IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Democrats are on the hunt for their own Joe Rogan

One of the most persistent narratives to come out of the 2024 election cycle is the effect of the vast right-wing digital media ecosystem on the national electorate, with figures like Theo Von and Joe Rogan assuming an outsize influence in this conservative space. As Democrats plot a return from the electoral wilderness, a growing chorus of party figures has begun to push for a liberal-leaning alternative to the right's digital dominance.

Serious plan or 'shiny new object'?
Many Democrats "take it as gospel " that Trump's 2024 victory came not only from friendly outlets like Fox News and OAN but through an "ecosystem of supporters on YouTube, TikTok and podcasts," said The New York Times. That belief has led to party megadonors being "inundated with overtures" to open their wallets for the development of an "army of left-leaning online influencers." Critics argue the pitches to the party's financiers are simply efforts to "meet donors' demand for a shiny new object" rather than more traditional organizing.

The notion that victory is possible if they "spend enough billionaire money" to create a Rogan equivalent "speaking in Democratic talking points" is "laughable," said Emily Jashinsky at UnHerd. Trump and his ilk succeeded in winning over figures like Rogan by being "critics of their own party." Do Democratic operatives and donors who are mulling their media weaknesses want to "spend money paying influencers to talk trash about the party"?

What "most wealthy political donors want" isn't fact-based journalism — it's propaganda, said columnist Hamilton Nolan on Substack. Accordingly, Democrats find themselves in a complicated position, said the Columbia Journalism Review. Existing progressive outlets that do "engage in rampant spin" are "typically tethered to the realm of basic fact" — something that "no longer constrains many right-wing commentators."

Repackaging elitism
"We need to go beyond the political sphere," said political consultant Jared Leopold at Campaigns & Elections. Enter Hasan Piker, the progressive streamer frequently compared to Rogan for his focus on not only political content but also fitness and gaming.

Piker doesn't see himself as a liberal Rogan, focusing instead on "directly countering Rogan, as he spreads misinformation," he said to The Independent. But Piker reserves most of his ire for the Democratic party, which is "trying to repackage" its "smug" and "elitist" identity to appeal to voters.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

'I don't know how much we can talk about American values considering who's the president.'

Film director Spike Lee criticizing Trump when asked if social media has jeopardized morals in the U.S., during a Cannes Film Festival press conference for his latest movie, "Highest 2 Lowest." The film is an English-language remake of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's 1963 film, "High and Low."

Statistic of the day

23%: The percentage of American children ages 0 to 8 who sometimes or often use a mobile device while eating, according to a report from Common Sense Media. The report found that by age 4 over half the number of kids already have their own tablet or other device.

the explainer

That call from a government official might be an AI scam

Most people receive scam phone calls weekly, and many are just minor inconveniences. But now the FBI is warning that bad actors might be ratcheting up their scams in a new way: by using artificial intelligence to impersonate federal officials.

How does the scam work?
Scammers have impersonated "current or former senior U.S. federal or state government officials" to "target individuals," said the FBI in a public service announcement. These scammers use AI to create voice messages that "claim to come from a senior U.S. official to establish rapport before gaining access to personal accounts." The FBI did not mention specific names of the officials who were being impersonated.

The scammers may also send text messages posing as government officials. The FBI calls these smishing and vishing scams. Smishing is "malicious targeting using text messages," while vishing "uses audio messages that may include AI-generated voices," said USA Today. These are similar tactics to phishing scams perpetrated via email.

How can you protect yourself?
It's "unclear what the end goal of the hacking effort is or who is behind it," but AI tools have "made it far easier for scammers and spies to impersonate the friends, relatives and colleagues of just about anyone," said CNN. To protect yourself, you should be "skeptical of unsolicited content featuring public officials," said Newsweek.

The FBI has provided some specific instructions about how to avoid becoming a victim of these scams. The most important step is to "verify the identity of the person calling you or sending text or voice messages," said Newsweek.

Before responding to the message, "research the originating number, organization and/or person purporting to contact you," said Newsweek. If a voice message is left, "listen closely to the tone and word choice to distinguish between a legitimate phone call or voice message from a known contact and AI-generated voice cloning, as they can sound nearly identical," said the FBI. To protect your information, "never share sensitive information or an associate's contact information with people you have met only online or over the phone."

Good day 👶

… for Japanese babies. Japan has the lowest neonatal mortality rate, at 0.08%, based on data compiled by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that set a "gestational age" threshold of 22 weeks. By comparison, the U.S. has a neonatal mortality rate of 0.27%.

Bad day 🍌

… for bananas. The fruit is increasingly being threatened by climate change, according to analysis by the international development charity Christian Aid. Almost two-thirds of banana-growing areas in Latin America and the Caribbean, where 80% of the world's banana exports come from, could be lost by 2080 because of climate impacts.

Puzzles

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The Week recommends

Bring the great outdoors inside with these sublime cabins

You could rough it this summer, pitching a tent in the woods and fending off mosquitoes. Or you could stay in a cabin that gives you all the vibes of being in the great outdoors with none of the arguable inconveniences.

AutoCamp Sequoia, Three Rivers, California
From your cabin, you can explore nearby Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, hike the Big Tree Trails and see the massive General Sherman Tree. This new property, tucked in the Sierra Nevadas, has been open since March and has several types of accommodations, including premium cabins that allow you to "commune with nature without sacrificing luxury," said The Points Guy.

The Claremont, Southwest Harbor, Maine
There are two cabin types: ocean and woods. And both are stunners. If you stay in the ocean-view cabins, expect fireplaces, private decks and "bright beachy decor," said Condé Nast Traveler. The woodland cabins are "cozy," with stone and brick fireplaces, spacious living rooms and kitchenettes.

Yellowstone Peaks Hotel, Island Park, Idaho
The 21 cabins here are a perfect blend of comfort and luxury, with spacious bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, well-stocked kitchens and private patios that feature wood-fired hot tubs. Yellowstone National Park is a 30-minute drive away, so the modern property is a great fit for "outdoorsy travelers," said Field Mag. After a long day in nature, guests will appreciate returning to their serene cabins, then heading to the shared outdoor space with its fishing pond and communal sauna.

Poll watch

About four in 10 Americans are most likely to turn to friends and family (43%) or financial advisers (41%) when seeking financial advice, according to a Gallup survey. The poll of 2,036 adults also found that financial websites (36%) and banking institutions (32%) were the next most sought sources of information.

INSTANT OPINION

Today's best commentary

'China caused the Covid catastrophe — at long last, let's hold it accountable'
Vincent C. Chen at The Hill
The Covid-19 pandemic was a "tragedy compounded not only by the virus itself but by deception, denial and silence from Beijing," says Vincent C. Chen. Congress "should act swiftly to amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to remove protection for governments that deliberately conceal global health threats." The White House "can identify Chinese state-owned assets within U.S. jurisdiction." If the U.S. "cannot hold the world's second-largest economy accountable for unleashing a global pandemic, what future crisis will go unanswered?"

'Wes Moore realizes slavery reparations are yesterday's fad'
Jason L. Riley at The Wall Street Journal
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore "did fellow Democrats a favor last week when he vetoed a bill creating a commission to study slavery reparations," says Jason L. Riley. He's "taking flak from the left, but the party ought to be thanking him." Reparations "would amount to another massive wealth-redistribution scheme, and there's no reason to believe it would be more successful than previous efforts," as "50 years of preference policies have failed to address racial disparities."

'Rocketing toward monopoly'
Daniel Boguslaw at The American Prospect
Elon Musk has "thus far been spared from the greatest risk to his interstellar empire: the continuity of hawkish antitrust enforcement," says Daniel Boguslaw. The "richest man on Earth will soon earn an even darker and stupider moniker: viceroy of low-Earth orbit." The "creeping effects of monopolies usually include the stifling of innovation, price manipulation, increased costs, and selectively provided services." But when it "comes to SpaceX, national security concerns largely absent in consumer cartels are introduced into the equation."

WORD OF THE DAY

Kannada

A language spoken in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka by about 65 million people. Writer and activist Banu Mushtaq has made history by becoming the first Kannada-language author to win the International Booker Prize for her short-story anthology, "Heart Lamp." The collection "poignantly captures the hardships of Muslim women living in southern India," said the BBC.

What's the dollar's future after Moody's downgrade?