Slate Business

In the spring, it looked like TikTok was on the verge of being banned in America. Since then, it’s continued operating business as usual. But this week, it was revealed that ByteDance and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States came close to striking a deal that would allow TikTok to continue operating in the U.S. The negotiations give a glimpse into how social media—and by extension speech itself—could be regulated on the internet.Guest:Emily Baker-White, tech reporter and senior writer at ForbesIf 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

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton and Candice Lim are joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie to discuss his recent profile of Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer. Launched by Mercer and his friends in 2015, Critical Role is undoubtedly a megahit, boasting over 600 million views on YouTube. As Winkie wrote in his profile, “A 2021 data leak out of Twitch confirmed that Critical Role is one of the richest channels on the platform, generating a mammoth $9.6 million in revenue between 2019 and 2021.” Hampton, Lim and Winkie discuss the appeal of Critical Role, the so-called “Mercer Effect” and whether Critical Role’s success indicates that Dungeons & Dragons is no longer just the domain of the proudly geeky.This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim and Rachelle Hampton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers speak with Yepoka Yeebo, author of Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World. Yeebo explains how John Ackah Bley-Miezah convinced people that he held the keys to a large fortune. All they needed to do was help him access it. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sorting through a loved one’s things after they’ve died can be an emotional, difficult chore. But now, added to that, people have to sort through the deceased’s password-protected online presence. Guests:Kate Lindsay, author of the internet culture newsletter Embedded and the article “My Mom Will Email Me After She Dies” in 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 slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At first, cryptocurrency seemed like the solution to the problems sex workers have had with traditional banks. But as the US moves to regulate the crypto industry, many are finding it hasn’t worked out like they hoped. Guests:Joel Khalili, reporter at WiredLiara Roux, sex worker, organizer, and writerYou can check out Joel’s reporting in Wired 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

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… choosin’ cruisin’. There seem to be two types of people in this world: those who love going on cruise ships, and those who wouldn’t be caught dead on one. Whichever you are, you probably feel pretty strongly about this.The cruise industry has come roaring back from the brink since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, and there’s never been more to do while you’re at sea. So for the slight majority of you who, statistically, aren’t cruise fans, today’s guest poses a question: why not? Ezra Dyer, senior editor at Car and Driver, joins us to argue that cruises are the kind of tacky fun that you might just like… in spite of yourself.If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.comPodcast production by Maura CurrieYou can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. 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: 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

Felix Salmon and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by Cardiff Garcia (host of The New Bazaar) to discuss ESPN’s big new investment in sports betting. They break down the state of a lawsuit over how much UFC fighters get paid. Finally, they talk about the increasing allure of private credit. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Patrick Fort. 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: 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

Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers kick off Slate Money’s series on some of the biggest financial scandals in recent history. This week they are joined by Joe Berlinger, director of “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street”. Berlinger tells the Slate Money crew about Madoff and how his infamous Ponzi scheme ultimately came tumbling down. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices