Consider This from NPR

Episodes

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  Can the courts prove Meta got kids addicted to social media? 18.08.2026 9m

  Concerns about social media have prompted a group of attorneys general to sue Meta. Could their case change the way social media is used?Meta’s lawyers are in federal court to defend against accusations from four state attorneys general that the company’s social media platforms are designed to hook children.Meta denies the allegations.We hear what happened on the first day of court. This episode was produced by Elena Burnett, Jeffrey Pierre and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Robert Rodriguez. Our director is Alejandra Marquez Janse.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning, who also edited this episode along with Ravenna Koenig, Kara Platoni, Diane Webber, Janaya Williams and Mallory Yu.Note: The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a charity founded by Zuckerberg and his wife, is a financial supporter of NPR.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  The questions Jason Arday's life and death raise for academia 17.08.2026 9m

  Sociology professor Jason Arday was lauded as the youngest-ever Black professor appointed at the University of Cambridge in 2023. But since landing that position, he’d been, according to his family, “subjected to a campaign of sustained abuse,” stemming from scrutiny about his work and record.Arday faced growing accusations of plagiarism and fraud, was found dead in London on August 14th, just days after he resigned from Cambridge. His death is raising new questions about how fairly Black academics are elevated and criticized in comparison to their peers. In this episode, we explore those questions with University of Southern California Professor Shaun Harper, whose research focuses on race, gender, and equity in education and other spheres. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Michelle Aslam and Jeffrey Pierre, with audio engineering by Robert Rodriguez. Our director is Alejandra Marquez Janse.It was edited by Christopher Intagliata and Ashley Brown. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  After the fall of the Orbán regime, can Hungary mend its damaged democracy? 16.08.2026 9m

  Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ruled Hungary with an iron fist for 16 years. After he was unseated in a landslide election last April, many Hungarians wonder if the new government led by Peter Magyar can mend the deeply damaged democracy. This episode was produced and edited by Michael Levitt.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  President Trump is changing norms of transparency. How are lawmakers responding? 14.08.2026 9m

  This week, President Trump made headlines when he confirmed he was secretly removed from Air Force One in Turkey last month, following a credible threat from Iran.The confirmation came days after The Washington Post reported on an elaborate ruse to keep the president safe.This is just one of the quiet ways the Trump admin has tried to evade scrutiny. Are lawmakers doing anything to address it?This episode was produced by Mia Venkat and Jordan-Marie Smith, with audio engineering by Damian Herring. Our director is Jonas Adams.It was edited by Kelsey Snell, Sarah Handel and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  Reported conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln are concerning. What can lawmakers do? 13.08.2026 9m

  This week, news broke that conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have deteriorated.MS Now and other outlets have reported that service members have jumped overboard.NPR has not independently verified this reporting. Congressional lawmakers are demanding answers about conditions on the naval carrier, but is there more they can do?This episode was produced by Lauren Hodges, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Andrew Sussman and Tinbete Ermyas.Our director is Jonas Adams. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  Democrats want to take back Congress. Did Tuesday’s primaries reveal a path forward? 12.08.2026 8m

  Voters in half a dozen states went to the polls on Tuesday.For Democrats – who hope to win back Congress in the fall – it was a night of mixed messages about which direction the party should embrace.Did Tuesday's results hint at which path the Democrats may take?This episode was produced by Linah Mohammad and Kathryn Fink, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Tinbete Ermyas.Our director is Jonas Adams.And our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  The elaborate ruse used to conceal Trump's whereabouts 11.08.2026 9m

  The scene of President Trump boarding Air Force One after last month’s NATO summit in Turkey is one that TV cameras and photographers have captured countless times. What happened in the moments after that was far from routine, according to exclusive reporting from the Washington Post.The Post reports that Trump was shuttled in an airport catering truck to a smaller military plane in which he then secretly departed, even as the White House announced he was flying aboard Air Force One.The operation was prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, a U.S. official familiar with the operation told the Post.We should note that NPR has not independently confirmed this reporting.New information about how the White House handled the president’s security is raising questions about safety and transparency.This episode was produced by Elena Burnett and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro and Ted Mebane. Our director is Kai McNamee.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning who also edited today’s episode along with Janaya Williams.For tickets to a live taping of Sources & Methods, NPR’s national security podcast, visit this link: npr.org/sourcesliveshow.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  Peeling paint, the reflecting pool and the case Trump can't let go 10.08.2026 8m

  President Trump's Department of Justice walked away from the case against David “Davey” Hearn.Prosecutors charged Hearn with vandalism in relation to peeling paint in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The charges have since been dismissed.But President Trump can't let the case go .Trump continues to insist it was so-called vandalism that led to peeling paint and blooming algae on the National Mall reflecting pool – not a botched repair project as prosecutors ultimately concluded.What's it like to have the President beat the drum for your arrest?This episode was produced by Jason Fuller and Linah Mohammad, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Kai McNamee.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning who also edited today’s episode along with Patrick Jarenwattanon.For tickets to a live taping of Sources & Methods, NPR’s national security podcast, visit this link on or after Tuesday, August 11: npr.org/sourcesliveshowSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  How Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' reshaped war in the Middle East 09.08.2026 9m

  Part of what has made Iran so effective in the war with the U.S. is its vast network of allies in the region. Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran-backed Iraqi militias are often referred to as the “Axis of Resistance.”Peter Salisbury, a professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, explains the Axis of Resistance and how it’s shaping the war.This episode was produced by Henry Larson and Daniel OfmanIt was edited by Sarah Robbins and Michael Levitt.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  Evidence-based reporting can be a parent's best friend 08.08.2026 9m

  Information around children's health is more accessible than ever. It's also never been more difficult to navigate that information. NPR's Maria Godoy talks about how her evidence-based reporting aims to help parents make decisions and find practical strategies - without feeling overwhelmed by today's often confusing headlines. This episode was produced by Linah Mohammad and Vincent Acovino.It was edited by Jeanette Woods.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  How is settler violence shaping life in the Israeli-occupied West Bank? 07.08.2026 9m

  President Trump and his Board of Peace are working to find a diplomatic end to the war between Israel and Hamas.But as they work towards an agreement, incidents of settler violence are increasing in the other Israeli-occupied territory, the West BankNPR visited the region to learn how that violence is shaping daily life there.This episode was produced by Nuha Musleh, Christine Arrasmith and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Peter Elena, Becky Brown and Ted Mebane.It was edited by James Hider and Tinbete Ermyas.Our director is Elena Moore.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  Why do so many doctors and nurses avoid treating patients with addiction? 06.08.2026 9m

  In the US, about a quarter of a million people die each year from alcohol and drug-related illness, despite proven medical treatments for addiction. So why aren’t doctors prescribing them more?This episode was produced by Liz Baker and Kathryn Fink, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Maureen Pao and Tinbete Ermyas.Our director is Elena Moore, and our executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  What do Tuesday’s primaries signal about where the Democratic Party is headed? 05.08.2026 7m

  Tuesday's Democratic primaries were a success for both the establishment and progressive wings of the party.These results are fueling a tug-of-war between two sides -- over who gets to control the party's message and priorities ahead of the midterm elections.What do Tuesday's primaries signal about where the Democratic party is headed?This episode was produced by Michelle Aslam and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro and Becky Brown.It was edited by Mallory Yu and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  What are the implications of a shrinking supply of U.S. missiles? 04.08.2026 10m

  After months of war with Iran, the United States is facing a new challenge: stockpiles of some precision missiles are almost depleted, NPR has learned from a U.S. official who is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.In this episode, we hear more about the implications of this weapons shortage – which one official says could make the U.S. more vulnerable in other parts of the world – and how these weapons differ from the U.S. supply of offensive weapons.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Kathryn Fink, Elena Burnett and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane and Zo van Ginhoven. Our director is Jonas Adams.It was edited by Andrew Sussman, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Ashley Brown. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  Can AI can help job-seekers facing one of the hardest obstacles? 03.08.2026 7m

  While there’s a lot of fear right now about AI taking people’s jobs, AI could actually help people get jobs – including those with some of the most significant barriers to employment.Tens of millions of Americans have some kind of criminal history. And helping those with low-level crimes and non-convictions on their records used to be a painstakingly slow and expensive process. In this episode, we explore how a new AI-powered app could provide a new path to employment for job-seekers who face some of the toughest hurdles in the market.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Megan Lim and Jason Fuller, with audio engineering by Zo Van Ginhoven and Ted Mebane. It was edited by Emily Kopp and Ashley Brown. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  Much of the western US is facing a drought. What’s the best way to deal with it? 02.08.2026 8m

  Across the western US, many states are dealing with extreme heat and drought-like conditions.In times like these, water — and access to it — becomes a contentious issue.A new plan put forth by the federal government aims to allocate water from the Colorado River between states and Native American tribes.What's in the plan - and will it work?This episode was produced by Daniel Ofman, with audio engineering by Becky Brown. Our director is Marc Rivers.It was edited by Michael Levitt and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  When it comes to climate change, is there a point when adaptation isn't enough? 31.07.2026 7m

  Wildfires are raging across large swaths of Europe, prompting hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.The fires are the latest weather event on a continent that has experienced a lot of heat this summer, which scientists say has created conditions that make wildfires more likely.But at what point is it too late to adapt to a changing climate? For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Michelle Aslam and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams.It was edited by Mallory Yu and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  98 teens got together to craft an AI bill. Here’s what happened. 30.07.2026 9m

  98 high school students from across the country gathered in a mock student senate. The goal was to come up with a bill that would guide schools on how to deal with the chaos created by AI.NPR's Cory Turner attended to see how things developed.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Lauren Migaki, Linah Mohammad, and Vincent Acovino, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams.It was edited by Nirvi Shah and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show's perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  What does the recent Hugging Face hacking incident teach us about the future of AI? 29.07.2026 7m

  It’s a science fiction nightmare: What happens if the machines take over?The world got a potential taste of that last week, when OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, said two of its models had autonomously hacked into another AI company.OpenAI says its technology carried out the attack during a cybersecurity test.The incident has highlighted fears that losing control of AI could pose broader safety concerns for the real world. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Elena Burnett and Kathryn Fink, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams.It was edited by Mallory Yu and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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  The anti-crime push in Memphis is also an immigration operation 28.07.2026 9m

  When President Trump announced the creation of a federal task force to fight violent crime in Memphis, Tenn., and called for the deployment of the Tennessee National Guard, officials did not say immigration enforcement was a goal.Yet the influx of federal agents into Memphis has led to widespread immigration arrests – most involving people without criminal convictions.It has created constant fear within the immigrant community in Memphis.NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf reports.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Kai McNamee and Alejandra Marquez Janse. Our director is Jonas Adams. It was edited by Alina Hartounian and Patrick Jarenwattananon. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy