Michael Moss

In the next two episodes of Your Undivided Attention, we take a close look at two respective industries: big food and social media, which represent dangerous “races to the bottom” and have big parallels with AI.  And we are asking: what can our past mistakes and missed opportunities teach us about how we should approach AI harms? In this first episode, Tristan talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Michael Moss. His book Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us rocked the fast food industry when it came out in 2014. Tristan and Michael discuss how we can leverage the lessons learned from Big Food’s coordination failures, and whether it’s the responsibility of the consumer, the government, or the companies to regulate. RECOMMENDED MEDIA Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked UsMichael’s New York Times bestseller. You’ll never look at a nutrition label the same way againHooked: Food, Free Will, and How the Food Giants Exploit Our AddictionsMichael’s Pulitzer Prize-winning exposé of how the processed food industry exploits our evolutionary instincts, the emotions we associate with food, and legal loopholes in their pursuit of profit over public healthControl Your Tech UseCenter for Humane Technology’s recently updated Take Control ToolkitRECOMMENDED YUA EPISODESAI Myths and MisconceptionsThe AI DilemmaHow Might a long-term stock market transform tech? (ZigZag episode) Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_

Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Moss, author of 'Salt, Sugar, Fat', and Calley Means, an expert on the intersection of money and junk food science, as they uncover the alarming tactics of the food industry. They discuss how junk food is engineered to boost addiction with specific combos of sugar, salt, and fat. Also explored are the industry's manipulative marketing aimed at children, the connection between diet and health, and the dangers of vegetable oils. It's a compelling look at how business interests overshadow public health.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Moss explores how processed food companies manipulate flavor compounds to hook us on their products. He reveals the intricate world of synthetic flavors, the addictive nature of highly-processed foods, and the deceptive tactics used by the food industry to exploit consumer habits. Moss highlights the importance of awareness and education in making healthier food choices.

Nina Teicholz, a science journalist known for challenging dietary fat norms, and Michael Moss, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter focused on food industry tactics, discuss the hidden dangers of food marketing. They examine how misleading dietary guidelines fuel unhealthy eating habits and the addictive nature of processed foods. Insights into the deceptive strategies of food companies reveal the need for clearer labeling and a critical reassessment of traditional dietary advice for better health outcomes.

Michael Moss, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author, reveals the processed food industry's tricks to keep us hooked on unhealthy options. He discusses how food is engineered to exploit our biology, creating addictive products loaded with sugar, fat, and salt. Moss explains the emotional ties to food, particularly for children, and the manipulative marketing tactics that shape our cravings. He also touches on the alarming growth of the obesity epidemic and shares insights into the science behind our eating habits, pushing for more mindful food choices.