What Next: TBD

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

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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.

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.

The Limits of Filming Police Brutality

Smartphone ubiquity and body cameras were supposed to change policing for the better. What went wrong?

QAnon Goes Mainstream

How the conspiracy moved from the fringes of the internet to the White House press room.

What Went Wrong With Contact Tracing Apps

They were supposed to help us keep the virus in check. Why don’t any of them seem to actually work?

How Google Search Sold Out

The search engine used to be a gateway to the rest of the internet. Now, it’s something else entirely.

How One Block Got Through It

Chicago’s 75th Street seems like exactly the type of place that would have struggled to survive the pandemic. Instead, it’s thriving.

When America Can’t Pay the Rent

Is an eviction crisis around the corner?

New Orleans Without Music

The city’s music scene can’t work without visitors. What will become of its venues, musicians, and economy?

Cities Are Running Out of Money

Will the U.S. learn lessons from the Great Recession or just repeat the same mistakes?

Is “COVID Flight” a Thing?

There are countless reasons Americans move out of cities. Is the coronavirus really one of them?

What’s a City Without the Office?

The future of the corporate office and the future of the American city aren’t easily separated.