Long Reads

The Chinese company Gotion's EV battery plan was the kind of big, ambitious, the U.S. economy — and the struggling small town of Big Rapids — needed. But that’s not how some locals saw it. In this nar...

13 Mar 202532min

Big AI companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI and Amazon, have come out hard against comprehensive regulatory efforts in the West — but are receiving a warm welcome from leaders in many other countries. ...

24 Jan 202529min

WhatsApp is already the world’s most widely used messaging app. Meta wants it to be a lot more. WhatsApp is the world’s most widely used messaging app, with 2 billion daily users, who send 100 billion...

12 Des 202425min

In this episode, Rest of World explores how far-right Hindu nationalists use WhatsApp to target Christian families when they’re most vulnerable — by preventing them from burying their dead. Written by...

17 Okt 202427min

Amid economic, political, and environmental uncertainty, Pakistanis are increasingly seeking guidance from digital astrologers for a sense of reassurance. In this narrated feature, Rest of World profi...

19 Sep 202430min

Amid a life of upheaval and poverty, Jeffter Wekesa tried and failed to found three churches in Kenya. Then he started preaching on TikTok, and his fortunes changed. In this episode, Rest of World tak...

1 Aug 202428min

For years, Mauricio Bustos used his YouTube channel to try and break into the music industry. Then he discovered AI. Overnight, he could rap like Bad Bunny and sing like Justin Bieber. He went viral. ...

12 Jul 202422min

Los Angeles-based Trilogy Media took “scambaiting” to a new level, but some claim they’re gaining viral fame at others’ expense. In this story from our archive, Rest of World, profiles the Trilogy Med...

6 Jun 202434min