S2 E2. Down the Rabbit Hole

In a largely unregulated social media ecosystem, a curious mom looking for info about vaccine mandates in public schools can end up feasting on the internet’s most insidious — and outlandish — conspiracy theories. Stanford researcher Renée DiResta joins Will and Siva to grapple with the tangled web of QAnon, antivaxxers and more. If the Jan. 6 riot in Washington is any indication, what starts in chatrooms doesn’t stay in chatrooms. And the real-world consequences of the virtual Wild West can be disastrous.

Om Podcasten

All over the world, liberal democracy is under threat. Autocrats are taking hold. They’re crushing dissent. Controlling the media. Trampling voting rights. Don’t let them. Join hosts Will Hitchcock and Siva Vaidhyanathan as they put the illiberal turn in context. Hear leading thinkers discuss serious threats to government by the people: from the dark web and media disinformation, to climate change, economic inequality and violent extremism. Help save the rule of the people — one episode at a time. And make democracy work better. Listen, subscribe to the show, leave us some stars and tweet us your thoughts @DinDpodcast. New episodes drop every other Wednesday.