Marketplace Tech

When Instagram launched "Stories" last year — a feature very similar to Snapchat's main function — the term "copycat" got thrown around quite a lot. But is the criticism fair? What's the difference between copying and just building on something? On today's show, we'll explore the distinction between the two. We'll also look at Facebook's plan to add scripted shows to its platform, and then talk about Amazon's decision to refund $70 million for unauthorized in-app purchases made by kids.

The 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee kicks off this week, where kids as young as 6 will spell words some us didn't even know were in the English language — and all without autocorrect. In our daily lives, the rest of us rely on tools like these when we communicate with others. But what effect does this have on our writing capabilities? Michelle Drouin, a professor at Purdue University, stopped by to share research on the issue. Plus: a conversation with Matthew Gough, the founder and CEO of the educational startup Echovate, about what makes Charleston, South Carolina a good location for startups.

Campaign money used to be spent on things like outdoor posters and television advertisements. Now much of that is going to Facebook. On today's show, we'll discuss how big of a role the social media giant is playing in U.K. elections, specifically, and lessons that the country is learning from the Trump campaign. Afterwards, we'll take a look at the mechanics behind the cloud content management company Box, and then talk about the latest addition to the hotel  industry: robots.

You've heard it before: the robots are coming and they're going to steal our jobs. But, wait a second — the Economic Policy Institute has crunched the data and is now arguing that the effects of automation are a little overstated. One of the authors of the report, Lawrence Mishel, joined us to break down why and what he thinks workers should actually be worrying about. Then to cap off the week, we'll play Silicon Tally with Rachel Metz, an editor at the MIT Technology Review.

If you're an independent video game company, it can be hard to get exposure. Ian Bogost, an interactive gaming professor at Georgia Tech, joins us to talk about issues of access and discovery within the indie game market. Plus: a conversation with The Economist's Daniel Franklin, author of the new book "Megatech."

Terrorist attacks over the past several years have led to the formation of multiple online groups to help survivors cope and allow others to reach out. Karen North from the University of Southern California joined us to talk about how these networks spring up and the support they can provide to those dealing with tragedy. Afterwards, we'll look at how fintech services are trying to help decrease the amount of unbanked Americans.  Sheena Allen, cofounder of CapWay, explains how her company wants to improve the financial health of the underserved.

Surveillance tools in the workplace — from chat tools to traffic-light signs that gauge your busyness — are increasingly taking over the workplace. Quartz's Lila MacLellan joins us to talk about technology at the office, and what that could do to some old-fashioned face-to-face interaction. Afterwards, we'll chat with SK Ventures' Paul Kedrosky about the factors that might slow down rising tech hubs across the country.

Over the past several weeks, we've been exploring aspiring tech hubs across the country. Cities — big and small — want to be the next Silicon Valley. Well, what about Phoenix, Arizona? It's becoming a hotbed of startup activity that has attracted the likes of Uber, Waymo and Intel. We'll take a look at the city's strengths, along with some of the challenges it faces on the way.

Google and Apple are making their own chips, a move that could have long-ranging effects on smaller chip-focused firms like Nvidia and Imagination Technologies. We'll take a look at why these two tech giants are dipping their toes in this area, and then play this week's Silicon Tally with the Financial Times' San Francisco correspondent Hannah Kuchler.

Word is that your phone may soon be able to identify items it's pointed at thanks to Google Lens. On today's show, we'll look at the latest updates coming out of Google's I/O developers conference with Farhad Manjoo, a tech columnist for the New York Times. Plus: 60dB co-founder Steve Henn talks about the ways we can combat "filter bubble" — the idea that the internet keeps you in the dark about opinions you disagree with.