Group chats are the 'dark matter of American politics'

Group chats are the 'dark matter of American politics'

The thing about social media when it was created was that it was public. Ideas shared were debated for all to see. Today much of that is happening behind closed doors—in group chats.

Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of the media outlet Semafor and co-host of the podcast Mixed Signals, speaks with Endless Thread about the elite group chats on Signal and WhatsApp that are shaping American politics.

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Credits: This episode was produced by Dean Russell. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski. The co-hosts are Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.

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Delete Facebook, Lawyer Up, Hit The Gym, Or, How To Change Your Life

Delete Facebook, Lawyer Up, Hit The Gym, Or, How To Change Your Life

Jared Wells was ready to accept death just one year ago. But a year in the gym with a bodybuilding legend has totally changed his perspective on life... and his body, of course. Plus, Ben and Amory share their 2019 resolutions and recruit Redditors to help them accomplish their goals. Read more about Jared here: https://www.reddit.com/r/GetMotivated/comments/85xfn6/image_thank_you_getmotivated/?st=JQEH8X32&sh=a8a167b6

10 Tammi 201931min

Something Wicked

Something Wicked

"Our landlord isn't letting me talk to you, but it's important we do." This text was written on one of several creepy post-it notes that mysteriously appeared in Redditor u/RBradbury1920's apartment. Who wrote them? Why? And how were they getting there? We get to the bottom of this famous Reddit mystery...

3 Tammi 201927min

The 'Most Ambitious' Species Restoration Project In The World

The 'Most Ambitious' Species Restoration Project In The World

One of the nuttiest stories of near extinction and resurrection ever seen in the United States. It involves genetic engineering, warring factions of tree enthusiasts, and a mysterious, destructive power that started at the Bronx Zoo.

28 Joulu 201832min

A Celebration Of 'Humans Being Bros'

A Celebration Of 'Humans Being Bros'

A Santa who went above and beyond. Emotionally-exhausted parents who received a well-timed helping hand. A surprising invention that warms the heart... and body. We celebrate the season of giving by highlighting some of the kindness shared on Reddit -- including, the story that actually inspired the creation of Endless Thread!

20 Joulu 201824min

Feast Your Ears: All You Ever Wanted To Know About All-You-Can-Eat

Feast Your Ears: All You Ever Wanted To Know About All-You-Can-Eat

Chicken patrol. Tiny plates. Purses lined with plastic bags. We peek behind the curtain of the strange world of all-you-can-eat buffets, from the strategies buffet owners use to protect their profits, to the hungry customers who try to game the system.

13 Joulu 201827min

The Deadly Double Dice Game: Pearl Harbor Conspiracy? Or All In Good Fun?

The Deadly Double Dice Game: Pearl Harbor Conspiracy? Or All In Good Fun?

A Redditor finds a mysterious dice game in his grandparents’ basement. It reads “The Deadly Double: A Game to Play at Your Own Risk.” The Endless Thread team helps him investigate the game and finds surprising connections to Pearl Harbor, the FBI and The New Yorker.

7 Joulu 201835min

How Reddit Helped Solve A Missing Persons Case

How Reddit Helped Solve A Missing Persons Case

An unidentified man died in a car crash in 1995 with Grateful Dead ticket stubs in his pocket. Twenty years later, Reddit sleuths helped solve the case of the “Grateful Doe.”

30 Marras 201826min

Encore: The GOAT

Encore: The GOAT

The Italian cyclist Gino Bartali could rightfully be called "the GOAT" -- the Greatest of All Time -- for his athletic achievements alone. But in this episode, we tip our hats to him as a humanitarian. During World War II, Bartali was living a double life. It involved the Catholic church, secret missions, Jewish refugees, and what may be the most honorable fake ID operation of all time.

21 Marras 201829min