Digital fakery, from the latest generation of deepfakes to lower-tech trickery, threatens to erode trust in societies and can prevent justice from being served. But how can technology be used to both ...detect deepfakes and authenticate real images? Patrick Traynor, a professor at the University of Florida, explains a novel method to expose audio generated by artificial intelligence. Ilke Demir of Intel Labs demonstrates how to spot visual fakery by analysing colour changes in the face. Plus, The Economist’s Benjamin Sutherland investigates the flipside of deepfakes: how to prove that footage is real. And Wendy Betts of eyeWitness to Atrocities explains how her technology is being used as evidence for war crimes. Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The 118th Congress is, so far, a shambles. A contingent of hardline Republicans have banded together to deny Kevin McCarthy the 218 votes he needs to obtain the speakership. The House can’t start the ...small matter of governing the country until the debacle is resolved. Can this Congress get over its chaotic start? Molly Reynolds from Brookings explains how House procedure has led to the mess. We go back 100 years to the last time it took multiple ballots to elect a speaker. And The Economist’s James Bennet considers the prospects for the year in Washington. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees KahloonYou can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Less than a fifth of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country. Poverty rates are rising and life expectancy is falling. A majority think the economy is getting worse and ...that the world sees America unfavourably. But amid the bleak metrics, there have been some bright spots this year: employment remains strong, support for Ukraine has been a notable foreign-policy success and the midterm results laid the groundwork for a stronger democracy. What in America is working? And will those things continue into next year? The American Enterprise Institute’s Kori Schake explains why the Ukraine policy has gone so well. Political scientist Lee Drutman looks beyond the doom and gloom of the two-party system. And The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch assesses the implications of a strong jobs market. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon, who round off the year with a festive quiz. We are always trying to improve our podcasts for our listeners. To help, please complete this short survey: economist.com/uspodsurvey You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Supreme Court considered a case this week that could upend the way America conducts elections. Moore v Harper brings to the national stage a once-fringe legal theory that state lawmakers enjoy ...near-absolute authority over federal elections. What impact could the case have? And, with the final race in the midterms now complete, how healthy does democracy in America look? The Economist’s Supreme Court correspondent Steve Mazie recaps the arguments before the court. The Economist’s Ann Wroe remembers the time the Supreme Court decided an election. And Harvard’s Nicholas Stephanopoulos assesses the state of America’s democracy. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. We are always trying to improve our podcasts for our listeners. To help, please complete this short survey: economist.com/uspodsurvey You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, for the first time ever, two mature cyber-powers began to fight over computer networks in wartime. But while Russia’s cyber-war may have been intense, its impact has been ...modest. Has the country’s cyber prowess been overrated? The Economist’s Benjamin Sutherland describes the cybercriminals joining the war effort in Ukraine. Paul Chichester, operations director at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, analyses why Russia hasn’t had more success in the cyber domain. And Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, finds lessons from Ukraine on cyber warfare more broadly. Alok Jha hosts. We are always trying to improve our podcasts. To help, please complete this short questionnaire: economist.com/babbagesurveyFor full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Politicians have returned to Washington following the Thanksgiving break, for what Democrats hope will be a legislative flurry. Once Republicans take over the House in January, passing bills will get ...a lot harder. What can, and should, the lame-duck session of the 117th Congress accomplish? Senator Angus King tells us why reforming a law from 1887 is at the top of his to-do list. We go back to a particularly productive lame-duck session. And The Economist’s James Bennet makes the case that Congress should act to protect those who grew up undocumented in America. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. We are always trying to improve our podcasts for our listeners. To help, please complete this short survey: economist.com/uspodsurvey You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Republicans should have done better. With high inflation and an unpopular president, the stage was set for them to easily take back both chambers of Congress. Instead they look on track to barely ...capture the House, and the Senate is most likely to stay blue. It was a bad result for Donald Trump, whose handpicked election-denying candidates underperformed horribly. What do the midterm election results mean for America? The Economist’s Elliott Morris assesses how our election model did. We check in, one last time, on the races in Pennsylvania. And The Economist’s James Bennet explains why he thinks Joe Biden shouldn’t seek another term. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For two years Democrats have held the Holy Grail – control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress. The midterms will, most likely, put an end to that. Divided government is going to make Joe ...Biden’s agenda much harder to pass: what will the legacy of his first two years in power be? The Economist’s Henry Curr takes us through “Bidenomics”. We go back to the last time Democrats had a government trifecta. And The Economist’s Stevie Hertz speaks to voters who have been helped by the Biden administration, but may not realise it. Charlotte Howard hosts with Idrees Kahloon and Jon Fasman. You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The most important issue for Americans is the economy. When asked, in a poll by YouGov for The Economist, to pick from a list of a dozen problems facing the nation, over a third of people said that ...the state of the economy or inflation is their top concern. Republicans have a clear lead on the issue and so they ought to do well in the midterms. Except it's more complicated than that: most people don't have an accurate picture of how the economy is doing, and partisanship fills the gap. The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch takes the temperature of the US economy. We go back to a time when a state bucked the national economic trend. And The Economist’s Elliott Morris explains how politics influences Americans’ assessment of their financial health. John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/uspod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
