“Manufactured Division”: How Social Media Is Driving Anger and Polarization | Pivot

Kara and Scott discuss Trump's escalating immigration crackdowns in Chicago and Portland, and Apple and Google's decision to pull ICE-tracking apps. Then, OpenAI does an about-face on its copyright opt-out policy, and says it will give creators more control in Sora. Plus, Elon leads a Netflix boycott, and a new report says Instagram's safety features for kids are "woefully ineffective." We're going on tour! Get your tickets at https://pivottour.com #pivot #podcast #karaswisher #scottgalloway #trump #immigration #ice #apple #google #openai #sora #hollywod #elonmusk #instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 9:47 Trump’s Immigration Crackdown 26:43 OpenAI Changes Copyright Stance 29:13 Hollywood Struggles 39:26 The Latest with Elon 46:25 Instagram Safety Features “Ineffective” 51:26 Wins and Fails Producers: Lara Naaman Zoë Marcus Taylor Griffin Video Producer: Jim Mackil Vox Media's Executive Producer of Podcasts: Nishat Kurwa Subscribe to Pivot on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pivot/id1073226719 Subscribe to Pivot on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MU3RFGELZxPT9XHVwTNPR Follow us on Instagram and Threads at: https://www.instagram.com/pivotpodcastofficial/ Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@PIVOTPODCAST Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or email pivot@voxmedia.com

Scott GallowayhostKara SwisherhostBobbi Brownguest

Oct 7, 20251h 5mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: October 7, 2025
Duration: 1h 5m
Channel: Pivot
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Kara and Scott discuss Trump's escalating immigration crackdowns in Chicago and Portland, and Apple and Google's decision to pull ICE-tracking apps. Then, OpenAI does an about-face on its copyright opt-out policy, and says it will give creators more control in Sora. Plus, Elon leads a Netflix boycott, and a new report says Instagram's safety features for kids are "woefully ineffective." We're going on tour! Get your tickets at https://pivottour.com #pivot #podcast #karaswisher #scottgalloway #trump #immigration #ice #apple #google #openai #sora #hollywod #elonmusk #instagram Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 9:47 Trump’s Immigration Crackdown 26:43 OpenAI Changes Copyright Stance 29:13 Hollywood Struggles 39:26 The Latest with Elon 46:25 Instagram Safety Features “Ineffective” 51:26 Wins and Fails Producers: Lara Naaman Zoë Marcus Taylor Griffin Video Producer: Jim Mackil Vox Media's Executive Producer of Podcasts: Nishat Kurwa Subscribe to Pivot on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pivot/id1073226719 Subscribe to Pivot on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MU3RFGELZxPT9XHVwTNPR Follow us on Instagram and Threads at: https://www.instagram.com/pivotpodcastofficial/ Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@PIVOTPODCAST Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or email pivot@voxmedia.com

SPEAKERS

Scott Galloway
host
Kara Swisher
host
Narrator
other
Bobbi Brown
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Pivot, featuring Scott Galloway and Kara Swisher, “Manufactured Division”: How Social Media Is Driving Anger and Polarization | Pivot explores algorithms, Authoritarians, And Anger: How Tech Fuels Manufactured Division Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway argue that much of today’s political rage—especially around immigration and campus culture—is being deliberately manufactured by politicians and amplified by social media algorithms optimized for engagement and profit. They frame Trump-era ICE raids, masked federal agents, and attacks on judges as fascist theatrics meant to create internal enemies rather than real security. In parallel, they criticize big tech and AI firms like OpenAI, Meta, and social platforms for exploiting user data, creators’ IP, and youth attention while offering only cosmetic safeguards. Throughout, they connect these trends to broader economic shifts in media, Hollywood, telecoms, and universities, warning that unregulated tech power is reshaping society, eroding trust, and widening inequality.

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