Kara Swisher

Kara Swisher is one of the most prominent and influential technology journalists in the United States, widely recognized for her decades-long coverage of Silicon Valley, Big Tech platforms, and the digital advertising ecosystem. As co-host of the Pivot podcast alongside Scott Galloway and a contributing editor at New York Magazine, she regularly dissects the business models, advertising practices, and regulatory challenges facing companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Apple — making her a must-follow voice for anyone in the AdTech industry. Swisher co-founded Recode and previously served as executive editor, and before that spent years at The Wall Street Journal where she co-produced the influential D: All Things Digital conference series alongside Walt Mossberg. Her interviews with the most powerful figures in tech — from Mark Zuckerberg to Sundar Pichai — have repeatedly surfaced critical issues around data privacy, targeted advertising, platform monopoly power, and the responsibilities of ad-supported media businesses. Her work has directly influenced policy conversations in Washington around Section 230, antitrust enforcement, and digital privacy regulation. Though not an AdTech operator herself, Swisher's journalistic scrutiny of surveillance-based advertising, the dominance of the Google-Meta duopoly, and the erosion of consumer privacy has shaped how regulators, advertisers, and the public perceive the industry. Her podcast and editorial work reach millions of listeners and readers, making her one of the most consequential external voices holding the AdTech ecosystem accountable.

• BA, Georgetown University
• MS, Journalism, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

• Co-founded Recode, one of the most influential tech news outlets covering Silicon Valley and digital media
• Co-produced the D: All Things Digital conference, a premier event for tech and media industry leaders
• Conducted landmark interviews with virtually every major tech CEO, surfacing critical issues around advertising, privacy, and platform power
• Pivot podcast consistently ranks among the top business and technology podcasts in the US
• Authored 'There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere: The AOL Time Warner Debacle and the Quest for the Digital Future' (2003)

• New York Magazine
• Recode
• The Wall Street Journal
• The Washington Post
• 'There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere' (book, 2003)
• 'Burn Book: A Tech Love Story' (book, 2024)