Attack ads have always been part of politics. But with artificial intelligence, a new front has opened in the battle for votes. On top of that, Silicon Valley is pouring megabucks into Florida campaigns.
Plus, what makes someone dive into a swamp in pursuit of big snakes? And, discarded dorm fridges, microwaves and other left-behinds are getting recycled at Eckerd College.
Digital titans in Florida politics
(0:00) Big tech is spending millions to shape elections, including here in Florida. We look at Meta’s political spending and its influence in a local state Senate race. And we’ll examine what voters should look for if they want to follow the money.
GUEST:
- Jason Garcia, author of the Substack newsletter Seeking Rents
Can you spot an AI ad?
(12:00) Artificial intelligence is making political ads harder to believe — and sometimes harder to detect. We’ll show you clues to reveal an AI-generated image and look at the tools available to voters. Plus, what happens when campaigns can create events that never happened?
GUEST:
- Meghan Bowman, reporter on WUSF’s “Your Florida” team
Rolling snake eyes
(20:48) What makes someone wade into the Everglades in search of giant pythons? Outdoorsman Toby Benoit joins us to talk about the annual state challenge and his role in a new documentary. We’ll also hear why some hunters see the work as more than just a competition.
GUEST:
- Toby Benoit, outdoorsman and writer
Second life for dorm discards
(35:21) What happens to the stuff left behind at the end of the school year? An Eckerd College program collects, cleans and resells much of it to incoming students. We’ll look at how useful items are kept out of the landfill while saving students money.
GUEST:
- Evan Bollier, Eckerd College director of sustainability and founder of Trash 2 Treasure
