NPR/TED Staff
Stories
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Yuval Noah Harari: Could Big Data Destroy Liberal Democracy?
Yuval Noah Harari says data is the new source of political power, and he worries that big data and AI technology threaten to destroy liberal democracy.
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James Bridle: What Do Kids' Videos on YouTube Reveal About the Internet's Dark Side?
Children's YouTube is full of addicting content for kids, which can lead users to disturbing and inappropriate videos. James Bridle explains how the Internet's profit structure drives this phenomenon.
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Edward Tenner: Can We View Technology's Unintended Consequences In A Positive Light?
Edward Tenner says we shouldn't fear technology's unintended consequences. He argues for taking the long view of history, and that human ingenuity often finds solutions to negative consequences.
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Kashmir Hill: Do Your Smart Devices Know Too Much?
When Kashmir Hill filled her home with smart devices, she knew they would collect massive amounts of her personal information. She wanted to understand: what's the ultimate cost of that data mining?
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Jeffrey Howard: Should A Culture Dedicated To Free Speech Limit Hate Speech?
Political scientist Jeffrey Howard says democracies should allow all types of speech — even if they're hurtful. The key, he says, is to respond with conversation rather than confrontation.
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Tyler Cowen: Do The Numbers Give Us The Full Picture?
When it comes to global progress, Tyler Cowen says there's much more to the story than numbers can tell. And it's important, he says, to pay attention to the inherent "messiness" of the data.
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James Kirchick: Who Benefits From Unrestricted Free Speech?
When James Kirchick was in college, someone he found deeply offensive spoke on campus. Rather than protest, James attended the talk. He says free speech benefits everyone, especially the powerless.
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Michael Green: What Does GDP Not Tell Us?
To fully understand progress, economist Michael Green says we must weigh social well-being and wealth. But by using this new measurement, he noticed something striking — the U.S. falls far behind.
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Elif Shafak: What Happens When Different Viewpoints Are Silenced?
Turkish novelist Elif Shafak has seen firsthand what can happen when a country restricts free speech. She says democracy depends on the right to openly exchange diverse, even oppositional, ideas.
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Anand Giridharadas: Do Hateful People Deserve Forgiveness?
Anand Giridharadas spent two years researching a man who committed a string of hate crimes after 9/11. Along the way, he uncovered a striking story of mercy from an unlikely source: the man's victim.