What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Latest Episodes:

Science Fiction by ABBA Jan 03, 2018

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about a key detail in the new tax plan that could have a huge effect on gig workers in the tech sector—and maybe even robots. They also discuss Apple’s “batterygate” iPhone situation, what happened, and what can we take from their unusual apology? The hosts are also joined by Slate’s Future Tense editor Torie Bosch to talk about the anthology she co-edited What Future: The Year’s Best Ideas to Reclaim, Reanimate & Reinvent Our Future.

Podcast production by Max Jacobs.

You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on Twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment, you can email us at ifthen@slate.com.

If Then is presented by Slate and Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, New America, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s a Firefox? Dec 20, 2017

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk with the executive director of Mozilla about how Firefox competes with Chrome and the biggest threats to the Open Web. They break down the fallout from the FCC’s 3-2 vote to kill net neutrality and what it means for mega-mergers like Fox and Disney. And they speculate on the motivations behind Uber’s misdeeds, why Apple’s AirPods are sold out, and why the Koch brothers are trying to kill municipal broadband.

Stories discussed on the show:

BuzzFeed: Uber Accused Of Espionage, Bribery, Hacking, And More In Bombshell Letter

Slate: The Fight for the Open Internet Isn’t Over

Mozilla: Privacy Not Included: A Guide to Make Shopping for Connected Gifts Safer, Easier, and Way More Fun

If Then’s “Don’t Close My Tabs” recommendations:

MacRumors: Apple is Currently Sold Out of AirPods Until January

Wired: KOCH BROTHERS ARE CITIES' NEW OBSTACLE TO BUILDING BROADBAND

Podcast production by Laura Flynn.

If Then plugs:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beanie Babies for Geeks Dec 13, 2017

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk a little about why everyone is freaking out about Bitcoin. And in the run up to Thursday’s critical net neutrality decision from the FCC, the hosts speak with Columbia law professor Tim Wu - who actually coined the term net neutrality - about why it’s so crucial to save it, and what we might expect from legal challenges stemming from Thursday’s FCC announcement.

If Then’s “Don’t Close My Tabs” recommendations:

TechCrunch: Patreon’s New Service Fee Spurs Concerns that Creators will Lose Patrons

Slate: Netflix Releases Rare Ratings Info to Mock Obsessive Fans of its Own Movie

Podcast production by Max Jacobs.

If Then plugs:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ellen Pao Effect Dec 06, 2017

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser talks with Ellen Pao about sexism in Silicon Valley and why the tech industry hasn’t experienced the same fallout over accusations of sexual harassment and assault as the media and entertainment business. Pao discusses what gives her hope for tech and describes what she’s witnessed as CEO and founder of Project Include, a nonprofit organization dedicated to diversity in tech. They also discuss her time as interim CEO of Reddit and what platforms should do to combat hate speech and harassment on their sites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Antitrust Superstar Nov 29, 2017

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss how bots messed up the net neutrality comment process and whether that gives advocates a last chance to preserve an open Internet. They also examine YouTube’s ongoing problems airing disturbing videos involving children and why its moderation algorithms don’t work. Then the hosts speak with Lina Khan, legal policy director of the Open Markets Institute and a fellow at Yale Law school, about AT&T’s now-troubled attempt to merge with Time Warner, and the DoJ’s unusual antitrust challenge. Lastly, as always, Don’t Close My Tabs: April and Will’s picks for best tech stories on the web this week.

If Then’s “Don’t Close My Tabs” recommendations:

NY Mag: Tumblr Founder David Karp is Stepping Down

Stanford Politics: How Peter Thiel and the Stanford Review Built a Silicon Valley Empire

Podcast production by Max Jacobs.

You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will at @WillOremus, and April is @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment for us, you can email as well at ifthen@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hack Friday Nov 22, 2017

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus talk about changes to net neutrality that were announced this week. They also talk a little about the digital media bubble and if it’s real, and April will also tell us about how living with a robot is going. We also have Black friday special for you - the hosts will talk with Brian Krebs, an expert on cybercrime - about everything retailers and consumers should know before the big day.

And lastly, Don’t Close My Tabs - Will and April’s picks for best on the web this week.

April’s Tab:https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/12/the-making-of-an-american-nazi/544119/

Will’s Tab - https://www.thedailybeast.com/ceo-of-hq-the-hottest-app-going-if-you-run-this-profile-well-fire-our-host

You can get updates about what’s coming up next by following us on twitter @ifthenpod. You can follow Will @WillOremus and April is @Aprilaser. If you have a question or comment for us, you can email as well at ifthen@slate.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leaving Zen on the Table Nov 15, 2017

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss some recent tech news, like the head-scratching revelation that WikiLeaks actually sent Donald Trump, Jr. Direct Messages on Twitter before and after the election, and a speech by Senator Al Franken that suggests we should regulate big tech companies more like utilities. The hosts are also joined by T. Dalton Brown from Dopamine Labs, the cofounder of an interesting and controversial startup whose mission is to help other companies make their apps and online platforms more addictive, by playing on our cognitive biases and psychological weaknesses.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You Can’t Hardcode Community Nov 08, 2017

Show notes

On this week’s If Then, Slate’s April Glaser and Will Oremus discuss the news that YouTube has been showing disturbing videos to kids and why this might be a symptom of a much deeper problem for Internet companies. They also talk about the recent revelations from the Paradise Papers and how new details pertain to companies like Twitter and Apple. The hosts are also joined by Mercer University Professor Whitney Phillips. She’s the author of “This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trash Moths to the Trash Flame Nov 02, 2017

Show notes

Hosts and Slate journalists April Glaser and Will Oremus are excited to bring you this new weekly podcast: If Then.

The hosts start by talking through some of the most interesting tech news of the week (we promise it's not just tech geeks fawning over their smart watches).

They dig into the big story this week - how Facebook, Twitter, and Google all took a trip to congress this week to testify at three different hearings about how russian operatives used their platforms to interfere in the 2016 election--and help secure Trump’s victory. What did these companies know was happening, and what they could have done to stop it?

The hosts are also joined by author and former Facebook Product Manager Antonio García Martínez (@antoniogm) to talk about what he thinks the role of these powerful tech companies is now that we know more about what happened in the run up to the presidential election.

And to end the show - "Don't Close My Tabs" - a look into some of the best things seen online this week, as recommended by your show hosts.

Please hit that subscribe button if you don't so already! And...maybe leave us a comment? We're trying to spread word of the show and that will help us out!

See you back here next Wednesday!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming Nov. 2, Slate's New Tech Show IF THEN Oct 27, 2017

Show notes

If Then: a podcast about technology, society, and power. Each week, Slate‘s April Glaser and Will Oremus take you on a lively tour of the tech news that actually matters, from fake news in your Facebook feed to the algorithms that want your job to the Uber drivers who want a job with benefits. With news-making interviews of key tech-industry figures, fascinating academics, and top tech journalists, they explore not only how the technology that’s shaping our world works, but the ideas, ideologies, incentives, and biases that underlie it. And guess what: They don’t always agree.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected