In this special edition of the podcast, host Mark Jacobson revisits the classic work of Edward Bernays whose 1928 book, Propaganda, argued that democracy required managed perception and was effective precisely because it bypasses conscious reasoning. Bernays wrote at a time when newspapers were the dominant form of communication, when radio and film were still nascent, but the clear implications of his work for our current world of algorithmically controlled media are numerous.

AI-Generated Personas in Politics with Effie Webb
30:29

From HIV to COVID-19: Russian Exploitation of Public Health Crises
32:59

"Well, Actually. . . ." News Verification with the AP's Melissa Goldin
30:05