Original broadcast date: October 7, 2022. We encounter friction every day — in all its forms — as we brush our teeth, go for a jog, argue with a friend. This hour, TED speakers explore how this force can be dialed up or down to improve our lives. Guests include tribologist Jennifer Vail, democracy activist and whistleblower Yaël Eisenstat, Sierra Leone's Minister of Education David Moinina Sengeh and TV producer Elan Gale.TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) sponsor-free. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/tedLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We encounter friction every day—in all its forms—as we brush our teeth, go for a jog, argue with a friend. This hour, TED speakers explore how this force can be dialed up or down to improve our lives. Guests include tribologist Jennifer Vail, democracy activist Yaël Eisenstat, Sierra Leone's Minister of Education David Moinina Sengeh, and TV producer Elan Gale.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, discusses recent legal troubles stemming from alleged illegal activities related to his platform. Yaël Eisenstat, a Senior Fellow at Cybersecurity for Democracy, reveals how ads on Meta platforms are promoting Telegram channels linked to fraud and drug deals. The duo examines the challenges of content moderation and the technical negligence behind harmful ads. They express concerns about the negative impact these ads could have on democratic engagement, particularly during elections.