Vox

The AI double squeeze: job loss and predatory debt | The Gray Area - September 25, 2026 - Vox
Inside the financial double squeeze of AI job loss.
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In today's episode, Vox senior reporter and producer Miles Bryan talks with writer Daniel Kolitz about his piece for The Baffler, "Paid Phones." Kolitz explains what it felt like to be among the first wave of workers displaced by generative AI. The two of them talked about how fintech payday loan apps use hidden fees and subscriptions to profit off of desperate borrowers, and how an online community on Reddit is organizing a quiet resistance against predatory lenders.
00:00 Intro
04:17 The golden age of SEO ghostwriting
09:39 The arrival of ChatGPT and job displacement
15:16 Entering the world of “friendly” cash advance apps
24:37 The Reddit ACH revocation community
31:59 The economic outlook of AI job loss
36:24 Climbing out of debt
Guest Host: Miles Bryan, Vox Senior Producer and Reporter
Guest: Daniel Kolitz, author of Paid Phones
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What the media gets wrong about Israel | America, Actually - September 21, 2026 - Vox
Mehdi Hasan says his MSNBC show being canceled was the greatest thing that could have happened to him. As the founder of Zeteo, he argues that independent journalism gives him the freedom to speak plainly about topics traditional newsrooms struggle to cover, and that the media’s approach to Israel and Gaza has damaged its credibility with audiences.
In this episode of America, Actually, Vox’s Astead Herndon talks with Hasan about public trust in the news, how journalists respond to President Donald Trump’s attacks on the press, and the relationship between independent media and rising progressive candidates. They also discuss why Israel has become more than a foreign policy issue for some voters, and what those tensions mean for the Democratic Party.
America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.
If you enjoy our reporting and want to learn more, sign up for Astead’s weekly newsletter, Midterms, Actually. Just go to www.vox.com/midtermsactually to learn more, and get in-depth analysis about this year’s election right to your inbox.
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Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE
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This is how you rule the world | The Gray Area - September 21, 2026 - Vox
What should a college teach? How to think? How to find a career? How to be a good citizen? What about how to acquire money, influence, and power?
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In today’s episode, guest host Bryan Walsh speaks to journalist and writer Theo Baker about his investigation into Stanford University, where Baker was an undergrad student at the time. He entered the school as a bright-eye freshman, eager to build a career in tech. He left disillusioned by the school’s culture. His book reveals an insidious relationship between Silicon Valley and Stanford, where power, money, and success are prized higher than ethics, education, and the wellbeing of students.
Guest Host: Bryan Walsh, Senior writer, Coefficient Giving
Guest: Theo Baker, author of How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University
00:00 Intro
02:06 Stanford: myth vs. reality
05:56 The ‘Stanford inside Stanford’
13:51 Is there University oversight?
19:23 Regulating parties but not Silicon Valley’s access
30:53 The Faustian bargain
38:22 Duck syndrome at Stanford
We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show.
And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday.
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Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
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Why Latino voters have turned on Trump | America, Actually - September 19, 2026 - Vox
Latino voters have often been called a "sleeping giant" in US politics, but Equis Research co-founder Stephanie Valencia says that’s wrong: they’re a "swinging giant.” This dynamic, independent-leaning electorate is actively redefining national politics. And now, many of the Latino voters who helped propel President Donald Trump to the White House in 2024 are having second thoughts.
In this episode of America, Actually, Vox’s Astead Herndon breaks down the dramatic decline in Trump’s approval rating among the group, the myth of the "monolithic" Latino vote, and how unforced errors in Spanish-language campaigning can leave crucial swing voters on the table. Later, Colorado congressional candidate Manny Rutinel discusses how he’s campaigning in a 40% Latino battleground district.
00:00 The Latino vote swings back
02:04 Latinos should be known as a “swinging giant”
04:34 Where campaigns go wrong
08:57 Why Trump’s approval rating has fallen among Latinos
11:51 Beyond left vs right
14:46 Demographics aren’t destiny
17:15 The view from Colorado
19:45 Trump vs the Democratic agenda
22:35 Healthcare policy shift
26:18 How to win Latino voters
28:17 Takeaways
America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.
If you enjoy our reporting and want to learn more, sign up for Astead’s weekly newsletter, Midterms, Actually. Just go to www.vox.com/midtermsactually to learn more, and get in-depth analysis about this year’s election right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: http://goo.gl/U2g06o
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