Bots! What Are They Good For?
Elon Musk isn't wrong that Twitter has a bot problem. But he's kind of missing the point.Guest: Samuel WoolleyHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 Jun 202222min
What The Jan. 6 Hearings Are Really About
The House hearings to examine the events of Jan. 6, 2021, begin this week and the party lines are drawn. Republicans are calling the hearings a distraction from issues that voters care about—inflation, rising prices of gas and food. Democrats are trying to remind voters which party tried to override American democracy. Will it be enough to stem the “red tide” projected for fall midterms?Guest: Jim Newell, senior politics writer at Slate.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Elena Schwartz, Carmel Delshad, Anna Rubanova and Sam Kim. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
9 Jun 202219min
Can 20 Years of Oversight Reform a Police Department?
In the early 2000s, following a civil lawsuit with over 100 plaintiffs against a group of Oakland police officers known as “the Riders,” the Oakland PD was put under federal oversight. Now after nearly two decades of reforms, backslides into scandals, and close watch from activists and the feds, Oakland can enter a probationary period. But has the culture of the department really changed? Guest: Darwin BondGraham, News Editor of the Oaklandside and co-author of a forthcoming book about the Oakland police department. He and his partner Ali Winston have been covering the OPD for almost two decades.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
8 Jun 202224min
The Right’s Poll-Watcher Army
Republicans who still haven’t accepted that Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in 2020 are recruiting “a volunteer army” of poll watchers and poll workers for upcoming elections. For those who want transparent and fair elections, an influx of enthusiasm is theoretically a good thing. But if new poll workers and poll watchers have an agenda— chasing after fraud that didn’t happen—can they hurt more than they help? Guest: Alexandra Berzon, investigative reporter for the New York Times. Guest hosted by Mary C. Curtis, columnist at Roll Call and host of its Equal Time podcast.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
7 Jun 202222min
Does Proof Matter at the Supreme Court?
The Sixth Amendment is supposed to guarantee the right to a fair trial—including a lawyer, even if the defendant can’t afford one. But Indigent Defense is woefully underfunded and, sometimes, State-appointed lawyers are nowhere near as competent as Federal attorneys. A new Supreme Court ruling makes it more difficult to use exonerating evidence discovered on a federal level to prove innocence, even if state counsel didn’t look for it.Guest: Leah Litman, law professor at University of Michigan, specializing in constitutional law and federal courts, and co-host of the podcast Strict ScrutinyIf you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
6 Jun 202222min
Is Elon Musk Any Good at Business?
Some call him revolutionary. Others call him a hack. Is his success warranted?Guest: Ashlee VanceHost: Lizzie O'LearyThanks Avast.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5 Jun 202225min
Can an Algorithm Spot a Shooter?
Schools have spent millions to detect threats online. It mostly doesn’t work.Guest: Arijit SenHost: Lizzie O'Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3 Jun 202221min
How Gun-Makers Are Arming the Culture War
After a mass shooting, gun manufacturers follow a set playbook—they offer “thoughts and prayers,” go quiet, and wait for the bump in sales driven by fear of new gun restrictions. The company Daniel Defense’s products were used in Uvalde and in the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Do they have a responsibility for how they market their rifles—or how their weapons are used?Guest: Todd C. Frankel is an enterprise reporter on the Washington Post's Financial desk, covering people and policy.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 Jun 202227min
