What Next: TBD

A weekly podcast about tech, power, and the future.

Illustration depicting a female with a microphone

Listen longer

Slate Plus members get ad-free versions of all Slate podcasts, plus extra segments, bonus episodes, and more. Try it free today.

Join Slate Plus
Advertisement

About the Show

Every Friday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.

Host

  • Lizzie O’Leary is the host of What Next: TBD, Slate’s show about technology, power, and the future. Previously, she created and hosted Marketplace Weekend. She has reported for CNN, Bloomberg News, and the New York Times Magazine, among others. She is also a contributing writer at the Atlantic.

Why Texas Went Dark

The state is no stranger to extreme weather. But not like this.

How Clubhouse Cracked China’s Firewall

Two weeks of extraordinary conversations led to an inevitable result.

India Turns Off the Internet

India ranks second in the world in mobile internet subscribers. It ranks first in shutdowns.

Inside the Subreddit That Blew Up GameStop

How an irreverent band of Reddit investors cost Wall Street millions.

Why the Vaccine Websites Suck

The states’ struggles with digital delivery started long before 2020.

Where the Far Right Is Meeting Now

Extreme groups have been banned from mainstream social media platforms. Is that a good thing?

Deplatforming the President

With just 12 days left in his term, the social media giants have relieved the president of his megaphone.

Was This Google Ethicist Fired for Doing Her Job?

A leader in the field of ethical A.I. was abruptly let go by the search giant.

Everybody Sues Facebook

This isn’t the first antitrust suit against a big tech company, but it is the most ambitious.

How Hackers Hold Schools for Ransom

When classes move online, hackers see an opportunity.

Inside Biden’s COVID Team

One of the president-elect’s coronavirus advisors says Trump’s refusal to concede is costing lives.

How Tough Will Biden Really Be on Big Tech?

His presidency may be the last chance to constrain the far-reaching power of the tech giants.

How the Gig Economy Won in California

An unprecedented ballot measure could shape the gig economy for years to come.

The Fight Against Election Day Falsehoods

Researchers are expecting a deluge misinformation on Election Day.

A Historic Case Against Google

For the first time in two decades, the federal government is trying to loosen Google’s grip on search.

Facebook Flips on Holocaust Denial

The social network’s reversal on its most controversial policy signals a shift to a new way of thinking about speech.

What Landlords Have on You

Automated background checks help landlords decide who gets to rent their properties. They’re deeply flawed.

The Attack on Florida’s Latino Voters

A flood of Spanish-language misinformation could tip the scales in Florida.

A Vaccine Won’t Be the End

Many of us are hoping that an effective vaccine will end mask-wearing and social distancing. That would be a mistake.

The Great Climate Migration Begins

The largest mass movement of humans in history is starting. It could change everything.