WIRED Politics Lab

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From Endless Thread: Gen Z wants you to take political action, one TikTok at a time Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

Gen Z is over it. The youngest generation of adults is inheriting a climate crisis, the ongoing fallout from a global pandemic, a polarized political landscape, and a tenuous economic reality. And many Gen Z members, a generation more likely to identify as progressive than conservative, are ready for something to give.

Enter: Gen Z for Change — a youth-led non-profit that brands itself as, "the place where the creator economy and progressive politics intersect on social media." The group leverages a hundreds-deep network of social media creators to spread calls to action over TikTok. They've also pulled on the programming expertise within their team to develop a caché of semi-automatic tools that take the guesswork out of engaging with their political agenda.

Their latest tool, "Ceasefire Now!!" takes these efforts one step further — resulting in, by Gen Z for Change's count, two million emails calling for a ceasefire in Gaza hitting the inboxes of elected representatives in Washington every day.

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Laura Loomer: The ‘Free Spirit’ Whispering in Trump’s Ear Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

From political fundraisers to the presidential debate to a September 11 commemoration, far-right influencer Laura Loomer has become a staple in former president Donald Trump’s political entourage. WIRED’s David Gilbert and Tim Marchman join Leah to discuss Loomer’s history of conspiracies, Islamophobia, and how she ended up in Trump’s orbit.

Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. David Gilbert is @DaithaiGilbert. Tim Marchman is @timmarchman. Write to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here.

Mentioned this week:

Laura Loomer Is MAGA at Its Most Extreme—and She’s Closer to Donald Trump Than Ever by David Gilbert

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No Dogs or Cats Were Harmed In the Making of This Post-Debate Podcast Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

WIRED’s Makena Kelly and Tim Marchman join Leah to discuss the memorable moments, the policies and, of course, the conspiracies that came up in Tuesday’s presidential debate.

Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. Makena Kelly is @kellymakena. Tim Marchman is @timmarchman. Write to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here.

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The AI Porn Episode Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

A few months ago, everyone seemed worried about how AI would impact the 2024 election. Lately, it seems like some of the panic has dissipated, but political deepfakes — including pornographic images and video — are still everywhere. Today on the show, WIRED reporters Vittoria Elliott and Will Knight on what has changed with AI and what we should worry about.

Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. Vittoria Elliott is @telliotter. Will Knight is @willknight to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here.

Mentioned this week:

OpenAI Is Testing Its Powers of Persuasion by Will Knight

AI-Fakes Detection Is Failing Voters in the Global South by Vittoria Elliott

2024 Is the Year of the Generative AI Election by Vittoria Elliott

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Influencers Take Over the DNC Aug 22, 2024

Show notes

The Democratic National Convention organizers really rolled out the blue carpet for influencers this year. Today on the show, WIRED senior reporter Makena Kelly joins from Chicago to talk about the Democrats’ strategy of favoring creators over journalists, and whether it will help them win votes. Plus, behind the scenes at the influencer after-parties.

Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. Makena Kelly is @kellymakena. Write to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here.

Mentioned this week:

The DNC Is Officially the Influencer Convention by Makena Kelly

A Visual Guide to the Influencers Shaping the 2024 Election by Makena Kelly

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Kamala Harris' Brat Summer Is Almost Over. What's Next? Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

Team Trump was winning the internet until the Harris-Walz campaign took over. But Democrats can’t just keep calling Republicans “weird” and celebrating Brat Summer until election day. Today on the show, writer and critic Hunter Harris on how Kamala Harris is harnessing social media and what comes next in the run-up to November.
Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. Hunter Harris is @hunteryharris Write to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here.
Mentioned this week:
Silk Presses Stick Together: Kamala Harris Secures Club Chalamet's Endorsement by Hunter Harris
Lemme Say This by Peyton Dix and Hunter Harris
A Visual Guide to the Influencers Shaping the 2024 Election by Makena Kelly

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The Right is Still Pushing Election Denial — and Pillows Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

The election denial movement lives on, thanks in part to the efforts of well-funded and well-organized far-right activists. Today on the show, CNN correspondent Donie O’Sullivan joins Wired Politics Lab to talk about his forthcoming documentary examining election deniers’ new tactics, and what happens after the November vote.

Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. David Gilbert is @DaithaiGilbert. Donie O’Sullivan is @Donie. Write to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here.

Mentioned this week:

Election Deniers Are Ramping Up Efforts to Disenfranchise Voters by David Gilbert

MisinfoNation: The Trump Faithful by Donie O’Sullivan

Inside the Election Denial Groups Planning to Disrupt November by David Gilbert.

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How QAnon Destroys American Families Aug 01, 2024

Show notes

Q hasn’t posted anything since 2022. But a staggering number of Americans still buy into QAnon, the conspiracy movement steeped in claims that Satan-worshiping pedophiles run the US government. Today on the show, journalist and author Jesselyn Cook on QAnon’s lasting political ramifications and the relationships it destroys.

Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. David Gilbert is @DaithaiGilbert. Jesselyn Cook is @JessReports. Write to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here

Mentioned this week:

The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook

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From In the Dark: Season 3, Episode 1 Jul 30, 2024

Show notes

Today, we're bringing you a special preview of the new season of the New Yorker investigative podcast In the Dark, hosted by Madeleine Baran. The series examines the killings of twenty-four civilians in Haditha, Iraq, and asks why no one was held accountable for the crime.

In Episode 1, a man in Haditha, Iraq, has a request for the In the Dark team: Can you investigate how my family was killed?

In the Dark is available wherever you get your podcasts: https://link.chtbl.com/itds3feeddrop

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Silicon Valley is Coconuts for Kamala Harris Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

Today on WIRED Politics Lab, how Democratic megadonors in Silicon Valley are showing their support for Vice President Kamala Harris now that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race. Plus, why posts from the far-right and Republican lawmakers calling Biden’s exit a ‘coup’ have exploded online.

Leah Feiger is @LeahFeiger. Makena Kelly is @kellymakena. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. David Gilbert is @DaithaiGilbert. Write to us at politicslab@WIRED.com. Be sure to subscribe to the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter here.

Mentioned this week:

Silicon Valley Donors Bailed on Biden. Kamala Harris Is Winning Them Back by Makena Kelly and Lauren Goode

The Right Reacts to Biden’s Withdrawal: It’s a ‘Coup’ by David Gilbert

The Far Right Is Already Demonizing Kamala Harris by David Gilbert

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