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

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

Latest episodes

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Jun 19, 2020 • 23min

Why Remote Learning Failed

In March, when schools across the country shut down, few people could have guessed that students wouldn’t return until the fall. Schools weren’t equipped to deploy remote-learning curricula, technology was in short supply, and most parents weren’t free to guide their children through lessons during the day.Three months later, little has changed. And all that time out of the classroom has taken a toll on students. Can they recover in time for the fall?Guest: Dana Goldstein, national correspondent at the New York Times HostLizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jun 12, 2020 • 23min

Is This the End of Facial Recognition?

This week, three of the leading developers of facial-recognition technology announced they would stop, or at least pause, selling this technology to police. The decision stems from evidence of racial bias inherent in these tools. For the researchers who first uncovered the deep-seated issues with these tools, it’s a watershed moment. Will facial-recognition technology continue to grow unchecked? Or will this week’s announcements result in lasting change?Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Guest: Deb Raji, technology fellow at the AI Now Institute.HostLizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jun 5, 2020 • 20min

Your Delivery Habit Isn't Helping

In the midst of the pandemic, protests and police lockdowns, restaurants are turning increasingly to delivery apps like DoorDash and Grubhub to stay afloat. But with shady tactics, soaring fees, and deep-seated flaws with the business model of the entire industry, delivery startups may do more harm than good.Guest: Ranjan Roy, CEO at the Edge Group and writer of Margins newsletterSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.HostLizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 29, 2020 • 20min

Trump and Twitter Go to War

On Tuesday, after years of inaction, Twitter fact checked President Trump’s tweets for the first time. Six words were added below the original text, directing readers to outside articles refuting his claims.Two days later, the president signed an executive order that aims to change the nature of online speech, and the platforms that host it.Guest: Casey Newton, Silicon Valley editor at the Verge HostLizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 22, 2020 • 19min

What Is Elon Musk Thinking?

As the coronavirus shut down manufacturing across California in March and April, Elon Musk only wanted one thing: to start making cars again.So when local government officials in Alameda County got in his way, Musk took the fight public, and won.Guest: Kara Swisher, co-host of the Pivot podcast.HostLizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 15, 2020 • 21min

Decoding the Flood of COVID Data

Every week, it feels like some new piece of coronavirus information dominates the headlines. Mysterious symptoms, changing government directives. This constant trickle of updates can quickly turn into a flood.How should normal people interpret this deluge of data?Guest: Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University and co-founder of COVID-Explained. HostLizzie O’Leary   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 8, 2020 • 25min

Should You Get an Antibody Test?

Yesterday, New York City announced that it would provide 140,000 free antibody tests to residents who want to know if they have been exposed to the coronavirus. And New York isn’t alone: large-scale antibody testing is ramping up around the country.But with faulty tests flooding the market and questions about whether a positive test really confers immunity are antibody tests really worth the bother?Guests: Shannon Palus, staff writer for Slate, and Dr. Natalie E. Dean, assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 1, 2020 • 21min

How the Crisis Could Embolden Big Tech

This week, the world’s largest tech companies posted their quarterly earnings. And—unlike most other companies in the world—things aren’t looking so bad. With the global economy reeling, and people sheltering indoors, the tech giants have an opportunity to reshape the way we live. Don’t expect them to wait on the sidelines.Guest: Elizabeth Dwoskin, Silicon Valley correspondent at the Washington Post Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 24, 2020 • 24min

Can We Really Make a Safe Vaccine in 18 Months?

There are over 60 vaccines for the coronavirus currently in development. Four of them are already being tested in humans. As researchers move at breakneck speed to find a vaccine, they’re debating breaking (or at least bending) the rules that ensure the end product is safe.How do we balance speed with safety in the rush to develop a vaccine?Guest: Dr. Timothy Lahey, an infectious diseases doctor, ethicist, and vaccine researcher at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 17, 2020 • 24min

Can the U.S. Really Track the Coronavirus?

Before the U.S. can start opening back up, states will need to put systems in place for “contact tracing,” or meticulous tracking of the disease within communities. South Korea’s extensive tracing program has all but eliminated the spread of the virus within its borders. What will it take for the U.S. to do the same?Guests: Raphael Rashid, a freelance journalist, and Dr. Mike Reid, professor at University of California, San FranciscoHostHenry Grabar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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