Pandemic Panic
Uncanny Valley | WIRED27 Maalis 2020

Pandemic Panic

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be hard to keep track of what's real and what's not. There is a constant deluge of news from across the world, some of it is based on false assumptions or panicky reactions that fail to put data or science into the proper context.

This week on Gadget Lab, a conversation about all the misinformation swirling around the coronavirus pandemic. We talk with WIRED editor-in-chief Nick Thompson about how to parse the information coming out of the White House, whether ibuprofen is harmful to people sick with the virus, and the sometimes surprisingly helpful responses of social media platforms.

Show Notes:

Read Maryn McKenna’s story about the controversy over ibuprofen here. Read more from Steven Levy about the possible end of the techlash here. Read Tristan Harris on how Silicon Valley could control the direction of the pandemic here.

Recommendations:

Nick recommends the Techne Futbol soccer training app and also The Naked Gun. Lauren recommends the Headspace meditation app. Mike recommends Bandcamp.com as a way to support your favorite music artists.

Nick Thompson can be found on Twitter @nxthompson. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our consulting executive producer is Alex Kapelman (@alexkapelman). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jaksot(426)

Trump, Cryptocurrency, and the Real Winners and Losers

Trump, Cryptocurrency, and the Real Winners and Losers

In the days before his inauguration, President Trump announced his own cryptocurrency, TRUMP coin, a move that could stand to make the Trump family significantly wealthier. And now, Trump has offered ...

8 Touko 202539min

Why Is The Trump Administration Having So Much Trouble Keeping Their Comms Private?

Why Is The Trump Administration Having So Much Trouble Keeping Their Comms Private?

When former national security advisor Mike Waltz had a picture taken of him last week, he didn’t expect for the whole world to see that he was using TeleMessage, a messaging app similar to Signal. Now...

6 Touko 202517min

The Dangerous Decline in Vaccination Rates

The Dangerous Decline in Vaccination Rates

In the year 2000, measles were declared eliminated from the United States. But thanks to declining vaccination rates, Americans may have to contend with a much scarier future for the deadly disease. T...

1 Touko 202534min

A Tariff Standoff with China, Power Outages and the End of Christmas

A Tariff Standoff with China, Power Outages and the End of Christmas

President Trump’s tariff standoff with China has caused chaos, confusion and major delays for companies of all shapes and sizes. As everyone waits to see what happens next, some businesses that depend...

29 Huhti 202515min

Protecting Your Phone—and Your Privacy—at the US Border

Protecting Your Phone—and Your Privacy—at the US Border

Under the new Trump administration, more and more visa holders and foreign visitors are being detained or denied entry at the border. It’s also becoming more common for people to be questioned or deta...

24 Huhti 202539min

Is Telsa on the Outs in China?

Is Telsa on the Outs in China?

China has long been a really important market for Tesla and for Elon Musk, but after the rising US tariffs and rising competition in the electric vehicle market – Tesla may be on the outs in China. To...

22 Huhti 202517min

How Americans Are Surveilled During Protests

How Americans Are Surveilled During Protests

There have been a number of protests in the past few months pushing back against President Trump’s most recent policy changes, and we're likely to see more. Today on the show, WIRED’s Senior Editor of...

17 Huhti 202529min

Will Meta Really Have to Sell Instagram and WhatsApp?

Will Meta Really Have to Sell Instagram and WhatsApp?

The trial between the US Federal Trade Commission and Meta began this week—and the future of the company is at stake. The FTC wants Meta to sell off two prized assets, Instagram and WhatsApp, arguing ...

15 Huhti 202517min