Misinformation and the Accountability of Fame

Donald Trump’s ‘migrants eat pets’ claim is the US election’s most viral meme so far. We talk to the journalist who tracked down the source of that story, and an academic investigating the political impact of memes.

The Economist’s man in Beijing joins us to discuss life as a foreign correspondent. As his posting comes to an end, he reflects on political and cultural change in China, and what it’s like reporting from a country with ever increasing media restrictions.

We’re also looking at the arms race and personal rivalries at the heart of the artificial intelligence industry, with AI authority Parmy Olson. Plus we get the latest on the TikTok ban appeal and the Observer sale with Lara O’Reilly.

Guests: Lara O’Reilly, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider; Jonathan Shalit Chair & Founder, InterTalent Rights Group; Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, Chair, Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority; Jack Brewster, Enterprise Editor, NewsGuard; A.J. Bauer, Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism and Creative Media, University of Alabama; David Rennie, Geopolitics Editor, The Economist; Parmy Olson, Tech Columnist for Bloomberg and author of Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race that Will Change the World

Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai