When conservative writer Richard Hanania’s old posts, originally published under a pseudonym, came to light, people were shocked at just how racist and reactionary they were. Perhaps less shocking were the tech moguls who were revealed to be supporting him. Guest: Anil Dash, technologist and writer, and the head of GlitchIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When conservative writer Richard Hanania’s old posts, originally published under a pseudonym, came to light, people were shocked at just how racist and reactionary they were. Perhaps less shocking were the tech moguls who were revealed to be supporting him.  Guest: <a href="https://www.anildash.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anil Dash</a>, technologist and writer, and the head of <a href="https://glitch.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Glitch</a> If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Tech's Mask Off Moment

A “smart gun” is designed to only work in the hands of the gun’s proper owner. With the first smart gun potentially coming to market later this year, can the tech deliver on its promise?Guests: Champe Barton, reporter at The TraceKai Kloepfer, founder and CEO of BiofireIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A “smart gun” is designed to only work in the hands of the gun’s proper owner. With the first smart gun potentially coming to market later this year, can the tech deliver on its promise? Guests: <a href="https://twitter.com/champebarton" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Champe Barton</a>, reporter at The Trace<a href="https://twitter.com/kaikloepfer?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kai Kloepfer</a>, founder and CEO of Biofire If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Can Smart Guns Save Lives?

After a quiet spring, COVID is surging back for the fourth consecutive summer. So, is this just life now? Guest: Katherine Wu, staff writer at the AtlanticIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a quiet spring, COVID is surging back for the fourth consecutive summer. So, is this just life now?  Guest: <a href="https://twitter.com/katherinejwu?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katherine Wu</a>, staff writer at the Atlantic If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Another Summer of COVID

Tesla sold a vision of how electric vehicles would work: just like gas-powered cars, but cleaner, better. But as a scandal about misrepresented battery life and driving range unfolds, and the price of their cars remains high, it increasingly looks like the transition will be anything but seamless—if it happens at all. Guest: Edward Niedermeyer, author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors.You can check out Reuters reporting on Tesla’s range scandal here. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tesla sold a vision of how electric vehicles would work: just like gas-powered cars, but cleaner, better. But as a scandal about misrepresented battery life and driving range unfolds, and the price of their cars remains high, it increasingly looks like the transition will be anything but seamless—if it happens at all.  Guest: Edward Niedermeyer, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1948836122/?tag=slatmaga-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors</a>. You can check out Reuters reporting on Tesla’s range scandal <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-batteries-range/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here.</a> If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Tesla's Big Lie

It’s 2023 – and less than half of all Americans have returned to the office full time. That means U.S. downtowns from San Francisco to New York are emptier than they’ve been in decades. Offices are actually trending away from policies that mandate returning five days a week. So, how can cities get creative – and develop some new ways to boost the local economy?Guest: Henry Grabar, Slate staff writerIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s 2023 – and less than half of all Americans have returned to the office full time. That means U.S. downtowns from San Francisco to New York are emptier than they’ve been in decades. Offices are actually trending away from policies that mandate returning five days a week. So, how can cities get creative – and develop some new ways to boost the local economy? Guest: <a href="https://twitter.com/henrygrabar" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Henry Grabar</a>, Slate staff writer If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

America’s Downtown Ghost Towns

At a White House summit late last week, some of the biggest names in tech - including Meta, Google and OpenAI - signed “voluntary” commitments to safeguard artificial intelligence. In Congress, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer recently introduced a “legislative framework” for A.I. law… but as they debate and deliberate, the A.I. train continues to move full steam ahead. It’s clear the government’s paying attention, but can they keep up with the technology?  Guest: Makena Kelly, politics reporter at The VergeDon Beyer, U.S. representative for Virginia's 8th congressional districtIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a White House summit late last week, some of the biggest names in tech - including Meta, Google and OpenAI - signed “voluntary” commitments to safeguard artificial intelligence. In Congress, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer recently introduced a “legislative framework” for A.I. law… but as they debate and deliberate, the A.I. train continues to move full steam ahead. It’s clear the government’s paying attention, but can they keep up with the technology?   Guest: <a href="https://twitter.com/kellymakena" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Makena Kelly</a>, politics reporter at The Verge<a href="https://twitter.com/RepDonBeyer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Don Beyer</a>, U.S. representative for Virginia's 8th congressional district If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Amicus—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Washington vs. A.I.

When the tech industry started rounds of layoffs this year, almost half of the people let go were women—even though they make up a much smaller percentage of the workforce. What does this say about women in tech, and efforts to diversify the industry overall?Guest: Emma Goldberg, a reporter who covers the future of work for the New York Times.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the tech industry started rounds of layoffs this year, almost half of the people let go were women—even though they make up a much smaller percentage of the workforce. What does this say about women in tech, and efforts to diversify the industry overall? Guest: <a href="https://twitter.com/emmabgo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emma Goldberg</a>, a reporter who <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/emma-goldberg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">covers the future</a> of work for the New York Times. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Why Tech Lays Women Off First

To keep places like Phoenix habitable, we need to have air-conditioning. But to have air-conditioning, we need a functional, modern electrical grid. With America’s grid already aging—and more demand coming in the form of electric cars and more A/C for hotter weather—what will it take to keep it going as the weather gets more extreme? Guest: Dr. Joshua Rhodes, research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin studying energy systems and how they interact with our environment, climate, and life.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To keep places like Phoenix habitable, we need to have air-conditioning. But to have air-conditioning, we need a functional, modern electrical grid. With America’s grid already aging—and more demand coming in the form of electric cars and more A/C for hotter weather—what will it take to keep it going as the weather gets more extreme?  Guest: <a href="https://twitter.com/joshdr83" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dr. Joshua Rhodes</a>, research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin studying energy systems and how they interact with our environment, climate, and life. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

America’s $5 Trillion Grid Problem

Pedestrian deaths in America have been rising for the last decade, while dropping in Europe and Japan. What makes the U.S. so dangerous for pedestrians?Guest: Jessie Singer, author of There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster―Who Profits and Who Pays the Price. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pedestrian deaths in America have been rising for the last decade, while dropping in Europe and Japan. What makes the U.S. so dangerous for pedestrians? Guest: <a href="https://twitter.com/JessieSingerNYC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jessie Singer</a>, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1982129662/?tag=slatmaga-20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster―Who Profits and Who Pays the Price</a>.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

America’s Killer Car Problem

Contract negotiations between the Teamsters and UPS broke down last week and now a strike looms. With time running out, can both sides reach a deal? Guest: Noam Scheiber, labor reporter for the New York Times.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Contract negotiations between the Teamsters and UPS broke down last week and now a strike looms. With time running out, can both sides reach a deal?  Guest: <a href="https://twitter.com/noamscheiber" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Noam Scheiber</a>, labor reporter for the New York Times. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at<a href="http://slate.com/whatnextplus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> slate.com/whatnextplus</a> to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Will UPS Workers Join "Hot Strike Summer?"

Every Friday, 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.

The Google piece seemed unduly biased. Odd for a tech/news podcast. I want news and insight, not biased commentary.

Biased.

Bring back the old theme song

What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about a somewhat surprising speech from the antitrust chief of Trump’s DOJ. They bring you up to date on a big new data privacy bill in Congress, and Mike Nuñez, a journalist for Mashable, joins the show to discuss how his reporting on alleged liberal bias at Facebook has sparked a somewhat bizarre Congressional inquiry.The hosts are also joined by Dr. Mary Anne Franks, a professor of law at the University of Miami Law School, where she teaches criminal law, First Amendment law, and Technology policy. They speak about the massively important Communications Decency Act, which was just amended to allow victims of sex trafficking to sue websites that knowingly facilitate it.And as always, “Don’t Close My Tabs,” the Sean Hannity/Jeff Bezos edition.Timestamps:1:40 DOJ Antitrust Speech6:15 New data privacy bill11:13 Diamond and Silk on Capitol Hill: phone call with Mashable’s Michael Nuñez20:55 Zillow clarification regarding last week’s show22:14 Interview: Professor Mary Anne Franks on amending the CDA to fight sex trafficking44: 08 Don’t Close My TabsDon’t Close My Tabs Links:KQED: How Sean Hannity Began His Path to Punditry on Santa Barbara Community RadioWashingtonian: Here Are the Floor Plans for Jeff Bezos’s $23 Million DC HomePodcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about a somewhat surprising speech from the antitrust chief of Trump’s DOJ. They bring you up to date on a big new data privacy bill in Congress, and Mike <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelFNunez" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nuñez</a>, a journalist for Mashable, joins the show to discuss how his reporting on alleged liberal bias at Facebook has sparked a somewhat bizarre Congressional inquiry.The hosts are also joined by Dr. Mary Anne Franks, a professor of law at the University of Miami Law School, where she teaches criminal law, First Amendment law, and Technology policy. They speak about the massively important Communications Decency Act, which was just amended to allow victims of sex trafficking to sue websites that knowingly facilitate it.And as always, “Don’t Close My Tabs,” the Sean Hannity/Jeff Bezos edition.Timestamps:1:40 DOJ Antitrust Speech6:15 New data privacy bill11:13 Diamond and Silk on Capitol Hill: phone call with Mashable’s <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelFNunez" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Nuñez</a>20:55 Zillow clarification regarding last week’s show22:14 Interview: Professor Mary Anne Franks on amending the CDA to fight sex trafficking44: 08 Don’t Close My TabsDon’t Close My Tabs Links:KQED: <a href="https://www.kqed.org/news/11664214/how-sean-hannity-began-his-path-to-punditry-on-santa-barbara-community-radio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How Sean Hannity Began His Path to Punditry on Santa Barbara Community Radio</a>Washingtonian: <a href="https://www.washingtonian.com/2018/04/22/here-are-the-floor-plans-for-jeff-bezos-23-million-dc-home/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here Are the Floor Plans for Jeff Bezos’s $23 Million DC Home</a>Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

The Cost of Online Immunity

Elon Musk

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about how Google has been tracking and storing your location—even after you’ve asked it not to. Then they review some of the disturbing security news out of DEF CON, the annual hacker conference in Las Vegas, including a demonstration in which an 11-year-old managed to hack a voting machine in minutes.The hosts are joined by Dana Hull, a reporter for Bloomberg News, who covers the electric-car company Tesla and the space transportation company SpaceX. What those companies have in common, of course, is their CEO, the enigmatic Elon Musk. Will and April ask her what to make of Musk’s latest machinations, including his surprise bid to turn Tesla back into a private company.Don’t Close My Tabs: Huffington Post:The Story Behind the Story That Created a Political Nightmare for FacebookThe Washington Post: A Small-Town Couple Left Behind a Stolen Painting Worth Over 100 Million Dollars - And a Big MysteryPodcast production by Max JacobsIf Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Listen to If Then via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about how Google has been tracking and storing your location—even after you’ve asked it not to. Then they review some of the disturbing security news out of DEF CON, the annual hacker conference in Las Vegas, including a demonstration in which an 11-year-old managed to hack a voting machine in minutes.The hosts are joined by Dana Hull, a reporter for Bloomberg News, who covers the electric-car company Tesla and the space transportation company SpaceX. What those companies have in common, of course, is their CEO, the enigmatic Elon Musk. Will and April ask her what to make of Musk’s latest machinations, including his surprise bid to turn Tesla back into a private company.Don’t Close My Tabs: Huffington Post:<a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/facebook-gizmodo-gawker-trending-conservatives_us_5b6c9b16e4b0530743c83f58" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Story Behind the Story That Created a Political Nightmare for Facebook</a>The Washington Post: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/03/a-small-town-couple-left-behind-a-stolen-painting-worth-over-100-million-and-a-big-mystery/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Small-Town Couple Left Behind a Stolen Painting Worth Over 100 Million Dollars - And a Big Mystery</a>Podcast production by Max JacobsIf Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>.Listen to If Then via <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/if-then/id1302281912?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1302281912/if-then" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6nFN4Aen7LHG0t5h3ygCFY?si=oau6KD4ZTXWe-kociTjDTw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, Stitcher, or <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Imzjxshmkqm7o2wy73dc77ntvma" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Play</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Making Sense of Elon Musk

Technology continues to change the way we live and work. Which is why The Secret History of The Future—the new technology show from Slate and The Economists—is digging through the past to find lessons for our future. Subscribe to Secret History of the Future via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Technology continues to change the way we live and work. Which is why The Secret History of The Future—the new technology show from Slate and The Economists—is digging through the past to find lessons for our future. Subscribe to Secret History of the Future via <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-secret-history-of-the-future/id1422830638?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1422830638/the-secret-history-of-the-future" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2LU5CNGlh7vGy1OYW83qco" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/slate/the-secret-history-of-the-future" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stitcher</a>, or <a href="https://play.google.com/music/m/Ifatedkrihdpmhckuffftktcjlq?t=The_Secret_History_of_the_Future" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Play</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

If Then Presents: The Secret History of The Future

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about changes to net neutrality that were announced this week. They also talk a little about the digital media bubble and if it’s real, and April will also tell us about how living with a robot is going. We also have Black friday special for you - the hosts will talk with Brian Krebs, an expert on cybercrime - about everything retailers and consumers should know before the big day. And lastly, Don’t Close My Tabs - Will and April’s picks for best on the web this week.April’s Tab:https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/12/the-making-of-an-american-nazi/544119/Will’s Tab - https://www.thedailybeast.com/ceo-of-hq-the-hottest-app-going-if-you-run-this-profile-well-fire-our-hostYou can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April is @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment for us, you can email as well at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about changes to net neutrality that were announced this week. They also talk a little about the digital media bubble and if it’s real, and April will also tell us about how living with a robot is going. We also have Black friday special for you - the hosts will talk with Brian Krebs, an expert on cybercrime - about everything retailers and consumers should know before the big day. And lastly, Don’t Close My Tabs - Will and April’s picks for best on the web this week.April’s Tab:<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/12/the-making-of-an-american-nazi/544119/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/12/the-making-of-an-american-nazi/544119/</a>Will’s Tab - <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/ceo-of-hq-the-hottest-app-going-if-you-run-this-profile-well-fire-our-host" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thedailybeast.com/ceo-of-hq-the-hottest-app-going-if-you-run-this-profile-well-fire-our-host</a>You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April is @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment for us, you can email as well at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Hack Friday

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus dig into special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s recent indictment of 13 Russian nationals and 3 Russian companies for their role in tampering with the 2016 election. Jonathan Albright from the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia join the hosts to talk about his take on the indictments, and the research he’s conducted that show how the big social media companies were manipulated by Russian trolls from the Internet Research Agency at a rate far greater than those companies claimed. Don’t Close My Tabs:The Verge: Google Removes ‘View Image’ Button From Search ResultsVulture: The Story of Combat Jack, Hip-Hop’s Flagship Podcaster Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Please fill out the Slate podcast survey at slate.com/podcastsurvey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus dig into special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s recent indictment of 13 Russian nationals and 3 Russian companies for their role in tampering with the 2016 election. Jonathan Albright from the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia join the hosts to talk about his take on the indictments, and the research he’s conducted that show how the big social media companies were manipulated by Russian trolls from the Internet Research Agency at a rate far greater than those companies claimed. Don’t Close My Tabs:The Verge: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/15/17017864/google-removes-view-image-button-from-search-results" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Removes ‘View Image’ Button From Search Results</a>Vulture: <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2018/02/the-story-of-combat-jack-hip-hops-flagship-podcaster.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Story of Combat Jack, Hip-Hop’s Flagship Podcaster </a>Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>.Please fill out the Slate podcast survey at <a href="http://slate.com/podcastsurvey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">slate.com/podcastsurvey</a> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

How Russian Trolls Went Local

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss Elon Musk’s plan to… colonize Mars? They explain how sanctuary cities may unwittingly be sharing data with ICE through police surveillance tech. And Facebook VP Adam Mosseri, head of the news feed, joins the show for a wide-ranging interview. He explains how his team thinks about its responsibility to inform the public, and how they tackle complex problems ranging from fake news in the United States to Facebook-fueled hate campaigns in Myanmar.Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss Elon Musk’s plan to… colonize Mars? They explain how sanctuary cities may unwittingly be sharing data with ICE through police surveillance tech. And Facebook VP Adam Mosseri, head of the news feed, joins the show for a wide-ranging interview. He explains how his team thinks about its responsibility to inform the public, and how they tackle complex problems ranging from fake news in the United States to Facebook-fueled hate campaigns in Myanmar.Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

What Keeps Facebook Up at Night

Over the last week, Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg have been under fire for declining to fact-check political ads. But a former insider says this is the wrong debate to be having—and it misses a more fundamental problem: Facebook’s business model itself. Guests: Yael Eisenstat, former head of global elections integrity operations at Facebook and Charlie Warzel, an opinion writer at the New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last week, Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg have been under fire for declining to fact-check political ads. But a former insider says this is the wrong debate to be having—and it misses a more fundamental problem: Facebook’s business model itself. Guests: Yael Eisenstat, former head of global elections integrity operations at Facebook and Charlie Warzel, an opinion writer at the New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Inside Facebook's Political Ad Mess

Mark Zuckerberg

Will Congress let Mark Zuckerberg get away with under-sharing? On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus break down the Facebook chief’s trip to Washington to testify before Congress on the Cambridge Analytica scandal. They review the most amusing and revealing moments from his 10-hour testimony. The hosts also analyze Zuckerberg’s evasion strategy and discuss whether members of Congress were buying it. And they look ahead to what regulation might be brewing that could affect Facebook and other Internet companies. Finally, Don’t Close My Tabs: their picks for the best stories and Twitter threads on the Web this week.Don't Close My TabsBloomberg: Tesla Workers Claim Racial Bias and Abuse at Electric Car FactoryTwitter: @Max_FisherPodcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

<h1>Will Congress let Mark Zuckerberg get away with under-sharing? On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus break down the Facebook chief’s trip to Washington to testify before Congress on the Cambridge Analytica scandal. They review the most amusing and revealing moments from his 10-hour testimony.  The hosts also analyze Zuckerberg’s evasion strategy and discuss whether members of Congress were buying it. And they look ahead to what regulation might be brewing that could affect Facebook and other Internet companies. Finally, Don’t Close My Tabs: their picks for the best stories and Twitter threads on the Web this week. </h1>Don't Close My Tabs Bloomberg: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-04-12/tesla-workers-claim-racial-bias-and-abuse-at-electric-car-factory" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tesla Workers Claim Racial Bias and Abuse at Electric Car Factory</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Max_Fisher/status/984171745732161536" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Max_Fisher</a> Podcast production by Max Jacobs. If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com. If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

What Mark Zuckerberg Didn’t Share

On today’s show, hosts April Glaser and Will Oremus take a look at an increasingly popular online privacy tool--that has some serious trust issues of its own. We’re talking about VPNs, or virtual private networks, and why the average user might have a very hard time figuring out which one to trust.The hosts will also look at privacy blunder number one billion from our friends at Facebook. This one involves two factor authentication, a feature to ostensibly help keep your account safer that turns out to be another good way for Facebook to keep track of you, wherever you go. Mark Zuckerberg told Congress, “you own your data”--but once you give Facebook your phone number, good luck ever taking it back.1:11 - Interview with Will Oremus24:00 - Don’t Close My TabsStories discussed on the show: Slate: Do You Trust Your VPN? Are You Sure?Don’t Close My Tabs:April: Wired: Are Men at Google Paid Less than Women? Not Really.Will: Instagram: Nathan W PylePodcast production by Max JacobsYou can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show, hosts April Glaser and Will Oremus take a look at an increasingly popular online privacy tool--that has some serious trust issues of its own. We’re talking about VPNs, or virtual private networks, and why the average user might have a very hard time figuring out which one to trust.The hosts will also look at privacy blunder number one billion from our friends at Facebook. This one involves two factor authentication, a feature to ostensibly help keep your account safer that turns out to be another good way for Facebook to keep track of you, wherever you go. Mark Zuckerberg told Congress, “you own your data”--but once you give Facebook your phone number, good luck ever taking it back.1:11 - Interview with Will Oremus24:00 - Don’t Close My TabsStories discussed on the show: Slate: <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2019/02/best-vpn-companies-trust-privacy.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Do You Trust Your VPN? Are You Sure?</a>Don’t Close My Tabs:April: Wired: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/men-google-paid-less-than-women-not-really/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Are Men at Google Paid Less than Women? Not Really.</a>Will: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nathanwpyle/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram: Nathan W Pyle</a>Podcast production by Max JacobsYou can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

How To Trust A VPN

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about what’s happening new with the proposed $3.9 billion dollar merger between Sinclair, the largest television station owner in the country and also happens to have an overt tilt in favor of Trump, and Tribune media. Thanks to an unexpected announcement from the FCC last week, that merger may be doomed. The hosts are also joined by Claire Wardle, the executive director of First Draft, a nonprofit news literacy and fact-checking outfit with Harvard University. Wardle works hands-on with journalists and newsrooms around the world to find and responsibly debunk disinformation. They talk to Wardle about what we should be concerned about as the midterm elections approach, how false stories spread on social media to confuse readers, disenfranchise voters, or incite violence—even when Russian agents aren’t working behind the scenes. Don’t Close My TabsThe Atlantic: Artificial Intelligence Shows Why Atheism Is UnpopularTwitter: Shane Goldmacher Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Listen to If Then via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about what’s happening new with the proposed $3.9 billion dollar merger between Sinclair, the largest television station owner in the country and also happens to have an overt tilt in favor of Trump, and Tribune media. Thanks to an unexpected announcement from the FCC last week, that merger may be doomed. The hosts are also joined by Claire Wardle, the executive director of First Draft, a nonprofit news literacy and fact-checking outfit with Harvard University. Wardle works hands-on with journalists and newsrooms around the world to find and responsibly debunk disinformation. They talk to Wardle about what we should be concerned about as the midterm elections approach, how false stories spread on social media to confuse readers, disenfranchise voters, or incite violence—even when Russian agents aren’t working behind the scenes. Don’t Close My TabsThe Atlantic: <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/07/artificial-intelligence-religion-atheism/565076/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Artificial Intelligence Shows Why Atheism Is Unpopular</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneGoldmacher/status/1021746115014795264" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shane Goldmacher </a>Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>.Listen to If Then via <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/if-then/id1302281912?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1302281912/if-then" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6nFN4Aen7LHG0t5h3ygCFY?si=oau6KD4ZTXWe-kociTjDTw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, Stitcher, or <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Imzjxshmkqm7o2wy73dc77ntvma" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Play</a>.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

This Is How Fake News Spreads

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser discuss why a bunch of the big tech platforms—Facebook, YouTube, Apple—are suddenly banning the far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his media empire Infowars. They also talk about the latest Wells Fargo foreclosure scandal where a computer glitch led to hundreds of wrongful foreclosures. The hosts are then joined by William Sommer, tech reporter with the Daily Beast who follows QAnon and other right-wing conspiracy theories closely. He’ll help us understand how this fringe thinking tumbled into mainstream attention. The interview with Will Sommer starts at 17:54. Don’t Close My Tabs: New York Times: Phone Calls From New York City Jails Will Soon Be FreeNew York Times: Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate ChangeIf Then plugs:  You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com. If Then is presented by Slateand Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser discuss why a bunch of the big tech platforms—Facebook, YouTube, Apple—are suddenly banning the far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his media empire Infowars. They also talk about the latest Wells Fargo foreclosure scandal where a computer glitch led to hundreds of wrongful foreclosures. The hosts are then joined by William Sommer, tech reporter with the Daily Beast who follows QAnon and other right-wing conspiracy theories closely. He’ll help us understand how this fringe thinking tumbled into mainstream attention. The interview with Will Sommer starts at 17:54. Don’t Close My Tabs: New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/06/nyregion/phone-calls-free-nyc-jails.html?smid=tw-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Phone Calls From New York City Jails Will Soon Be Free</a>New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/01/magazine/climate-change-losing-earth.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change</a>If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at <a href="mailto:ifthen@slate.com">ifthen@slate.com</a>. If Then is presented by Slateand <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Embracing Deplorable Status

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about Facebook’s big privacy changes and its foray into online dating, as Glaser reports from the company’s annual developer conference in San Jose. Oremus takes a listener’s question about the Golden State Killer case and the questions it raises about the privacy of our DNA. Oremus is joined by Eric Lundgren, a pioneer in e-waste recycling who is awaiting a 15-month prison sentence for distributing CDs that allow people to reinstall Microsoft Windows on used Dell computers. Lundgren insists he’s not a criminal, and that the real crime is how tech companies drive sales of new products by discouraging people from fixing up their old ones. And on this week’s “Don’t Close My Tabs,” Slate tech reporter Heather Schwedel joins Oremus as they share stories about “Moviepass movies” and Google’s increasingly divided internal culture.Timestamps:1:47 News: Golden State Killer and DNA Tech5:55 News: April dispatches from F8, Facebook’s Annual Developer Conference16:09 Interview: Eric Lundgren, the e-waste recycler on why he’s going to prison35:04 Don’t Close My TabsDon’t Close My TabsThe Cut: The Distinct Pleasure of the “MoviePass Movie”The Wall Street Journal: Google Vs. Google: How Nonstop Political Arguments Rule It’s WorkplacePodcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about Facebook’s big privacy changes and its foray into online dating, as Glaser reports from the company’s annual developer conference in San Jose. Oremus takes a listener’s question about the Golden State Killer case and the questions it raises about the privacy of our DNA. Oremus is joined by Eric Lundgren, a pioneer in e-waste recycling who is awaiting a 15-month prison sentence for distributing CDs that allow people to reinstall Microsoft Windows on used Dell computers. Lundgren insists he’s not a criminal, and that the real crime is how tech companies drive sales of new products by discouraging people from fixing up their old ones. And on this week’s “Don’t Close My Tabs,” Slate tech reporter Heather Schwedel joins Oremus as they share stories about “Moviepass movies” and Google’s increasingly divided internal culture.Timestamps:1:47 News: Golden State Killer and DNA Tech5:55 News: April dispatches from F8, Facebook’s Annual Developer Conference16:09 Interview: Eric Lundgren, the e-waste recycler on why he’s going to prison35:04 Don’t Close My TabsDon’t Close My TabsThe Cut: <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2018/04/moviepass-movie-bad-movies.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Distinct Pleasure of the “MoviePass Movie”</a>The Wall Street Journal: <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-vs-google-how-nonstop-political-arguments-rule-its-workplace-1525190574" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Vs. Google: How Nonstop Political Arguments Rule It’s Workplace</a>Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Why an E-Waste Recycler Is Going to Prison

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus lamentthe anticlimactic end to Waymo and Uber’s court drama, explain why teens are pissed at Snapchat, and examine John Perry Barlow’s contributions to the internet we know today. The hosts are joined by Justin Rosenstein, co-founder of Asana and the former Facebooker behind the like button, to talk about the distraction crisis and whether Silicon Valley can solve a problem it created.Don’t Close My Tabs:The Robot Dog That Can Open a Door Is Even More Impressive Than It LooksCandy Heart Messages Written by a Neural Network Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus lamentthe anticlimactic end to Waymo and Uber’s court drama, explain why teens are pissed at Snapchat, and examine John Perry Barlow’s contributions to the internet we know today. The hosts are joined by Justin Rosenstein, co-founder of Asana and the former Facebooker behind the like button, to talk about the distraction crisis and whether Silicon Valley can solve a problem it created.Don’t Close My Tabs:<a href="https://slate.com/technology/2018/02/the-robot-dog-that-can-open-a-door-is-even-more-impressive-than-it-looks.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Robot Dog That Can Open a Door Is Even More Impressive Than It Looks</a><a href="http://aiweirdness.com/post/170685749687/candy-heart-messages-written-by-a-neural-network" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://aiweirdness.com/post/170685749687/candy-heart-messages-written-by-a-neural-network" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Candy Heart Messages Written by a Neural Network</a> Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

“Like” Is Too Simple an Emotion

On today’s show, host Will Oremus looks at the fallout from Amazon’s announcement last week that they’re abandoning plans for a new headquarters in New York City. Some celebrated it as a victory; others mourned a missed opportunity; still others were mad that Amazon took its ball and went home, rather than negotiating a fairer deal.Then, April Glaser talks with Faine Greenwood from the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, where she focuses on the role of drones and data intensive foreign aid projects. Her latest piece for Slate is headlined “Why Humanitarians Are Worried About Palantir’s New Partnership With the U.N.” 6:02 - Interview with Faine Greenwood23:15 - Don’t Close My TabsStories discussed on the show: Slate: New York’s Anti-Amazon Movement Is Now a Blueprint for Critics of Big TechSlate: Why Humanitarians Are Worried About Palantir’s New Partnership With the U.N.Don’t Close My Tabs:April: The New Yorker: Private Mossad for HireWill: Wired: AR Will Spark The Next Big Tech Platform-Call It MirrorworldPodcast production by Max JacobsYou can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Listen to If Then via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s show, host Will Oremus looks at the fallout from Amazon’s announcement last week that they’re abandoning plans for a new headquarters in New York City. Some celebrated it as a victory; others mourned a missed opportunity; still others were mad that Amazon took its ball and went home, rather than negotiating a fairer deal.Then, April Glaser talks with Faine Greenwood from the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, where she focuses on the role of drones and data intensive foreign aid projects. Her latest piece for Slate is headlined “Why Humanitarians Are Worried About Palantir’s New Partnership With the U.N.” 6:02 - Interview with Faine Greenwood23:15 - Don’t Close My TabsStories discussed on the show: Slate: <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2019/02/amazon-new-york-hq2-resist-cities-tech.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New York’s Anti-Amazon Movement Is Now a Blueprint for Critics of Big Tech</a>Slate: <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2019/02/palantir-un-world-food-programme-data-humanitarians.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why Humanitarians Are Worried About Palantir’s New Partnership With the U.N.</a>Don’t Close My Tabs:April: The New Yorker: <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/02/18/private-mossad-for-hire" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Private Mossad for Hire</a>Will: Wired: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/mirrorworld-ar-next-big-tech-platform/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AR Will Spark The Next Big Tech Platform-Call It Mirrorworld</a>Podcast production by Max JacobsYou can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>.Listen to If Then via <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/if-then/id1302281912?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1302281912/if-then" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6nFN4Aen7LHG0t5h3ygCFY?si=oau6KD4ZTXWe-kociTjDTw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/panoply/if-then" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stitcher</a>, or <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Imzjxshmkqm7o2wy73dc77ntvma" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Play</a>.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Can Palantir Be Used For Good?

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about about a privacy invasion that’s arguably scarier than Cambridge Analytica, and why it’s not getting nearly the same amount of attention. It involves your cellphone, and its ability to track where you are at all times.The hosts are then joined by Luther Lowe, the senior VP of public policy for Yelp, a company that has had some major beef with Google’s allegedly anti-competitive behavior. They’ll talk about how Google got so big, and whether or not federal regulators might start taking action.Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about about a privacy invasion that’s arguably scarier than Cambridge Analytica, and why it’s not getting nearly the same amount of attention. It involves your cellphone, and its ability to track where you are at all times.The hosts are then joined by Luther Lowe, the senior VP of public policy for Yelp, a company that has had some major beef with Google’s allegedly anti-competitive behavior. They’ll talk about how Google got so big, and whether or not federal regulators might start taking action.Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Google’s Chokehold on the Web

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about a new Russian hacking report--this time, targeting conservatives. And it’s been a busy news week (as always) for Facebook, with reports on massive changes to its ad targeting and a heretofore secret plan to rate the credibility of its own users. Then, April is joined by Ryan Gallagher, a U.K. based investigative journalist at the Intercept, where he reports on digital security and state surveillance. Earlier this month Ryan broke a story on Dragonfly, a secretive Google search engine for China that would censor certain websites banned by the Chinese government. The vast majority of Google’s employees, including founder and board member Sergey Brin reportedly was unaware of this project until Gallagher broke the story. Now, many Googlers are livid. 19:25 - Interview with Ryan GallagherDon’t Close My Tabs: RadioLab: “Post No Evil”Jezebel: How a Woman Disappears from the History BooksPodcast production by Max JacobsIf Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Listen to If Then via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus and April Glaser talk about a new Russian hacking report--this time, targeting conservatives. And it’s been a busy news week (as always) for Facebook, with reports on massive changes to its ad targeting and a heretofore secret plan to rate the credibility of its own users. Then, April is joined by Ryan Gallagher, a U.K. based investigative journalist at the Intercept, where he reports on digital security and state surveillance. Earlier this month Ryan broke a story on Dragonfly, a secretive Google search engine for China that would censor certain websites banned by the Chinese government. The vast majority of Google’s employees, including founder and board member Sergey Brin reportedly was unaware of this project until Gallagher broke the story. Now, many Googlers are livid. 19:25 - Interview with Ryan GallagherDon’t Close My Tabs: RadioLab: <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/post-no-evil/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Post No Evil”</a>Jezebel: <a href="https://jezebel.com/how-a-woman-disappears-from-the-history-books-1828393645" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How a Woman Disappears from the History Books</a>Podcast production by Max JacobsIf Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>.Listen to If Then via <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/if-then/id1302281912?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1302281912/if-then" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6nFN4Aen7LHG0t5h3ygCFY?si=oau6KD4ZTXWe-kociTjDTw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, Stitcher, or <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Imzjxshmkqm7o2wy73dc77ntvma" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Play</a>.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Google’s Secret Censorship Project

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus is joined by guest co-host Maya Kosoff from Vanity Fair. They discuss the electric scooters that are suddenly wreaking havoc on city streets—and why Silicon Valley venture capitalists are swooning over them. They also discuss the layoffs at Tesla, and what they might mean for the electric-car company and its workers. Later, Will is joined by journalist Sarah Kessler of Quartz. Her new book is called “Gigged: The End of the Job and the Future of Work,” and it looks at the so-called gig economy from the human side. She talked to people around the country who are trying to make ends meet on services like Uber, Amazon Turk, and Taskrabbit. On Tabs this week, the hosts discuss Palmer Luckey’s proposed surveillance border wall, and why you probably shouldn’t let foreign governments help you cool down your computer.Don’t Close My TabsSlate: Why the Gift Bags at the North Korea Summit Could Pose a Cybersecurity ThreatWired: Inside Palmer Lucky’s Bid to Build a Border WallPodcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Will Oremus is joined by guest co-host Maya Kosoff from Vanity Fair. They discuss the electric scooters that are suddenly wreaking havoc on city streets—and why Silicon Valley venture capitalists are swooning over them. They also discuss the layoffs at Tesla, and what they might mean for the electric-car company and its workers. Later, Will is joined by journalist Sarah Kessler of Quartz. Her new book is called “Gigged: The End of the Job and the Future of Work,” and it looks at the so-called gig economy from the human side. She talked to people around the country who are trying to make ends meet on services like Uber, Amazon Turk, and Taskrabbit. On Tabs this week, the hosts discuss Palmer Luckey’s proposed surveillance border wall, and why you probably shouldn’t let foreign governments help you cool down your computer.Don’t Close My TabsSlate: <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2018/06/journalists-urged-not-to-use-usb-fans-handed-out-at-the-singapore-summit.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why the Gift Bags at the North Korea Summit Could Pose a Cybersecurity Threat</a>Wired: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/palmer-luckey-anduril-border-wall/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Inside Palmer Lucky’s Bid to Build a Border Wall</a>Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

The Failed Promise of the Gig Economy

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about the Senate’s stand on net neutrality and why Congress is set to renew a major piece of internet government mass surveillance legislation. The hosts are joined by Siva Vaidhyanathan, a professor of Media Studies at University of Virginia, to talk about Facebook’s big news feed changes and what they might mean for the way we read the news and talk to one another online. And on Don’t Close My Tabs: Google’s gorilla problem and “authentic” Instagram ads.Don’t Close My Tabs:The Verge: Google ‘fixed’ its racist algorithm by removing gorillas from its image-labeling techThe Atlantic: The Strange Brands in Your Instagram FeedPodcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about the Senate’s stand on net neutrality and why Congress is set to renew a major piece of internet government mass surveillance legislation. The hosts are joined by Siva Vaidhyanathan, a professor of Media Studies at University of Virginia, to talk about Facebook’s big news feed changes and what they might mean for the way we read the news and talk to one another online. And on Don’t Close My Tabs: Google’s gorilla problem and “authentic” Instagram ads.Don’t Close My Tabs:The Verge: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/12/16882408/google-racist-gorillas-photo-recognition-algorithm-ai" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google ‘fixed’ its racist algorithm by removing gorillas from its image-labeling tech</a>The Atlantic: <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/01/the-strange-brands-in-your-instagram-feed/550136/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Strange Brands in Your Instagram Feed</a>Podcast production by Max Jacobs.If Then plugs: You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/ifthenpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifthenpod</a>. You can follow Will <a href="https://twitter.com/willoremus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@WillOremus</a> and April <a href="https://twitter.com/aprilaser" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@Aprilaser</a>. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

The Problem With Facebook Is Facebook

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss the news that YouTube has been showing disturbing videos to kids and why this might be a symptom of a much deeper problem for Internet companies. They also talk about the recent revelations from the Paradise Papers and how new details pertain to companies like Twitter and Apple. The hosts are also joined by Mercer University Professor Whitney Phillips. She’s the author of “This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture.” You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April is @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment for us, you can email as well at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss the news that YouTube has been showing disturbing videos to kids and why this might be a symptom of a much deeper problem for Internet companies. They also talk about the recent revelations from the Paradise Papers and how new details pertain to companies like Twitter and Apple. The hosts are also joined by Mercer University Professor Whitney Phillips. She’s the author of “This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture.” You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April is @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment for us, you can email as well at ifthen@slate.com.If Then is presented by Slate and <a href="http://www.slate.com/futuretense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Future Tense</a>, a collaboration among <a href="http://www.asu.edu/?feature=research" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arizona State University</a>, <a href="http://www.newamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New America</a>, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/futuretensenow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> and sign <a href="http://link.slate.com/join/3qk/newslettersignup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">up for our weekly newsletter</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

You Can’t Hardcode Community

TikTok now has over 1.5 billion downloads, putting it in the company of social media giants like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. While all of these companies have faced scrutiny from lawmakers in one form or another, TikTok is getting attention for its Chinese ownership as some fear that Beijing could use data uploaded to the platform for counterintelligence purposes. Is there a real reason to be concerned? Or is this just fearmongering about a geopolitical rival? Guest: Drew Harwell, technology reporter for the Washington Post.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TikTok now has over 1.5 billion downloads, putting it in the company of social media giants like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. While all of these companies have faced scrutiny from lawmakers in one form or another, TikTok is getting attention for its Chinese ownership as some fear that Beijing could use data uploaded to the platform for counterintelligence purposes. Is there a real reason to be concerned? Or is this just fearmongering about a geopolitical rival? Guest: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/drew-harwell/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Drew Harwell,</a> technology reporter for the Washington Post.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Is TikTok Really a National Security Threat?

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