Pivot

Scott has returned! He and Kara talk about The Justice Department’s ad tech suit against Google, the SEC-Coinbase spat, a record year for IPOs, and El Salvador’s Bitcoin buy. And it wouldn’t be an episode with Scott without some predictions - he tells us which start-ups are about to get some major attention. Send us your Listener Mail questions, via Yappa, at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest host George Hahn joins Kara to talk about the Texas abortion ban and Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s threats to tech companies over the Jan. 6 riot inquiry. Plus, why are there so many viral videos of anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers spinning out? Then, a surprise listener question catches both hosts off guard. And finally, George tries to figure out why he keeps getting being banned from TikTok, and gives an update on his bid to co-host The View. You can follow George on Twitter at @georgehahn, and check out more of his work at georgehahn.com. Send us your Listener Mail questions, via Yappa, at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest host Katie Couric joins Kara to discuss the withdrawal from Afghanistan and lessons learned, possible outcomes of the California recall, and of course, Jeopardy! Plus, Friend of Pivot Nathan Allebach joins to talk about how he turned Steak-umm’s Twitter account into a truth bomb machine. Check out the latest from Katie Couric at katiecouric.com, or on social media at @katiecouric. You can also subscribe to her daily newsletter, Wake-Up Call, here. AND you can pre-order her book, Going There, here. Nathan Allebach covers internet culture, advertising, and media literacy discourse at nathanallebach.medium.com and on social at @nathanallebach. And of course, check out some of his best-known work on Twitter at @steak_umm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest co-host Andrew Ross Sorkin joins Kara to discuss TikTok's e-commerce play with Shopify, Airbnb's announcement to house 20,000 Afghan refugees, and how more businesses are going to start requiring COVID-19 vaccination proof. Kara and Andrew also discuss OnlyFan's decision to reverse course on its plan to ban sexually explicit content, and then break down Cathy Wood’s popularity with high-risk investors. Plus, a question on the future of healthtech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest host Dr. Jeffrey Swisher joins for a medical (and Swisher) themed episode. What does full FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine mean for public health? What about antibody treatments? Team Swisher also discusses the nursing crisis, and the Biden Administration’s new plan to lower prescription drug costs. Plus, Friend of Pivot John Carreyou joins to discuss what’s to come in his new Theranos trial podcast, “Bad Blood: The Final Chapter.” You can find Dr. Jeffrey Swisher on Twitter at @jeffreyswisher, and on substack at jeffreyswishermd.substack.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What will the Taliban do with Afghans’ data? Kara and guest host Casey Newton discuss that, and how social media platforms are handling pro-Taliban accounts. Plus, will workers go for Facebook’s new VR meeting app, Horizon Workrooms? And...thoughts on Fox News requiring employees to report their vaccination status. Find Casey at @CaseyNewton on Twitter and subscribe to Platformer at www.platformer.news/subscribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest host Ben Smith joins Kara to discuss Afghanistan's fall to the Taliban, and what it means for news coverage of the region. And: a new business deal aims to bring movies back to movie theaters. But will audiences follow? Also, Friend of Pivot Julie K. Brown joins us to discuss her reporting in Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest co-host Baratunde Thurston tells Kara what he'd pay to hear Rudy Giuliani say on Cameo. Kara pulls no punches on the politicization of vaccines. They discuss the implications of the latest census data, and answer a listener question about what CNN should do about Chris Cuomo. Plus, Baratunde has a prediction about the future of the auto industry, and Kara reveals what she'd do if she had as much money as Jeff Bezos. You can check out Baratunde's new newsletter at theeasystuff.news, and check out his podcast, How To Citizen, here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest host Preet Bharara reacts to getting in Team Cuomo's crosshairs. Friend of Pivot Retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman on the phone call that changed his life, and his new book, Here, Right Matters: An American Story. Also: Apple's new child safety measures pique privacy advocates, while Chinese giant Tencent faces a lawsuit for not protecting children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guest host George Conway (and a pack of dogs) join Kara to unpack the results of a special election, new information on Trump's last days in office, and the damning report on Governor Andrew Cuomo. Also, could a class action lawsuit make Facebook the new Big Tobacco? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and guest host Stephanie Ruhle talk about why Scarlett Johansson and Amanda Knox are putting the Hollywood establishment on blast. They also break down the latest on vaccine mandates and infrastructure legislation. Pulitzer-winning Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker join to talk about their best-selling political exposé, I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year, and give us their predictions on whether Trump will run again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s Pivot, Kara and Scott wonder why Instagram took so long to add protections for teens, and what Big Tech will do with its record profits. A Pivot listener wants the details on Scott’s investment strategies, and this week's prediction is about vaccine mandates. Plus, Kara sends Scott off in style for his month-long vacation. She’ll miss him, but the slew of guest hosts she announces might help fill the void. Just a little. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A tropical storm threatens the Olympics, Kara enjoys being the Bad Girl of GETTR, and Friend of Pivot Eliot Brown explains how WeWork's Adam Neumann attracted experienced investors, and kept his hair looking good at all times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene's recent Twitter ban, Jack Dorsey's hopes for a bitcoin "world peace," and the "joyless" Olympics. Kara has high hopes for Jonathan Kanter, Biden's pick for the Justice Department's anti-trust division. Things look a little more glum for privacy after the Pegasus Project revelations. And in listener mail, we get a question on every Zoomer's mind: Should I even bother planning for retirement? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk Robinhood's IPO, Netflix earnings, and Jeff Bezos' rocket ride. They also weigh in on the war of words between Facebook and President Biden, as well as the administration's stance on China and cyberattacks. And, Friend of Pivot Paxton Smith discusses the stringent Texas abortion bill that inspired her viral valedictorian speech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk what the big banks' quarterly earnings can tell us about economic recovery. They also discuss Senate Democrats' $3.5 trillion budget deal. In listener mail, we get a question about Apple and the niche search market. Scott has a prediction about space SPACs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Biden's broad executive order aimed at stirring competition and limiting corporate dominance. They also discuss the regulations coming out of China that specifically call for data-rich companies to undergo security reviews before listing overseas. Then we are joined by NYT journalists, Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang, to hear about their new book, "An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pivot launches its Quarterly Review series, with a look back at the past two quarters and predictions of what's ahead. Kara and Scott discuss the biggest wins and fails of the year so far and check their prediction track record. They also get some forecasting from Friends of Pivot, including Congressman Ro Khanna, Lightshed Partners' Rich Greenfield, MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle, and fellow podcaster Preet Bharara. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about a Federal judge throwing out an antitrust case against Facebook by the FTC and more than 40 states. They also discuss Amazon's motion to have newly instated FTC Chair Lina Khan recuse herself from antitrust actions. In listener mail, Kara and Scott answer a question about young people quitting the corporate world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the revelations that the car company Toyota is the highest contributor to Republicans who voted to invalidate the presidential election. They also discuss BuzzFeed's plan to IPO with a SPAC and what that means for media and SPACs. Then we are joined by Yusuf Mehdi is the Corporate Vice President, Modern Life, Search & Devices at Microsoft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the six antitrust bills the House is contemplating this week and what it means for big tech and political divisions. They also discuss Microsoft joining Apple as the 2nd $2 trillion company. In listener mail, they discuss how much climate change will cost versus the Covid-19 crisis. In predictions, Scott foresees new companies emerging with big tech break up looming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about American Airlines cancelling flights because of staff shortages. They also discuss China banning the mining of Bitcoin in the country. Meanwhile, the SEC is readying new climate change disclosure regulations. Then we are joined by NBC News Political Director, Moderator and Host of Meet the Press and Host of Peacock’s Meet the Press Reports, Chuck Todd to talk about the future of news streaming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about a blockbuster story exposing worker issues in Amazon warehouses as Mackenzie Scott donates money to counteract the forces of her ex-husband's company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss how Apple unknowingly handed over phone data of two Democratic congressmen to the Trump Administration. Then, they discuss how the pay gap between workers and CEOs grew even wider during the pandemic. In Friend of Pivot, Caleb Scharf, the Director of Astrobiology at Columbia University and author of The Ascent of Information: Books, Bits, Genes, Machines, and Life's Unending Algorithm, tells us why we should care about UFO sightings, the future of space travel, and whether it's really worth it to visit Mars — regardless of what Elon Musk says. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the ProPublica report that America's wealthiest people paid basically nothing in taxes and what the country should do about it. They also discuss Facebook's upcoming smartwatch and the wearables industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the historic tax reform deal reached by the G-7 nations that would make the minimum global corporate tax rate 15%. Then they discuss this weeks' Bitcoin 2021 event in Miami and Jack Dorsey's future in cryptocurrency. In Friend of Pivot, we are joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning Presidential historian, and host of the new podcast Fate of Fact, Jon Meacham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the SEC saying that several of Elon Musk's tweets were not vetted before they were posted and violate a previous settlement with regulators. Then they discuss the trove of Dr. Fauci emails released from a FOIA request. In listener mail, Kara and Scott answer a question about Roku's acquisition of Quibi content and what it means for the company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Uber and Lyft rideshare prices surging as the companies struggle to find contract drivers. They also discuss hold-ups from Republican Senators and the Biden infrastructure bill. Then All-Star Friend of Pivot and writer of the newsletter Platformer, Casey Newton comes on to talk about all things social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Russia increasing penalties and crackdowns on Google, Twitter, and Facebook. They also discuss Amazon's $8.45billion purchase of MGM Studios. In listener mail they answer a question about whether 5G is actually worth the hype. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Apple CEO Tim Cook's testimony in the final days of the Apple vs. Epic antitrust case. Scott gives a mini-lesson on why "big is bad". Then we're joined by Friend of Pivot, author Nancy Jo Sales to talk about her new book Nothing Personal: My Secret Life in the Dating App Inferno. They discuss the pros, cons, and pitfalls of dating apps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott are joined by MSNBC Host and NBC News Senior Business Correspondent Stephanie Ruhle for a lightning round about the week's news. They talk about the tough week for the crypto-market, more on the AT&T spin-off of Time Warner (and who could swoop in to challenge the deal). They also take a listener mail question on mental health and big tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about AT&T spinning off their streaming service Time Warner and combining it with Discovery+ to compete with streaming content giants. They also discuss Twitter's potential new subscription service "Twitter Blue" (ya heard it here first!) Then we're joined by GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis to discuss the organization's new report that looks at safety for the LGBTQ community across social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the fallout from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack and the gas hoarding that followed. They also discuss Tesla's decision to suspend accepting Bitcoin for car purchases until it is more sustainable and environmentally-friendly (Scott is skeptical). In listener mail, we get a question about how the global tech industry is being affected by humanitarian crises in India and Tel Aviv. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott recap Elon Musk's host appearance on Saturday Night Live and how it affected the cryptocurrency market. They also discuss a major cyberattack on a US natural gas pipeline. Then we are joined by author of the new book Amazon Unbound, Brad Stone, to discuss how Amazon is changing in the post-Bezos era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the Facebook Oversight Board's decision to uphold Facebook's ban of Donald Trump's Facebook account... for the next six months. Then they talk about Peloton recalling, their treadmills, and how the company handled the crisis. In listener mail, we get a question about how Google has dealt with ethics as it relates to artificial intelligence. And in predictions, we have more thoughts on Dogecoin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Apple going to trial with Epic over its choice to kick Fortnite out of the app store. They also discuss the upcoming Facebook Oversight Board decision on whether to uphold the ban on Donald Trump. Then in Friend of Pivot, we're joined by US Senator Amy Klobuchar to talk about the future of antitrust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about controversies at Basecamp, as the company rolled out a new ban on internal political talk. They also discuss Jeff Bezos's company Blue Origin petitioning to have NASA revisit the contract it awarded SpaceX to land on the Moon by 2024. In listener mail, we get a question on the Bumble IPO and the future of dating apps. Scott predicts that Elon Musk's SNL appearance may land him in legal troubles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about how CEOs in the United States wealth has surged during the pandemic as compared to their workers. Meanwhile, tensions heat up between Tim Cook at Apple and Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, as iPhone users are given the option to opt-out of ad tracking. Then we are joined by Friend of Pivot, DoorDash COO Christopher Payne who talks about the company's new model for food delivery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Apple's big announcements in the podcast space and what that means for other competitors in the podcast market. They also discuss Netflix's falling subscriptions and take a look back at their first quarter last year. In listener mail we get a question about cryptocurrency's carbon footprint. And Scott has predictions for Quibi content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Facebook's new foray into the audio space and what it means for creators. They also discuss NASA partnering with SpaceX on its next moon landing mission. Scott's favorite disaster story is possibly making a comeback – Kara and Scott talk about the WeWork SPAC. Then, former US attorney, and host of the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet, Preet Bharara joins to talk about joining Vox and brings insights on some of the biggest legal issues in the news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the Coinbase IPO and the surge for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and other currencies. They also discuss the legacy financial Ponzi-schemer Bernie Madoff, who died in prison this week. We have a pop-in from Friend of Pivot Andrew Ross Sorkin on his interviews with the late Madoff. In listener mail, we get a question about Russia's decision to slow down Twitter. Scott has predictions on Alibaba stock and the future of cryptocurrencies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the failure to form a union at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama; this was the biggest unionization effort in the company's history. They also discuss China's antitrust fine against the e-commerce giant Alibaba, and how the company is actually benefitting. In Friend of Pivot, we are joined by best-selling author Walter Isaacson to talk about his new book The Code Breaker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Amazon's live-streaming service Twitch's new guidelines to keep hate speech and other forms of violence off their platform. They also discuss YouTube's new metric for showing how many videos are viewed before they are removed for violating the company's user guidelines. In listener mail, we get a question about the future of marijuana stocks. Scott has a prediction for who will acquire LG's handset company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss Janet Yellen's call for a global corporate tax and what that would mean for corporations. They also discuss a new report saying that Facebook leaked millions of users' personal information. Then we're joined by Columbia Professor, John McWhorter, to discuss the line between cancel culture and accountability, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Pivot, Kara and Scott talk about Big Tech getting involved in military matters, and how their employees are responding. They also discuss whether Compass really counts as real estate tech, and fawn over President Biden's $2 trillion dollar infrastructure plan. Also, Kara plays a little April Fools joke on Scott, and spoiler alert—it works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Kara and Scott chat about the Wall Street Journal's deep dive on Tony Hsieh, Jeff Bezo's twitter fingers, and the future of unions. Then, Friend of Pivot Zephyr Teachout joins us to talk about Cuomo Corruption and how monopoly power is "white power." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about Microsoft's potential acquisition of the video gaming social platform Discord. They also preview the big tech hearings on disinformation. Meanwhile, Scott thinks Goldman Sachs junior employees should "buck up", even though Kara thinks "work-life-balance" priorities might be shifting in our culture. In listener mail, Kara and Scott talk about how they consume the news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about troubles at Dispo – the photosharing app – after allegations of sexual assault came out around the founder's circle. They also discuss the possibility of former President Trump starting his own social media platform. Then, we are joined by Friend of Pivot Chairman of the Department of Finance at NYU Stern, David Yermack, on how to think about the NFT craze and the cryptocurrency landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott discuss scandals at Substack as Facebook builds a newsletter competitor. They also discuss a new tool that is measuring the carbon footprint of streaming on Netflix and what that means for the industry. In listener mail, we get a question about whether McKinsey is still the gold standard for early career success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kara and Scott talk about the biggest weekend for airlines since the pandemic started and what that means for the industry. They are joined by Hims/Hers CEO Andrew Dudum to talk about how telehealth surged in the past year and his decision to take the company public as a SPAC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices