Pivot Podcast Episode Summary

Episode Title: Economic Protests, Social Media on Trial, and Big Tech Earnings
Date: January 30, 2026
Hosts: Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway

Overview

This episode tackles the intersection of consumer activism and economic protest, the mounting consequences for tech and business leaders amid political turmoil, and the latest developments in both Big Tech lawsuits and corporate earnings. Hosts Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway offer their trademark incisive—and irreverent—takes on how protests are evolving, the rising scrutiny on tech giants, and what ordinary people can do to make an impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Economic Strikes and Consumer Action

(Start around 01:53)

• Background: Following recent violence in Minnesota, the hosts address calls for economic protest, including withholding income tax, divesting from companies associated with ICE detention centers, and more broadly, how individuals might wield economic pressure.

• Listener Involvement: Kara and Scott read and respond to audience suggestions, with particular attention to divesting from financial entities enabling ICE abuses.

• Vivian Tu’s Tips:

  • Change W4 withholding: Delay tax payments for personal benefit, though not evading taxes.

  • Pay local, pay cash: Supports small businesses and possibly saves money.

  • Redirect “boycott” savings: Pay debt, support causes, aid immigration/human rights efforts.

  • Scale over spectacle: Boycotts must be prolonged and widespread—small, short strikes are ineffective.

    “The main takeaway is this: economic boycotts do not work if a small population stops spending cold turkey for one or two days. ... We’re actually going to need a critical mass of people to scale back their consumerism over weeks and months.”
    — Vivian Tu (03:21)

• Scott’s “Resist and Unsubscribe” Initiative:

  • Targets Big Tech (Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Meta, etc.) to hit companies that meaningfully move the market.

  • Provides links and instructions for unsubscribing from major tech and media services.

  • Also lists companies working with ICE, dubbed “blast zone.”

  • Emphasizes sustained, collective, and social action (“it’s not forever… you’re giving people tools”).

    “The most radical act in a capitalist society, hands down, is non-participation.”
    — Scott Galloway (10:31)

  • Website to launch soon with detailed unsubscribe instructions.

2. Personal Impact & Family Dynamics

(12:31–13:36)

• Scott and Kara share how scaling back digital services sparked real, sometimes uncomfortable family discussions—providing opportunities to teach kids about economic power and collective action.
• The hosts urge listeners to evaluate where their money goes and how to align spending with values.

3. Kara Swisher’s Upcoming Show

(14:43–21:19)

• Kara announces her CNN show, Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever, focused on demystifying longevity, health, and wellness—debunking tech-bro nonsense.

  “For far too long, the longevity space has been captive to rich tech growth hack dude influencers, nonsense sellers of useless supplements, and some lady who sells candles named after her private parts. … I’m going to show you the way for the rest of us.”
  — Kara Swisher (15:13)

• Top longevity takeaways:

  • Socioeconomic status (“don’t be poor”) is a major health factor.
  • Sleep, diet, exercise, and “real” scientific advances (AI in cancer/drug research, gene editing, GLP-1 drugs, vaccines).
  • Social connections (“The number one thing both scientifically and causally … is friends and family a hundred a million percent.” — 20:31 Kara)
  • On wellness fads: cautious about peptides, red light, and cold plunges (“hot sauna, yes; cold plunges—maybe problematic”).

4. Political Escalation & Big Tech’s Weak Responses

(23:28–41:42)

• Latest from Minnesota and the Trump administration: escalation of force, attacks on Democratic Representatives, and infighting within GOP and DHS.

• Noted political and civic turning point: government asking public to disbelieve their senses.

  “The last act of the government was to ask us to ignore or deny what we saw and what we heard.”
  — (Paraphrased from Orwell) Scott Galloway (25:46)

• Critique of Big Tech leadership’s tepid responses to events—specifically Tim Cook (Apple), Sam Altman (OpenAI), and other CEOs’ “weak sauce” statements and public appearances with the Trump administration.

  “Tim Cook is the new Bob Iger: he’s going to take an incredible career and put a giant shit stick at the end of it.”
  — Scott Galloway (34:12)

• Discussion of how consumer attachment to brands like Apple leads to heightened feelings of betrayal when values are perceived as compromised.

• “Resist and Unsubscribe” is positioned as a low-sacrifice, high-impact form of protest aligned with consumer frustration with performative corporate statements.

5. Social Media Lawsuit: Addiction on Trial

(45:23–49:29)

• Huge trial in LA: Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube sued for product addiction/harm, especially to minors.

• Scott argues social media is more toxic for youth than alcohol or cigarettes.

  “Letting a 16-year-old on Snap or Instagram or TikTok is probably more harmful than if we’d let 16-year-olds smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol…”
  — Scott Galloway (46:38)

• Both hosts detail personal and family struggles with device addiction and foresee damning Big Tobacco-style revelations in trial evidence.

6. Big Tech Earnings & AI Arms Race

(52:42–61:06)

• S&P 500 reaches all-time high; Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon report blockbuster AI-driven quarters.
  • Meta: 24% YoY growth, massive AI spend.
  • Microsoft: $37.5B in capex; some concern over OpenAI exposure.
  • Tesla: Profits and margins down sharply, pivoting away from cars to robotics/AI; skepticism over its prospects.
  • Major layoffs at Amazon and Pinterest driven by AI-related workforce reductions.
  • The “S&P 10” now dominates the broader market.
  • Scott’s big prediction: AI is “corporate Ozempic”—driving efficiency, layoffs, and fattening profits.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The most radical act in a capitalist society… is non-participation."
  — Scott Galloway (10:31)
• "The number one thing, both scientifically and causally, is friends and family a hundred a million percent."
  — Kara Swisher (20:31)
• "Tim Cook is the new Bob Iger… going to put a giant shit stick at the end of [his] career."
  — Scott Galloway (34:12)
• "Letting a 16-year-old on Snap or TikTok is probably more harmful than if we'd let 16-year-olds smoke cigarettes."
  — Scott Galloway (46:38)
• "Flat is new up" (on corporate headcount in the AI era)
  — Kara Swisher (60:40)
• Scott, joking about the harsh family pushback over canceling most streaming platforms:
  "It just caused a near riot. ... Memo to self, smother dad in sleep." (13:04)

Key Timestamps

• 01:53: Kara updates on DOJ Epstein files, previewing listener economic protest discussions.
• 03:21: Vivian Tu offers concrete financial activist tips.
• 06:54–10:31: Scott's economic strike blueprint; “Resist and Unsubscribe” concept.
• 12:31–13:36: Family debates over which streaming/music services to cut.
• 14:43–21:19: Kara announces TV show, longevity talk, and health advice breakdown.
• 23:28–41:42: Minnesota crisis, government gaslighting, tech CEO criticism, moral leadership.
• 45:23: Massive social media addiction lawsuit, parallels to Big Tobacco.
• 52:42–61:06: Big Tech earnings, AI investment, industrial robotics, layoffs, strategy implications.

Tone & Style

• The conversation is sharp, unsparing, and spirited, with frequent asides, banter, and dark humor.
• Both hosts are unfiltered, alternating between deep analysis, sarcasm, and personal anecdotes.

For Listeners Who Haven't Heard the Episode

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the evolving power struggle between citizens and corporations, the challenge of holding Big Tech accountable—financially or politically—and how social media, AI, and market dynamics are reshaping both activism and daily life. "Resist and Unsubscribe" offers clear, actionable frameworks for economic protest, while discussions around tech lawsuits and earnings underline the persistent tension between tech innovation, profit, and public well-being.