About this episode
The episode explores the reality of Havana Syndrome and its implications, alongside discussions on social media addiction and AI technology.
In 2016, diplomats reported a strange burst of sound — followed by months of debilitating symptoms. “Havana Syndrome” sparked questions and conspiracy theories across the web about a possible unseen weapon. Now, new reports from Norway describe a scientist experiencing similar effects after testing a microwave device. Host Nicky Woolf asks: if such technology exists, who owns it and what are they doing with it next? Also on The Interface this week: At the landmark trial in LA, social media companies like WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube are defending their platforms against the accusation that they are addictive to young people; we ask what the fallout from the trial will be and what legal clause, Section 230, that dates from 1934 really means in the social media age. Plus, host Karen Hao has spent the week rubbing shoulders with the great and the good from the AI companies at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, but what really goes on the shadowy meeting rooms around the fringe? The Interface is your weekly guide to the tech rewiring your week and our world. Hosted by journalists Thomas Germain, Karen Hao, and Nicky Woolf, each episode unpacks week-by-week the unfolding story of how…
People in this episode
Hosts: Nicky Woolf, Karen Hao, Thomas Germain
Topics covered
- Havana Syndrome
- social media addiction
- AI technology
- legal implications
- conspiracy theories
Keywords
- Havana Syndrome
- social media
- AI Impact Summit
- addiction
- microwave device
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube
Books & works: The Interface
Places: Havana, Norway, LA, Delhi
More episodes of The Interface
- Why is AI burying my CV? · June 11, 2026 · 38 min
- What goes on in TikTok's Farlands? · June 4, 2026 · 42 min
- Can Pope Leo save us from AI? · May 28, 2026 · 47 min
- Are we entering a world without screens? · May 21, 2026 · 43 min
- Is AI harvesting your knowledge on the cheap? · May 14, 2026 · 43 min
- Who is really paying the influencers? · May 7, 2026 · 38 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Interface podcast page.