDA approval. By all accounts, the company succeeded in making a safe, effective vaccine. So why has there been so much confusion about its rollout? Guest: Peter Aldhous, science reporter at Buzzfeed News Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Hate, Lies, and AI
March 19, 2021 10:00 - 27 minutesFacebook’s failure to contain the spread of dangerous misinformation is no secret. For years, the company has pledged publicly to fix the problem. But in the wake of the Capitol riots, it’s clear that there’s more work to be done. So, why isn’t the social media giant using its powerful AI to contain hate and lies? Guest: Karen Hao, senior AI reporter at MIT Technology Review Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Does Google Actually Want to Hire Black Engineers?
March 12, 2021 11:00 - 25 minutesBack in 2014, Google released in-depth diversity data for its workforce for the first time. 1.1 percent of its tech team identified as Black. Six years later, after millions of dollars spent and a much-hyped partnership program with historically Black colleges and universities across the country, that number is up to 2.4 percent. How did such a promising effort yield such incremental change? Guest: Nitasha Tiku, tech culture reporter at the Washington Post Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more a...
The Failing Lifeline for Low-Income Americans
March 05, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutesThe federal Lifeline program was intended to bridge the gap between Americans who could comfortably pay for phone and internet service, and those who couldn’t. But in the midst of the pandemic, Lifeline is falling woefully short. How did a program meant to help connect low-income Americans with phone and internet service ended up making them second-class digital citizens at the worst possible moment? Guest: Tony Romm, senior tech policy reporter at the Washington Post, author of “How the ...
Australia’s Kinda-Sorta Win Over Big Tech
February 26, 2021 11:00 - 23 minutesOver the last year, the Australian government has been waging a quiet war against Facebook and Google. Through a new law, it plans to force the big tech companies to pay news outlets in exchange for linking to their sites. Will this new law have the intended effect? Or will it set a dangerous precedent that cedes even more power over to the tech giants? Guest: JR Hennessy, editor at Business Insider Australia Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...
Why Texas Went Dark
February 19, 2021 11:00 - 23 minutesOver the last week, millions of Texans have been forced to live without power or heat. At least 16 have died since Monday. In a state that’s no stranger to extreme weather and high power demand, how did it all go so wrong? Guest: Josh Rhodes, research associate at the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Clubhouse Cracked China’s Firewall
February 12, 2021 11:00 - 26 minutesFor most of the last year, Clubhouse—the audio-only social media app—has been dominated by conversations about business, branding, and Elon Musk. But as users picked up the app around the globe, something extraordinary happened. Censors in mainland China overlooked it. And for two weeks in February, it hosted a series of unusual, unfiltered conversations. Han Chinese, Hong Kongers, Taiwanese, and Uighurs all flooded to the app to speak freely about authoritarianism, democracy, and propagan...
India Turns Off the Internet
February 05, 2021 11:00 - 22 minutesLast week, in response to protests by farmers outside New Delhi, India, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi restricted access to the mobile web in areas where the protests were unfolding. The move is the latest in the Indian government’s long history of throttling internet access and censoring speech online. Why is the Modi government increasingly shutting down the internet and stifling digital dissent? And what does the party’s history of internet shutdowns tell us about India’s...
Inside the Subreddit That Blew Up GameStop
January 29, 2021 11:00 - 24 minutesThe story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps to go back to the beginning; almost three years ago, in a subreddit called r/wallstreetbets. Guests: Brandon Kochkodin, reporter at Bloomberg Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why the Vaccine Websites Suck
January 22, 2021 11:00 - 30 minutesMost people thought developing the vaccine in record time would be the hard part. That, or shipping millions of doses at subzero temperatures to every corner of the country. But nobody--or, almost nobody--guessed that the biggest barrier between U.S. citizens and vaccination would be … online scheduling. What went wrong with the vaccine websites? And what will it take to get them right? Guests: Raphael Lee, director of USDR’s Health Program Hana Schank, director of Strategy for Public ...
Where the Far Right Is Meeting Now
January 15, 2021 11:00 - 21 minutesAfter Facebook and Twitter banned thousands of accounts in the wake of the Capitol riots, fringe groups are flocking to platforms like Signal and Telegram. With the inauguration just days away, and government officials warning of violence, QAnon believers and Stop the Steal protesters are now communicating in encrypted spaces. What, if anything, is being planned? Guest: Will Sommer, politics reporter at the Daily Beast Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
Deplatforming the President
January 08, 2021 11:00 - 21 minutesThis week, in the wake of violent protests at the Capitol, the social media platforms took unprecedented steps to rein in the president. Facebook banned his account at least through Inauguration Day. Twitter removed tweets and locked his account for 12 hours. Will these measures really make a difference? And how is it that two CEOs came to have so much power over the president’s reach? Guest: Danielle Citron, professor at UVA Law School and vice president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiati...
Was This Google Ethicist Fired for Doing Her Job?
December 15, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutesRecently, one of the world’s leading AI ethics researchers, Timnit Gebru, left Google. Google says she resigned. Timnit says she was fired. In the days since, Timnit’s departure has turned into a public relations crisis for the search giant, prompting its CEO to issue a public apology. What happened behind the scenes at Google that led to Timnit’s dismissal? Guest: Timnit Gebru, AI ethics researcher, and the co-founder of Black in AI. Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choic...
Everybody Sues Facebook
December 11, 2020 10:00 - 24 minutesThis week, the FTC and more than 40 state attorneys general brought antitrust lawsuits against Facebook. And they’re not pulling their punches. They are calling for Facebook to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp into independent companies. In other words, breakup. The lawsuits represent some of the most significant antitrust action in the United States in the last 40 years. Will they get results? Guest: Tony Romm, tech policy reporter at the Washington Post Host Lizzie O’Leary Learn more a...
How Hackers Hold Schools for Ransom
December 04, 2020 10:00 - 23 minutesRansomware attacks--when hackers break into digital systems, encrypt files, and demand payment to unlock them, isn’t new. But 2020 has seen an explosion in the frequency of these hacks, which are often targeted at schools and hospitals. Who is behind this recent spate of attacks? And is there anything schools and hospitals can do to protect themselves? Guests: Jessica Beyer, teacher at Baltimore County Public Schools Dave Uberti, cyber security reporter at the Wall Street Journal Host Lizz...
Inside Biden’s COVID Team
November 20, 2020 10:00 - 25 minutesWhen Joe Biden takes office in two months, the federal government will take on a new stance in its fight to contain the coronavirus. The broad strokes of that strategy have been outlined in debates and on campaign websites, but now the real work begins. Two weeks ago, the president-elect appointed a team of 13 advisers to answer some key questions. How can the new government win the trust of the 73 million Americans who voted for Donald Trump? What would a national mask mandate look like? Ho...