On with Kara Swisher

What do cybersecurity experts, journalists in foreign conflicts, indicted New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Drake have in common? They all use the Signal messaging app. Signal’s protocol has been the gold standard in end-to-end encryption, used by Whatsapp, Google and more, for more than a decade. But it’s been under fire from both authoritarian governments and well-meaning democracies who see the privacy locks as a threat. Since 2022, former Google rabble-rouser and AI Now Institute co-founder Meredith Whittaker has been president of the Signal Foundation, the nonprofit that runs the app. Kara talks with Meredith about her fight to protect text privacy, the consolidation of power and money in AI and how nonprofits can survive in a world built on the surveillance economy.  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why, despite being the most advanced species on the planet, does it feel like humanity is teetering on the brink of self-destruction? Is it just our human nature? Israeli philosopher and historian Yuval Noah Harari doesn’t think so — he says the problem is our information trade. This is the focus of his latest book, Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI. Harari explores the evolution of our information networks, from the printing press to the dumpster fire of information on social media and what it all means as we approach the “canonization” of AI.  In this episode, Kara and Harari discuss why information is getting worse; how fiction fuels engagement; and why truth tends to sink in the flood of information washing over us. Vote for Kara as Best Host in the Current Events for Signal’s Listener’s Choice Awards here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2024/shows/craft/best-host-current-events  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After more than five decades in broadcasting, Chris Wallace has won almost every award in journalism, including three Emmy Awards, the duPont-Columbia Silver Baton, and the Peabody Award. The host of CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace and The Chris Wallace Show (tune in on Saturday mornings to see Kara spar with Chris and the other panelists) is also an author.  His latest book, Countdown 1960, narrates the twists and turns of the 1960 presidential contest between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Wallace makes the case that JFK and the Democratic machines in Illinois and Texas committed massive fraud to steal the election from the Republican candidate — and that Nixon did the right thing by conceding. Chris lays out the evidence behind his claim, and then, as we head into the 2024 presidential contest with an election denier, he and Kara break down the lessons and implications for democracy. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads as @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did a Ukrainian-born hustler help former President Donald Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani dig up dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter to influence the 2020 presidential election – a scheme that ultimately led to Trump's first impeachment? That's the question behind ‘From Russia with Lev’, a new doc from MSNBC's Rachel Maddow that follows Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian-American from a less-than-savory background, who paid his way into the former president’s inner circle in 2016 and quickly became Trump’s “Ukraine guy.” Kara sits down with Maddow and director Billy Corben to discuss how Parnas gained access to then-POTUS Trump; the mission to take down Hunter Biden; Parnas’ role in the ousting of former US Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch; and how he eventually came out on the other side of it all. Vote for Kara as Best Host in the Current Events for Signal’s Listener’s Choice Awards here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2024/shows/craft/best-host-current-events  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will AI “agents” soon be personalized teachers, doctors, companions and even check items off your to-do list on their own? “Agentic” is the latest buzzword in AI and Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman says moving beyond the text chatbot to a "smart friend” is the goal. The former co-founder of DeepMind, Suleyman helped grow Google’s AI division before launching another start-up, InflectionAI. Earlier this year, Microsoft paid $650 million for the licensing rights to Inflection, and brought Suleyman and most of his staff on board. Kara spoke to him at this year's Lesbians Who Tech conference about his strategy for integrating Copilot into Microsoft’s existing product suite; why he views OpenAI more like a sibling than a competitor; and why renewable energies (and a lot of cash) will be vital in meeting AI’s massive energy needs. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bill Gates needs no introduction. The co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft and the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been one of the richest people in the world for decades. He’s also spent decades giving away his fortune and working on some of humanity’’s most vexing challenges. That’s the focus of his Netflix docuseries What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates, where Bill dives into AI, misinformation, global warming, inequality, and disease. Kara interviews Bill in front of a live audience at New York City and pushes him on the issues, his proposed solutions, and the always tricky details — plus, she finds out who Bill wants to win the presidential election.  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Buttigieg burst onto the political scene in 2019, and his rapid ascent into a legitimate presidential contender was one of the most surprising storylines of the 2020 Democratic primary. Today, he’s one of the most effective communicators in the party. He was also one of many Democratic voters’ favorite candidates for the Harris VP pick.  Kara and Pete get straight to all of that in this episode: is the Harris campaign strategy working? ; Was Tim Walz the right pick for VP? How is Pete prepping the Minnesota Governor for his upcoming debate against J.D. Vance? And what is his strategy when he goes on Fox News? Kara and Pete also discuss the Trump cult of personality that has taken hold of young men and tech bros alike; the tech CEOs that need to “come home” to “normal” (you know who we’re talking about); and why some of them continue to support politicians who vote against technological advancement and the core missions of the industry. *Note: Buttigieg appeared for this interview in his personal capacity. Kara was limited in asking questions relating to the Department of Transportation or anything about his role in President Biden’s administration due to the Hatch Act. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For years, former President Donald Trump has railed against law enforcement officials who have sought to hold him accountable. In his latest book, Where Tyranny Begins: the Justice Department, the FBI and the War on Democracy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and senior executive editor for national security at NBC News David Rohde investigates how Trump’s attacks have impacted law enforcement agencies and the civil servants who work there. In this episode, Kara and David discuss how Trump’s threats and conspiracy theories have undermined important investigations; why Attorney General Merrick Garland hasn’t been able to turn the tide on public trust; and what happens to a democracy that loses the rule of law. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara interviews renowned economist, author, former Labor Secretary, and social media star, Robert Reich. The 78-year old professor of economics at University of California, Berkeley is as prolific as ever, pointing out the inequities in our “rigged system” and calling out the rich and powerful who want to keep it that way.  Kara and Robert discuss the presidential candidates' competing visions for the America, our rigged economic system (and how it got this way), his prescription for reigning in Elon Musk, and his incredible ability to connect with young people on social media. No one is spared from his withering critiques — including Elon Musk, Donald Trump, trickle-down economics, the Democratic party and our two-party system. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former First Lady/Senator/Madam Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton is in a political league of her own. But the “housewife from Chappaqua” (as Kara likes to call her) isn’t ready to hang up her party hat just yet. As she details in her latest memoir, Something Lost, Something Gained, HRC continues to champion the rights of women and girls across the globe. And as a former opponent to Donald Trump and only other woman to lead a major presidential ticket, she’s an inimitable advisor and surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris in her race to the White House.  In their sixth interview, Kara and Hillary do post-game analysis of the Harris/Trump debate, chat about campaign strategy (do voters really need more policy?), discuss the recent backlash against gender equality and what a Trump re-election could mean for HRC personally and the country at-large. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week, the Department of Justice announced major indictments alleging that, among other things, the Kremlin was paying right-wing influencers, like Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, and Benny Johnson, to spread Russian propaganda. The payments were funneled through a Tennessee-based company called Tenet Media, and while Rubin, Pool, and Johnson deny knowledge of the plot ... they don’t seem to have asked too many questions about the mysterious benefactor who was supposedly funding Tenet and paying them unseemly large amounts of money. Unfortunately, this is only the latest in a string of foreign influence campaigns coming from Russia, China and Iran that target American elections. To break down all the news, Kara is joined by Julia Davis, Alex Stamos, and Brandy Zadrozny. Julia is a columnist for the Daily Beast, an investigative reporter, and the creator of the Russian Media Monitor; Alex is the chief information security officer at SentinelOne, the founder of the Stanford Internet Observatory, and a former chief security officer at Facebook; and Brandy is senior reporter at NBC News who covers the Internet, especially politics, tech, and extremism.  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash has been having one hell of a summer. She co-moderated the June debate that led to President Biden’s historic decision to step out of the race; she landed the first sit-down interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz; and now she’s out with a book (co-written with David Fisher) called America’s Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History. It’s a deep dive into the Louisiana gubernatorial race of 1872 that surprisingly has had ripple effects until today.  Kara and Dana sat down at Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C., to discuss the book, the huge shifts of the current election cycle, and the upcoming debate between former President Trump and Vice President Harris. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much screen time is OK for a two year old? What is the right age for kids to get on Instagram or TikTok? And is there such a thing as "good" social media? Figuring out how to grapple with technology is one of the biggest headaches parents have to deal with these days. Kara talks to Dr. Becky (the "millennial parent whisperer") to get answers to the most pressing questions about tech and parenting. And this time, our expert questions come from you — our listeners! Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist who’s been called the “millennial parent whisperer." She is also a best-selling author and successful entrepreneur who has 2.8 million followers on Instagram, a hit TED talk, and a subscription-based platform called Good Inside that recently launched an app. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On with Kara Swisher is off for the Labor Day holiday, and we’re sharing an episode of friend-of-the-pod Preet Bharara's podcast Stay Tuned with Preet.  In the episode you’re about to hear, Preet interviews leading U.S. political historian Joanne Freeman. Their conversation covers what may turn out to be the craziest 33 days in modern American history – from the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, to President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race – and the momentum behind Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.  On will be back with a fresh episode on Thursday September 5th.. Listen to Stay Tuned with Preet every Monday and Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tech’s tentacles are wrapped around almost every segment of the media industry. They haven't just choked off a large part of the ad revenue media companies relied on — Americans now consume media on devices built by tech companies and platforms owned by those same tech giants, and their algorithms often dictate what media we engage with.  To explore, question, and analyze the myriad intersections between the tech and media, Kara is joined by three of the sharpest reporters covering these two worlds. Oliver Darcy is the founder of Status, a new newsletter on beehiiv that covers the media. He's the former senior media reporter at CNN, where he covered the intersection of media, politics, and technology. Charlotte Klein is a features writer and media columnist at New York Magazine, who previously covered media for Vanity Fair. And Joanna Stern is the Wall Street Journal’s senior personal technology columnist, as well as author of the TechThings Newsletter, and she also hosts and produces the TechThings video series. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost 29 million television viewers tuned in to see Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. But does size matter? And what’s next after the raucous, A-list celebrity packed, “joy-filled" DNC for the Harris/Walz campaign? With just 10 weeks left in the campaign, Kara reviews the biggest moments and messages from Chicago with today’s panel (Politico White House correspondent Eugene Daniels, co-author of Politico Playbook; Noel King, co-host of Vox’s Today Explained; political strategist Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark and founder of Republican Voters Against Trump; and V Spehar, independent journalist and host of the TikTok account, Under the Desk News) and discusses strengths and vulnerabilities coming out of the conventions for both campaigns. Plus: how RFK Jr.’s Trump endorsement will likely play out in key swing states. Note: This episode was taped on Friday, Aug 23rd, 2024. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Axelrod was one of the first prominent Democrats to suggest that President Biden should withdraw from the race. The former senior advisor to President Barack Obama earned Biden’s ire in the process (and a colorful nickname to go along with it), but time proved him right. And now, he’s calling on Democrat’s to temper their “irrational exuberance.”  Kara talks to the Axe man about the Democratic National Convention (of course), his role in persudading President Joe Biden to drop out of the race, and his analysis of Vice President Harris’s messaging and campaign strategy. To get more David Axelrod, watch him on CNN or listen to Hacks on Tap and The Axe Files. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Democratic National Convention gets underway this week with party stars, social media influencers and Republican Never Trumpers flocking to Chicago for the historic event. Although Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz have already been officially nominated online, the DNC will be a prime chance to lay out their agenda to the American people. But will they? Or will they be more focused on vibes and values? This week, Kara and a team of longtime Harris reporters and political insiders break down which issues will likely be front and center at the DNC, what you won’t hear a lot about, and what role social media, memes and Generative AI will likely play in the weeks ahead. Guests: Wall Street Journal White House reporter Sabrina Siddiqui; New York Times National politics reporter and host of The Run-Up podcast Astead Herndon; Casey Newton, founder of Platformer and co-host of the Hard Fork podcast; and Reed Galen, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, president of Join the Union, and author of the substack The Home Front. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Renée DiResta is one the world’s leading experts on online disinformation and propaganda and the author of the new book, Invisible Rulers, The People Who Turn Lies into Reality. About two months ago, DiResta found out her contract as the technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory would not be renewed. What’s more, the SIO, one of the foremost academic programs studying abuse online, would be essentially hollowed out. The university blames funding challenges, and says it has “not shut down or dismantled SIO as a result of outside pressure.” However, many journalists and fellow researchers suspect that political pressure from the right, including congressional hearings led by Rep. Jim Jordan and lawsuits from people like Stephen Miller, caused Stanford to cave. Kara and Renée discuss the drama at the SIO; Invisible Rulers; the coordinated effort by the right to target academic researchers who study online propaganda and disinformation; the larger strategy to push back against content moderation by social media platforms; and the role the platforms themselves and their CEOS (looking at you, Elon) play in this fight. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Desi Lydic has been a Senior Correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show for nearly a decade. Earlier this year, Jon Stewart returned to the anchor desk on Mondays, and Lydic has been part of a rotating cast hosting the show Tuesday through Thursday, often in teams. This week, she'll be flying solo. Kara and Desi discuss how the Harris/Walz campaign has changed the vibe for the Indecision 2024 team (her message for Dad-joke aficionado Walz: stay in your lane!); how social media has impacted the late night landscape (including her Emmy-nominated series Foxsplains); whether there are any “off limits” topics in political comedy; and why Lydic wasn't prepared to love the anchor seat. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find Kara on Threads/Instagram @karaswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices