Think you can opt out of surveillance? Think again. Our locations, behaviors, and images are being tracked at unprecedented levels — and private tech companies are at the center, selling that information directly to the government. In this episode, Morgan talks with Nicol Turner Lee, Director of the Center for Technology Innovation at The Brookings Institution, about why avoiding identification in public spaces is almost impossible, and how civilians are now helping do the government’s work by surveilling each other.

Guests:

Jalsa Drinkard, Columbia University student and an organizer for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, CUAD

Don Bell, policy counsel at The Constitution Project at The Project On Government Oversight, POGO

Nicol Turner Lee, Director of the Center for Technology Innovation at The Brookings Institution

Further reading:

This pro-Israel group keeps a blacklist. Now it’s taking credit for deportations. — Zack Beauchamp, Vox 

Privacy on the Map: How States Are Fighting Location Surveillance — Rindala Alajaji, Electronic Freedom Foundation 

Police surveillance and facial recognition: Why data privacy is imperative for communities of color — Nicol Turner Lee and Caitlin Chin-Rothmann, Brookings Institute

It’s Possible to Track Someone’s Personal Phone to an Abortion Clinic. And It’s Legal Too. — Byron Tau, NOTUS 

Planning to attend a protest? Check out the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Attending a Protest guide for practical digital security tips to help protect your privacy and data.

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Maya Cueva and Brendan Willard. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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The tools of high tech surveillance are increasingly all around us: security cameras in public and embedded in doorbells, location data on your phone, online ad tracking. A lot of this has become normalized, utterly mundane. But in the year since nationwide student protests for Palestine, heightened scrutiny of and retaliation against activists in the U.S. have raised new concerns. Government surveillance, particularly on social media, has grown exponentially since the massive Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, but the precedent in this country stretches much further back. In this episode, Columbia University student organizer Jalsa Drinkard shares her experience protecting other students from invasive surveillance and targeting, and Don Bell, policy counsel for The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight, walks us through the long history of government surveillance in American protest movements, and why today’s moment feels different.

Guests:

Jalsa Drinkard, Columbia University student and an organizer for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, CUAD

Don Bell, policy counsel at The Constitution Project at The Project On Government Oversight, POGO

Further reading:

Protest Under a Surveillance State Microscope - Don Bell, Project On Government Oversight  

Surveillance & Policing Bodily Autonomy - Don Bell, Project On Government Oversight

‘Discredit, disrupt, and destroy’: FBI records acquired by the Library reveal violent surveillance of Black leaders, civil rights organizations - Virgie Hoban, Berkeley Library 

How Watergate Changed America’s Intelligence Laws - Barbara Maranzani, History  

‘Panic made us vulnerable’: how 9/11 made the US surveillance state – and the Americans who fought back - Ed Pilkington, The Guardian  

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Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected]

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. This episode was edited by Alan Montecillo. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Maya Cueva. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard and Katherine Monahan. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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Recession indicator memes are everywhere, pointing to everything from office wear at the club to Lady Gaga’s return to pop music as signs of looming economic doom. But with the stock market sinking and tariffs piling up, the jokes are starting to hit closer to home. In this episode, KQED community reporter Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí joins Morgan to unpack how the memes might be fueling the very recession they joke about. We also hear from USC public policy professor Elizabeth Currid-Halkett on the links between culture, consumption, and the economy.

Guests:

Candice Lim, co-host of ICYMI from SlateCarlos Cabrera-Lomelí, community reporter at KQED

Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, professor of public policy at the University of Southern California

Further reading:

‘Recession Indicator’: What Memes Tell Us About How We Experience the Economy - Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, KQED

The 'recession indicator' meme, explained - Christianna Silva, Mashable 

Can Strippers Really Forecast a Financial Crisis?  - Jenny Singer, Glamour

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Chris Egusa. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard and Katherine Monahan. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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After a divorce, KQED health reporter Lesley McClurg felt anxious over the prospect of dating again. On a whim, she turned to ChatGPT for a little emotional support — and found herself unexpectedly comforted. That experience launched her investigation into the fast-growing world of AI therapy. In this episode, Lesley joins Morgan to explore the promise and pitfalls of mental health chatbots — and what users should know before sharing their deepest feelings with an algorithm. 

Guests:

Lesley McClurg, KQED Health Correspondent

Further reading:

Can AI Replace Your Therapist? The Benefits, Risks and Unsettling Truths - Lesley McClurg, KQED

The AI therapist can see you now - Katia Riddle, NPR 

Woebot, a Mental-Health Chatbot, Tries Out Generative AI - Casey Sackett, Devin Harper, and Aaron Pavez, IEEE Spectrum

Read the transcript here

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Maya Cueva, Chris Egusa, and Brendan Willard. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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In this episode, tech reporter Samatha Cole shares what happened when she tried to “vape the internet” after seeing a viral post about a disposable touchscreen vape with built-in social media. We also hear from environmental philosopher and public health researcher Yogi Hale Hendlin, who says these high-tech disposables are made possible by a legal loophole — and that tackling the e-waste crisis will take a radical rethink of our relationship with the products we consume.

Guests:

Samantha Cole, Reporter and Co-Founder of 404 Media

Yogi Hale Hendlin, Environmental Philosopher and Assistant Professor at Erasmus University

Further reading:

I Tried to Vape the Internet - Samantha Cole, 404 Media 

Communities can't recycle or trash disposable e-cigarettes. So what happens to them? - Matthew Perrone, Associated Press

How ‘Sour Raspberry Gummy Bear’ — and Other Chinese Vapes — Made Fools of American Lawmakers - Marc Novicoff, Politico 

The right to repair electronics is now law in 3 states. Is Big Tech complying? - Maddie Stone, Grist  

Disposable vapes thrown away quadruples to 5 M per week - Material Focus

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Original music and sound design by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard and Chris Egusa. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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We can’t cover every wild post from every corner of the internet — and not everything online warrants a full multi-tab journey. That’s where Save or Scroll comes in: our series where we team up with a guest for a rapid-fire roundup. 

In this episode, Morgan is joined by ICYMI co-host Candice Lim to dig into the stories they haven’t been able to stop thinking about. From the viral Hailey Bieber 7-part series to alpha bro “get ready with me” videos, Reddit’s restrictions on Luigi Mangione discourse, and more — they’ve got plenty to scroll through. 

At the end of each segment, they’ll decide: is the post just for the group chat, or should we save it for a future episode?

Guest:

Candice Lim, Co-Host of ICYMI from Slate

Further reading:

Should I Be Taking Notes From This Viral Alpha Male Morning Routine? - Annabel Iwegbue, Cosmopolitan 

Hailey Bieber is seeking legal action against people who slate her - Claudia Cox, The Tab 

Section 230 May Finally Get Changed as Lawmakers Prep New Bill - Paris Martineau, The Information 

Luigi Mangione Sex Tapes Report Sends Internet into Meltdown - Marni Rose McFall, Newsweek

Reddit Is Restricting Luigi Mangione Discourse—but It's Even Weirder Than That - Nitish Pahwa, Slate

How Blueprint Founder Bryan Johnson Sought Control Via Confidentiality Agreements - Kirsten Grind, The New York Times

Trinity Rodman, Ben Shelton and how high-profile relationships affect soccer careers - Tim Spires, The Athletic 

Read the transcript here

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Maya Cueva. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard and Chris Egusa. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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The ”broligarchy” didn’t come together in a vacuum — this combination of extreme wealth, right wing leanings, and an anti-establishment point of view has been brewing  for decades. There are lots of names for this ideology coming up in the news: techno-fascism, techno-feudalism, tech oligarchy, cyber-populism, authoritarian technocracy. What does it all mean? As tech business leaders align with the president, and Elon Musk leads the dismantling of federal agencies, what is the best way to describe what is going on in our country right now? In the second part of our two-parter on the “broligarchy,” Morgan speaks with historian and University of Washington professor,  Margaret O’Mara, to discuss techno-fascism and other terms to see what really fits to describe our current reality. 

Guest:

Margaret O’Mara, Historian and Professor at the University of Washington 

Further reading:

“The Rise of Techno-authoritarianism” — Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic 

“‘Techno-Optimism’ is Not Something You Should Believe In” — Jag Bhalla & Nathan J. Robinson, Current Affairs

‘Headed for technofascism’: the rightwing roots of Silicon Valley - Becca Lewis, The Guardian

“Techno-Fascism Comes to America” - Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker 

Read the transcript here

Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected]

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Chris Egusa. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard, Katherine Monahan, and Chris Egusa. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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The term “broligarchy” refers to the Silicon Valley elite tech leaders who have accumulated vast amounts of wealth, power, and now, political control over the last quarter century. In the first of a two-part series, Morgan dives deep into one highly influential subset of this “broligarchy,” the so-called PayPal Mafia. Joined by The Guardian reporter Chris McGreal, we explore this group’s rise to political prominence, and look at some of its members' roots in an oppressive political regime. 

Guest:

• Chris McGreal, Reporter for The Guardian

Further reading:

• “How the roots of the ‘PayPal mafia’ extend to apartheid South Africa” — Chris McGreal, The Guardian
• “‘White supremacists in suits and ties’: the rightwing Afrikaner group in Trump’s ear” — Chris McGreal, The Guardian
• “Is South Africa ‘confiscating land’, targeting some groups as Trump claims?” — Qaanitah Hunter, Al Jazeera

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Maya Cueva and Chris Egusa. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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For decades, the Internet Archive has preserved our digital history. Lately, journalists and ordinary citizens have been turning to it more than ever, as the Trump administration undertakes an ideologically-driven purge of government websites.  But the Archive itself faces an existential threat. In this episode, Close All Tabs Senior Editor Chris Egusa joins Morgan to discuss his visit to the Internet Archive and its colorful founder Brewster Kahle, the legal battles that could shut it down permanently — and what losing it might mean for accountability and the preservation of history.

Guest:

• Brewster Kahle, Founder of the Internet Archive

Further reading:

• Inside the $621 Million Legal Battle for the ‘Soul of the Internet’ – Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone
• Open Internet, web scraping, and AI: the unbreakable link — Julius Cerniauskas, TechRadar
• Musicians demand music labels drop their Internet Archive lawsuit — Ian Carlos Campbell, Engadget

Read the transcript here.

Want to give us feedback on the series? Shoot us an email at [email protected]

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Original music and sound design by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing, mastering, and additional sound design by Brendan Willard. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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Self-driving Waymo robotaxis have become a familiar sight in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but not everyone is happy about that. These “ghost-like” autonomous vehicles have made a lot of people uneasy, some even going as far as to vandalize the cars. But what’s behind this hostility? In this episode, Morgan speaks with Bloomberg journalist Ellen Huet and robot law professor Ryan Calo to explore the rise of Waymo vandalism and its roots in our collective anxiety over artificial intelligence. 

Guests:

• Ellen Huet, Features writer at Bloomberg News
• Ryan Calo, Professor of Law at University of Washington

Further reading:

• Waymo’s Expansion Provokes Anxieties of AI Takeover – Ellen Huet, Bloomberg
• The next big robotaxi push is almost here — Harri Weber, Quartz 
• The Courts Can Handle the Deadly Uber Self-Driving Car Crash. But that doesn’t mean the law is ready for autonomous vehicles. — Ryan Calo, Slate
• Good Robot, Bad Robot: Dark and Creepy Sides of Robotics, Autonomous Vehicles, and AI — Jo Ann Oravec, Professor at the University of Wisconsin

Read the transcript here.

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Credits:

This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. It was produced and sound designed by Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.

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The world of family vlogging is under scrutiny after the release of two new documentaries: HBO’s “An Update on Our Family” and Hulu’s “Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke.” The attention around Myka Stauffer and Ruby Franke has brought up questions about the dark side of family channels, and whether child influencers should have more say in their internet presence.

In this episode, Morgan takes us through the family channel industry and the lack of legal protections for children online. We’ll hear from a former “mommy blogger kid” who’s fighting for the next generation of internet child stars, as well as Fortesa Latifi, a journalist who covers the industry. Together we’ll explore how posting and consuming this kind of content impacts the children growing up on our screens. 

Further reading:

• Influencer Parents and The Kids Who Had Their Childhood Made Into Content

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