The 404 Media Podcast 404 Media
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Welcome to the podcast from 404 Media where Joseph, Sam, Emanuel, and Jason catch you up on the stories we published this week. 404 Media is a journalist-owned digital media company exploring the way technology is shaping–and is shaped by–our world. We bring you unparalleled access to hidden worlds both online and IRL through investigative reporting, smart blogging, and breaking news. At 404 Media you’ll read, and hear, stories you can’t find anywhere else written by journalists who are leading experts on their beats. Subscribe to 404 Media at 404media.co to gain access to an ad-free version of this podcast, as well as a bonus podcast episodes. Subscribers are the bedrock of building a sustainable business for our journalism.
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Facebook is the 'Zombie Internet'
Apologies for some audio issues this week, they'll be fixed next time, but for now we have a super packed episode! We start with Jason's months-long deep dive into what Facebook has become with all of that AI-generated garbage on the site. It's not the dead internet, it's something much worse. After the break, Emanuel explains how Pokemon Go players are manipulating mapping technology to cheat at the game. Then in the subscribers-only section, Jason breaks down the latest cat and mouse game between ticket sellers and brokers.
Facebook’s AI Spam Isn’t the ‘Dead Internet’: It’s the Zombie Internet
Pokémon Go Players Invent Fake Beaches on Real Maps to Catch Rare Wigletts
How Resellers Are Transferring Billie Eilish's 'Untransferable' Tickets
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A Lost Media Mystery
We start this week's episode with a mystery: where did a 17-second music snippet that has puzzled online sleuths for years really come from? Sam breaks it down. After the break, Joseph explains how an online service was scraping and selling Discord server messages for as little as $5. Then in the subscribers-only section, Jason takes us into the world of influencers who are using AI livestream apps, complete with fake audiences, and how they're being used to target women.
Long Lost Song Hunted By Thousands Found in 80s Porno
Discord Shuts Down ‘Spy Pet’ Bots That Scraped, Sold User Messages
Men Use Fake Livestream Apps With AI Audiences to Hit on Women
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The Humane Ai Pin Is a Disaster
This is a long one! First Joseph previews his upcoming book, DARK WIRE. Go to the link below and enter "DW20" for 20% off! Also make sure to redeem your preorder behind-the-scenes bonus content. As for this week's stories, we start off with Jason explaining why we can, we must, dunk on the Humane Ai Pin, a piece of hardware that is AI's Juicero moment. After the break, Emanuel shows that Instagram is advertising deepfake nudify apps, the sort that are being abused right now in schools. In the subscribers-only section, we talk a bunch about Reddit, and especially how a tool has been made to sprinkle AI-generated product placements into popular Reddit threads.
Preorder DARK WIRE for bonus content and 20% off with code "DW20"
We Can, and We Must, Clown on the Humane AI Pin Forever
Instagram Advertises Nonconsensual AI Nude Apps
AI Is Poisoning Reddit to Promote Products and Game Google With 'Parasite SEO'
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The 'Com World War'
We start this episode with Joseph's latest fly-on-the-wall investigation into the Com, the nebulous online entity and culture that is linked to some of the most high profile and brazen data breaches in recent history. Joseph sat in their chatrooms while rival hackers and criminals doxed and physically robbed one another. A true melding of digital and physical crime. After the break, Jason breaks down why some researchers are calling out Google on some of its AI science research. In the subscribers-only section, Sam explains why a guy made an AI-powered (kinda) sex box.
Inside the ‘Com World War’: Robberies, Brickings, and ‘Drama’
Is Google's AI Actually Discovering 'Millions of New Materials?'
This Man Wants to ‘Save the World’ By Letting You Jerk Off Into a Computer
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The Wild World of Fake AI Influencers
We start the episode with an announcement: we've brought on our first 404 Media fellow Jules Roscoe! They did amazing work at Motherboard, and we're stoked to have them on board to cover labor for us and getting our work to audiences wherever they are. As for this week's stories, we start with Jason's wild one about grifters who are taking influencer's videos, deepfaking an AI face onto them, and then driving people to OnlyFans-style accounts. After the break, Sam talks about the couple who have finally got porn onto the Apple Vision Pro. In the subscribers-only section, Jules tells us what they saw when visiting a particular, Zoom-powered chicken shop in NYC.
‘AI Instagram Influencers’ Are Deepfaking Their Faces Onto Real Women’s Bodies
How Amateur Performers Are Making Porn in the Apple Vision Pro
NYC Chicken Shop Replaces Cashier With Woman in Philippines On Zoom
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The Xz Backdoor and the AI Peer-Review Crisis
This is a super fun episode with a lot of labor themes throughout. Jason starts off by describing the totally wild Xz backdoor which, in a way, was an open source labor issue. Then Emanuel takes us through how AI might be sneaking into the peer-review process. Then in the subscribers-only section, Sam explains why a major journal has decided to stop the use of an infamous image in its papers.
The Xz Backdoor Highlights the Vulnerability of Open Source Software—and Its Strengths
ChatGPT Looms Over the Peer-Review Crisis
Scientific Journal Bans Images of ‘Lena,’ Researchers’ Favorite Centerfold
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Customer Reviews
Essential Reporting
404 Media does tech reporting that focuses on the impacts of technology and how it affects everyday people. You aren’t going to get yet another piece talking about Musk or Bezos - you’re going to learn the tangible impact that technology and the culture of tech have on people and communities.
Interesting stories but too much woke ideology injected
They cover some important stories on texh that should be better known for the benefit of society, but there’s too much woke left ideology injected. For that reason, I am out.
The Best Tech Podcast
This is exactly what I was looking for.
It’s a fair, in-depth and critical approach to tech journalism. This is a podcast for people that want to engage with idea- not just stay informed.
Journalism done right.