The Panic Meter
How worried should we be? Week by week.
Every week we read the AI news and set the needle. Then readers vote in the newsletter poll. Here's how the two compare over time.
The Panic Meter · Weekly reading · Week of October 12, 2026
5/10 Keep calm, check your bills.
Voice-clone scams are getting more convincing and the AI job news is mixed. But most of what's new this week is genuinely useful, and the best defenses cost nothing.
Our reading vs. readers
Us (solid)Readers (dashed)
Readers' first results arrive after Issue 1's poll closes. The red line starts then.
Every reading
| Issue | Week of | Our reading | Readers | Votes | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issue 1 | October 12, 2026 | 5/10 | Poll open | — | Keep calm, check your bills. |
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