The Facebook Files, an investigative series from The Wall Street Journal, dives into an extensive array of internal Facebook documents, giving an unparalleled look inside the social media giant. In our first episode, WSJ's Jeff Horwitz explains how high-profile users from celebrities to politicians are shielded from the site's rules and protected from enforcement measures. The company does this in secret, even as CEO Mark Zuckerberg says publicly that all users are treated equally.
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The Facebook Files, Part 1: The Whitelist

The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson, with Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.

Get show merch here: https://wsjshop.com/collections/clothing

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Reports of freight fraud are on the rise, vexing trucking companies and regulators. And victims say that they aren’t getting any real help from law enforcement. WSJ’s Inti Pacheco unpacks one form of this fraud, called double brokering, and a trucking executive explains his personal efforts to stop the scammers.



Further Reading:

- A Brazen Yogurt Heist Shows How Cyber Gangs Are Hijacking U.S. Goods 

- Growing Freight Fraud is Peeling Millions From the U.S. Shipping Market 



Further Listening:

- Nike’s Sneaky Sneaker Thieves 



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How Cyber Thieves Are Disrupting U.S. Goods

It’s not just the cost of buying a home that’s going up. It’s also the hidden costs — like taxes, maintenance and insurance — that are going through the roof. WSJ’s Nicole Friedman explains why these prices are rising so fast, and what it means for the housing market.



Further Listening:

-'It's on Fire': Why the Housing Market Is Booming 



Further Reading:

-The Hidden Costs of Homeownership Are Skyrocketing 

-Home Buyers Are Ready to Buy. But Sellers Aren’t Selling. 

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Think It’s Expensive to Buy a Home? Try Owning One.

Yesterday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell called into question whether the Fed will be able to lower interest rates this year as hoped. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos on how the Fed’s outlook on the economy has changed. 



Further Reading: 

- Powell Dials Back Expectations on Rate Cuts 

- Fed Rate Cuts Are Now a Matter of If, Not Just When 



Further Listening: 

- Janet Yellen on Inflation and the U.S. Economy 

- Inflation Is Down. Unemployment Is Low. Is This a Soft Landing? 

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Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts

Cities such as San Francisco and Chicago are trying to save their downtown office districts from spiraling into a doom loop. St. Louis is already trapped in one, with abandoned buildings, vacant offices and shuttered shops and restaurants. WSJ’s Konrad Putzier unpacks the lessons from downtown St. Louis’s doom loop.



Further Reading: 

-The Real Estate Nightmare Unfolding in Downtown St. Louis 

-Commercial Real-Estate Woes Run Deeper Than in Past Downturns 

-Can San Francisco Save Itself From the Doom Loop? 



Further Listening:

-The Downfall of a Real Estate Empire 

-What’s Keeping Zombie Malls Alive? 

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Many Cities Fear the ‘Doom Loop.’ St. Louis is in One.

SpaceX’s satellite-internet devices are ending up in the hands of American adversaries and accused war criminals. WSJ’s Thomas Grove and Micah Maidenberg explain how the technology is being used illegally in multiple conflicts around the world.  



Further Listening:

- Amazon Takes On SpaceX in Battle for Space Internet 

- When Elon Musk Moves In Next Door 



Further Reading:

- The Black Market That Delivers Elon Musk’s Starlink to U.S. Foes 



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The Facebook Files, Part 1: The Whitelist

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