Publishing Details
Contact & Outreach
About This Podcast
Explore Statistics
Recent Episodes
How a Chinese battery factory sparked a political meltdown in a small Michigan town
The Chinese company Gotion's EV battery plan was the kind of big, ambitious, the U.S. economy — and the struggling small town of Big Rapids — needed. But that’s not how some locals saw it. In this…
The global struggle over how to regulate AI
Big AI companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI and Amazon, have come out hard against comprehensive regulatory efforts in the West — but are receiving a warm welcome from leaders in many other countries.…
How WhatsApp ate the world
WhatsApp is already the world’s most widely used messaging app. Meta wants it to be a lot more. WhatsApp is the world’s most widely used messaging app, with 2 billion daily users, who send 100…
WhatsApp vigilantes in India are converting Christians by force
In this episode, Rest of World explores how far-right Hindu nationalists use WhatsApp to target Christian families when they’re most vulnerable — by preventing them from burying their dead. Written…
Destined for clicks: YouTube is driving an astrology boom in Pakistan
Amid economic, political, and environmental uncertainty, Pakistanis are increasingly seeking guidance from digital astrologers for a sense of reassurance. In this narrated feature, Rest of World…
Can a church exist exclusively on the internet?
Amid a life of upheaval and poverty, Jeffter Wekesa tried and failed to found three churches in Kenya. Then he started preaching on TikTok, and his fortunes changed. In this episode, Rest of World…
The AI artist who used Bad Bunny’s voice — and shot to fame
For years, Mauricio Bustos used his YouTube channel to try and break into the music industry. Then he discovered AI. Overnight, he could rap like Bad Bunny and sing like Justin Bieber. He went viral.…
Vigilantes for views: The YouTube pranksters harassing suspected scam callers in India
Los Angeles-based Trilogy Media took “scambaiting” to a new level, but some claim they’re gaining viral fame at others’ expense. In this story from our archive, Rest of World, profiles the Trilogy…
The graying gig economy
The average age for delivery workers is 29 and the average age for ride-hailing drivers is 36, but many older individuals are turning to gig work, too. Rest of World spoke to 52 workers above the age…
Inside the BJP’s WhatsApp machine
As millions of Indians vote, there’s one platform most of them will turn to for information: WhatsApp. And no one controls the political narrative on WhatsApp like the BJP, the ruling party helmed by…
Inside TSMC’s struggle to build a chip factory in the U.S. suburbs
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) was slated to open a plant in Phoenix, Arizona in 2024. It aimed to bring thousands of jobs, but the expansion hasn’t taken off. In this story, Rest…
The changing face of protest
Mass protests used to offer a degree of safety in numbers. Facial recognition technology changes the equation. This story explores how thanks to new facial recognition technology, protesters’ safety…
The rise and fall of Argentina’s celebrity crypto pastor
Generación Zoe’s Leonardo Cositorto was charged with fraud in Argentina in April 2022. His and staff arrests have users asking, “¿Qué pasó con generacion Zoe?” In this feature from our archive, Rest…
Riders in the smog
From toxic skies to health hazards: Rest of World measured air quality for riders in Lahore, New Delhi, and Dhaka. The results were devastating. Pollution is worsening in South Asia’s major cities,…
The fall of the King of Squirrels
In this feature from our archive, Rest of World follows the story of exotic animal trader as he capitalizes on Vietnam's growing digital connectivity — and Facebook’s negligence — to build an online…
Inside Foxconn’s struggle to manufacture iPhones in India
Foxconn is flying engineers from China to India to train the next generation of iPhone builders. But both the Chinese engineers and Indian assembly line workers describe a serious culture clash. In…
When digital nomads come to town
What happens to cities when they become digital nomad hotspots? In this narrated feature, Rest of World looks at how the remote work revolution is changing life in places like Medellín and…
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Reads has published 17 episodes since February 2024, covering topics in Technology.
Long Reads is currently sporadic with new episodes every 2 months. Average episode length is 28m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Long Reads, including email and social media links.
