If Then

News on technology, Silicon Valley, politics, and tech policy.

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About the Show

If Then is a show about technology, society, and power. Each week, the hosts take you on a lively tour of the tech news that actually matters, from fake news in your Facebook feed to the algorithms that want your job to the Uber drivers who want a job with benefits. With news-making interviews of key tech-industry figures, fascinating academics, and top tech journalists, we explore not only how the technology that’s shaping our world works, but the ideas, ideologies, incentives, and biases that underlie it.

Hosts

When Your DNA Is Public Information

The recent genealogy craze has turned into a boon for law enforcement. But it’s also a giant privacy conundrum.

The Allure of Smart Guns

Presidential candidates are calling for firearms that will only unlock for their owners. Research shows their potential is complicated.

China’s Cyberwar Against Hong Kong

There’s no “great firewall” in Hong Kong, so Beijing officials are resorting to fake news campaigns and cyberattacks to foil protesters.

Chemists Spill the Science of Skin Care

The founders of Chemist Confessions tell us about the molecules behind all that marketing.

Facebook Can’t Just Create a Currency

The social media giant wants to create a global cryptocurrency called Libra, but it doesn’t seem to understand all the rules and regulations that would—and should—come with it.

Amazon Prime Day’s Weird Symbiosis With Journalism

News outlets—including Slate—get extra revenue by including Amazon links in their articles. Should they?

ICE’s Reckless Use of Facial Recognition Tech

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are partnering with DMVs to scan millions of driver’s license photos without citizens’ consent.

Soon We’ll All Basically Be FaceTiming Our Doctors

Remote doctor visits via secure video platforms can be speedy and convenient, but there are still some limits to the telehealth experience.

Why Tech Journalists Took Off Their Rose-Colored Glasses

It used to be all about marveling at the new. Now tech writers are holding power accountable.

When a Scooter Makes More Sense Than a Car

Horace Dediu, an expert on “micromobility,” explains why tiny forms of transportation are popping up in cities all over the world.

How Driverless Cars Will Actually Work

Aurora CEO Chris Urmson helped pioneer the technology. He says the changes it will bring will be a lot more subtle than you’d think.

Luxury Bunkers for the End of the World

Growing fears about natural disasters, nuclear war, and a slew of other threats are causing people to buy fancy underground apartments.

Why It’s So Hard to Live in California

Much of the state is threatened by wildfires. The rest is barely affordable. Neither situation looks likely to improve soon.

Did Facebook’s Design Help Make It Toxic?

And could its redesign fix it?

Early Libertarian Dreams of a Free Internet Didn’t Work Out as Planned

In the early days of the web, many thinkers envisioned a digital world free from government control. Now, corporations have taken over.

Public Education, Facebook-Style

A computer-based learning program funded by Mark Zuckerberg was supposed to transform these Kansas schools. Why didn’t it?

How Russians Hacked the DNC

Following the release of the Mueller report, If Then talks to a journalist who corresponded directly with Guccifer 2.0.

How to Make Sense of WikiLeaks

Tech writer Andy Greenberg explains how WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has changed, especially compared with Chelsea Manning.

Fake Meat Designed for Carnivores

Impossible Foods CEO Pat Brown says the best way to solve the meat industry’s sustainability problem is to give carnivores a plant-based alternative that tastes just like meat.

Why Big Tech Companies Are Suddenly Trying to Save Local News

Companies like Google and Facebook left the local news industry in shambles. Are they really the best ones to save it?