In this best-of episode, originally published in February 2019, Kara Swisher talks with Harvard Business School professor emerita Shoshana Zuboff about her book The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. Zuboff talks about the way tech companies have eroded democracy, why she coined the term "surv…

In this best-of episode, originally published in March 2018, Kara Swisher talks to sex and relationship therapist Esther Perel, the host of the podcast Where Should We Begin? Perel discusses her then-new book about infidelity, The State of Affairs, and how dating apps like Tinder discourage their users from pursuing committed relationships. This in…

In this best-of episode, originally published in January 2018, Kara Swisher talks to Netflix's former chief talent officer Patty McCord about that company's famous "culture deck" and her book Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility. McCord recalls how CEO Reed Hastings convinced her to work at Netflix, the common mistakes compani…

In this best-of episode, originally published in March 2018, Kara Swisher talks to former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci about his infamous 11-day stint in the Trump administration and why he believed Trump would win re-election. Scaramucci also talks about Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon, the culture of backstabbing in Wash…

In these best-of interview excerpts — originally published in March 2016, August 2017, and March 2020 — Kara Swisher talks with venture capitalist and Social Capital CEO Chamath Palihapitiya. They discuss his time working at AOL and Facebook, the problems with corporate culture in Silicon Valley, and how the industry and office culture as a whole w…

In this best-of episode originally published in January 2018, writer and comedian Sarah Cooper talks with Kara Swisher and Dick Costolo about why she left a career in the tech industry to become a stand-up comic. Cooper has made tech a central part of her comedy and has written a book based in part on her time at Yahoo and Google called 100 Tricks …

In this best-of episode originally published in October 2017, Recode's Kara Swisher talks to investor Ellen Pao about her book, Reset: My Fight for Inclusion and Lasting Change, which chronicled Pao’s 2015 court battle against her former employer, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. They discuss her unsuccessful gender discrimination lawsuit, how it …

In this best-of episode originally published in October 2016, Recode's Kara Swisher talks to the host of The Late Late Show, James Corden, about redesigning a talk show for the YouTube generation. He talks about the viral video hits that broke out from the show such as "Carpool Karaoke," his complicated relationship with technology, and why he hate…

In this best-of episode, Recode's Kara Swisher talked to New York Times Magazine reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones about how COVID-19 magnified inequality in the US, and our historical failure to treat essential workers — from meat-packing plants to checkout counters to delivery drivers — with the respect and protection they deserve. Hannah-Jones, who c…

In this best-of episode, Recode's Kara Swisher talks to Rappler CEO Maria Ressa about doing investigative journalism in the Philippines, where social media has emboldened an autocratic president. Ressa — currently appealing a "cyber libel" conviction — explains why the Philippines was a cautionary tale for the United States, how Facebook's inaction…

In this best-of episode, Recode's Kara Swisher talks to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden about his book "Permanent Record," how his youthful love of the US government and the early internet turned into skepticism, and why he leaked highly classified information in 2013.Featuring:Edward Snowden (@Snowden), author of Permanent Record and president of…

In this best-of episode, originally published in September 2017, Recode's Kara Swisher talks to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman and Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold about their reporting on the Trump White House and his finances. They explain how they both accidentally got onto the Trump beat and how Twitter helps them do their jo…

In these best-of excerpts from several episodes of Recode Decode, Kara Swisher talks to her Pivot co-host Scott Galloway about the tech giants, the secrets of happiness, and the future of business and marketing. These interviews were originally published in June 2017, September 2017, and May 2019.Featuring:Scott Galloway (@ProfGalloway), co-host of…

In this best-of episode, former deputy CTO of the United States Nicole Wong talks with Recode’s Kara Swisher about the future of tech policy and why content moderation is more complicated than many people think. They discuss how she went from working for Google to working for President Obama, and Wong proposes a "slow food movement for the internet…

In this best-of episode, Recode's Kara Swisher and Shirin Ghaffary talk to Boots Riley, the writer and director of the satirical dark comedy film Sorry to Bother You. They discuss how he got the movie made and distributed, its unexpected popularity among the tech capitalists it satirizes, and how social media has brought once-obscure viewpoints int…

In this best-of episode, originally published in March 2019, comedian Kathy Griffin talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about the notorious photo shoot that got her investigated by the Secret Service, and her self-financed stand-up special, A Hell of a Story. She also calls for the resignation of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and talks about how she'd like …

Tristan Harris, the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, talks with Recode's Kara Swisher in these two best-of interview excerpts. In the first interview, originally published in January 2017, Harris discusses his background and the Center's best-known initiative, "Time Well Spent." In the second interview, originally published in May 20…

Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition and a three-time Recode Decode guest, talks with Kara Swisher in these three excerpts from her appearances on the show. Originally published in 2016, 2017, and 2019, the interviews cover how Vestager approached trying to regulate big tech companies such as Apple, Facebook, and Google, wh…

Apple CEO Tim Cook talks with Recode's Kara Swisher and MSNBC's Chris Hayes in this live interview that originally aired in April 2018. This conversation was broadcast on MSNBC for the TV show Revolution and also features educators from Chicago-area schools, with whom Apple was partnering to get its devices into more classrooms. Swisher, Hayes, and…

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg talks with Recode's Kara Swisher in this interview, which was originally published in July 2018. They discuss why Facebook hadn't banned Alex Jones and Inforwars (a stance it later reversed), why no one was fired after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, and the rise of China as a global tech power.Featuring:Mark Zuckerber…

The Guardian and Observer reporter Carole Cadwalladr talks with Recode's Kara Swisher in this interview, which was originally published in July 2019. They discuss her investigations into the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the links between tech and political disinformation campaigns, and the dangers of challenging billionaire ideologues.Featuring:Car…

Journalist and Winners Take All author Anand Giridharadas talks with Recode's Kara Swisher in these excerpts from two of our favorite episodes, originally published in October 2018 and May 2019. They discuss the growing culture of inequality in the tech industry and around the world, how elites use philanthropy as a shield for the damage they have …

Here are excerpts from two of our favorite episodes of Recode Decode, originally published in June 2017 and October 2018. In the first section, recorded live at the 2017 Code Conference, Recode's Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg talk to former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton about why she lost the 2016 election, the Democratic Party's failure …

Here is one of our favorite episodes of Recode Decode, originally published in May 2018. In it, Recode's Kara Swisher talks to Wall Street Journal investigative reporter John Carreyrou about his book about Theranos, "Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup." They discuss founder Elizabeth Holmes' obsession with Steve Jobs, how red f…

Here are excerpts from two of our favorite episodes of Recode Decode, originally published in November 2017 and June 2019. In the first part of the show, Recode's Kara Swisher and SKDK's Hilary Rosen talk to then-Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams about how tech has changed state politics and why she was wary of Amazon's HQ2 competition.…

Here's one of our favorite episodes of Recode Decode, originally published in November 2018. In it, Recode's Kara Swisher talks to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk about Tesla's turbulent 2018, when SpaceX planned to send its first rocket to Mars, why he fights with journalists on Twitter, and much more. Musk also discusses his "funding secured" twee…

After five years, Kara Swisher signs off as the host of Recode Decode. She and her producer Eric Johnson discuss five of the best moments in the show's 539-episode history; then, she talks with Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff about the future of Vox as the COVID-19 crisis continues and the media grapples with what it can do to unwind systemic racism; and…

Former Google executive Sridhar Ramaswamy talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about his new startup, Neeva, which promises to offer paying subscribers a search engine with no ads and without selling its users' data. Ramaswamy, who worked at Google from 2003 to 2018, talks about how it evolved into an advertising powerhouse, why people should care abou…

Former Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about the company's history of activism, the Facebook ad boycott that Patagonia helped start, and what she hopes it will accomplish. Marcario explains how Patagonia chooses which battles to fight, what she thinks of other business leaders who take public stands — such as Amazon CEO…

Call Your Girlfriend co-host Aminatou Sow talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about upcoming book with Ann Friedman, Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close. Sow discusses "how [she] got bamboozled into getting business-married” to Friedman, why they went to therapy together, and why talking about your friendships with your friends is so importan…

Harvard professor Samantha Power, the former US ambassador the United Nations, talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about her 2019 memoir The Education of an Idealist, what idealism looks like now in America, and the Trump administration's deadly mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic — and what she would do differently were she in charge. Power also …

The Hive authors Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden talk with Recode's Kara Swisher about how they came to write a young adult book about a social media dystopia, based on a cinematic idea from actor Jennifer Beals and producer Tom Jacobson. The 2019 book is set "five minutes in the future," where social media participation is mandated by the government f…

Symone Sanders, a senior advisor to Joe Biden and former national press secretary for Bernie Sanders, talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about the 2020 campaign and her new memoir, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America. Sanders reflects on her own political journey and explains why she's eager to support Biden this year — an…

Basecamp CEO Jason Fried talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about the company's new email product, Hey, which he describes as "the most ambitious and stupidest thing we’ve ever done." Fried also discusses how coronavirus proved that offices are not as important as other companies used to say, why Zoom calls "suck," and why Basecamp is charging $99/ye…

Katie Couric, the former host of the Today Show and anchor of the CBS Evening News, talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about why the current moment of political protest feels unlike anything that came before; the fine line between objectivity and advocacy in journalism; and her upcoming memoir, Unexpected. Couric also discusses the battle over Confed…

American historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about her new podcast, The Last Archive, which investigates "who killed truth?" in the style of a true-crime show. Lepore discusses why the protests against systemic police violence represent America "at our very best," but explains why the two main competin…

Journalist and author Bart Gellman talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about his newest book, Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State. Gellman discusses how he got connected with Snowden ahead of his whistleblowing disclosures in 2013; how he reacted to the staggering size of the US government's digital surveillance apparatus; …

Recode's Kara Swisher talks with three guests about how to take care of your mind, body, and spirit while in quarantine. Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe discusses the challenges of getting people to meditate, how to make your sleep more restful, and how to feel connected to loved ones you can't see right now; Peloton's head instructor Robin Ar…

Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about the new book she wrote with her wife Anne Morriss, Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader's Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You. Frei — who has previously worked with Uber, WeWork, and Riot Games to address culture crises — discusses what good leadership today loo…

Lemonade CEO and co-founder Daniel Schreiber talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about what happens to an insurance in a crisis like COVID-19, how some of the money from Lemonade customers' premiums will be allocated to coronavirus relief, and whether the insurance industry can be fully automated. Schreiber also talks about Lemonade's decision to be a…

New York Times Magazine writer-at-large Jon Mooallem talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about his newest book, This Is Chance!: The Shaking of an All-American City, A Voice That Held It Together. It tells the story of a 9.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Anchorage, Alaska in 1964 and how a part-time radio reporter named Genie Chance held her commun…

Phil Howard, the Oxford Internet Institute director and author of Lie Machines, and Emily Bell, the director of Columbia University's Tow Center for Digital Journalism, talk with Recode's Kara Swisher about the state of disinformation and propaganda in the coronavirus pandemic and how what we're hearing this year compares to the state-organized pro…

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about Uber's evolving response to the COVID-19 pandemic, how it's preparing for the world to re-open, and the one segment of the company that is thriving right now — its food delivery business, UberEats. Khosrowshahi also discusses the company's recent 6700-person layoffs, the blowback Ube…

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky returns to Recode Decode to talk with Kara Swisher about how the company is "going back to [its] roots" after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed its IPO; the future of travel and hospitality in a world with way fewer people taking airplanes; and how Airbnb tried to "lead by example" in its severance payments and benefits to laid-…

Former Clinton and Obama economic advisor Gene Sperling talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about his latest book, Economic Dignity, and how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing attitudes toward essential labor and compensation. He predicts that unemployment could top 10 percent for several years to come, and evaluates the federal government's response t…

Recode's Kara Swisher talks with the Verge's Casey Newton and her older son, Louie Swisher, about how the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine has affected their tech habits. They also discuss Louie's remote final months of high school, the future of video conferencing, and the growing power of tech giants such as Facebook and Amazon. Newton also talks…

Historian and bestselling author Jon Meacham talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about his new podcast Hope Through History, which shows how Americans endured crises such as the Great Depression and the 1918 flu pandemic and came out the other side as a stronger nation. Meacham says there's no guarantee that the coronavirus pandemic will be resolved i…

Model and dietitian Maye Musk (the mother of Tesla/SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, entrepreneur Kimbal Musk, and filmmaker Tosca Musk) talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about her recent memoir, A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success. Musk also discusses ageism in modeling, her aversion to the "weird diets" that have caug…

Former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about why he tried to primary Donald Trump earlier this year, how the Republican Party became a "cult," and his recent book, F*ck Silence: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man He Is. Walsh, who also hosts a podcast called F*ck Silence, says the cor…

NYU Professor and Pivot co-host Scott Galloway returns to Recode Decode to talk about his new show on Vice TV, No Mercy, No Malice with Professor Scott Galloway. He and Recode's Kara Swisher also talk about how they started working together, why he decided to branch out into podcasting and then TV, and the "most disruptable" industries that young p…