The Partial Observer by Gayane Torosyan

Pandora's Echo Box

Listening to music on Pandora makes long drives more manageable, offering a steady stream of tunes to ease the journey. Yet, the temptation to go ad-free is curbed by the cost of subscriptions across various services. As a result, listeners endure quirky, unforgettable advertisements—like one that encourages users to pay extra for an ad-free music streaming service to “Ahh” all day, rather than just after a bath. Despite its knack for inventing new verbs, Pandora succeeds in shaping informed choices for its users.

Now Pandora listeners know what media service to buy, who to vote for, and how to self-deport if they intend to do something naughty, following a message from the Secretary of Homeland Security. So do they know that executing companion animals would not prevent them from running for high office. In fact, it might signal the right “virtue” to the right people.