Behind the digital curtain

Sergio Sanchez

Welcome to Behind the digital curtain, the podcast where we unravel digital deception and fight back against AI-generated misinformation. I'm Dr. Sergio Sánchez, but around here they call me Dr. Qubit, your guide through this world of technological shadows. Today, we dive into dangerous territory: the mind of the manipulator. Who are the hackers? How do they think? And how do they use AI to deceive you? Get ready—because this episode will open your eyes.

  1. ١٠ فبراير

    AI and Digital love

    Relationships with artificial intelligence aren't new, but they've exploded in the last two years thanks to applications like Replika, Character.AI, and Chai. These apps use advanced language models, cousins of ChatGPT, to create virtual companions that converse, provide emotional support and yes, also flirt. According to a 2023 Stanford University study, 23% of users of these applications use them more than two hours daily. Two hours daily talking to an AI. That's more time than many of us spend with our real partners. And I don't blame them, the AI will never complain that you didn't take out the trash. Now, why do people fall in love with these apps? Well, there are several reasons backed by real psychological research: First: AIs are available 24/7. They're never tired, never in a bad mood, never tell you "not now, I have a headache." It's like having a partner who drank gallons and gallons of coffee and never needs to sleep. Second: They don't judge. You can tell them your insecurities, your fears, your weirdest dreams, and the AI will simply listen and respond with empathy. According to Replika data, 60% of their users report that the app has helped them with anxiety and depression. Third: They're perfectly customizable. Want your AI to be funny? Done. Intellectual? Check. Into buffalo wings as much as you? Of course. It's like creating your ideal partner in a lab, but without the questionable ethical part.

    ٤٨ من الدقائق
  2. ٣ فبراير

    Love and Digital Frauds

    Today we’re going to talk about the largest criminal industry you’ve probably never heard of. An industry that in 2024 stole $10 billion dollars from Americans. An industry with training manuals more sophisticated than any 7-Eleven employee handbook. An industry where hundreds of thousands of people are literally enslaved. And the most disturbing part of all: this industry is texting you right now. Picture this. It’s 3 AM in a compound of buildings on the border between Myanmar and Thailand. In a room that looks like an office, there are 200 people in front of computers. All between 20 and 45 years old. None want to be there. Outside the building: armed guards. On the windows: bars pointing INWARD, not outward. In the basement: punishment cells where they torture those who don’t meet their daily quota. And the quota is clear: you must scam a minimum of 5 people per week, or they beat you. These places are called ‘scam compounds’ or ‘fraud factories.’ And according to the U.S. Treasury Department, they operate with the efficiency of a manufacturing plant. Except instead of making t-shirts, they manufacture stories to rob you. Real data from the 2025 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: There are HUNDREDS of these compounds just in Southeast Asia. They generate over $43.8 billion dollars per year. That’s more than Paraguay’s GDP. That’s more money than Harvard University’s entire endowment.

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    Digital kids

    Today we’re talking about something that keeps all parents up at night: how do we protect our kids in the digital age without becoming the Tech Gestapo? Look, I’m going to be straight with you. According to a 2024 study by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, American kids spend an average of 7.5 hours daily in front of screens. SEVEN AND A HALF HOURS! That’s more time than they spend at school. It’s more time than their parents spend working, not counting overtime. And here’s the interesting part. The American Academy of Pediatrics reported in 2023 that a child’s brain doesn’t finish developing until age 25. But the slowest-developing part is the prefrontal cortex, which is like the brain’s orchestra conductor. It’s what says: “No, Timmy, it’s not a good idea to stick your finger in the outlet” or “No, don’t send that photo to your friend because he’ll share it with the whole school.” And you know what happens when you expose a developing brain to constant dopamine stimuli like those from TikTok, YouTube, or video games? It’s like giving Red Bull to a hummingbird. The NIH longitudinal study, called the ABCD Study, which has been tracking 11,000 kids since 2018, has already found PHYSICAL changes in the brain. Yes, PHYSICAL changes. Like when your grandma told you your eyes would turn square from watching too much TV, but this is real. Researchers found premature thinning of the cerebral cortex in children who spend more than 7 hours daily on screens. To help you understand: it’s as if the brain ages faster. Like when you buy avocados at Whole Foods and two days later they’re already brown.

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Welcome to Behind the digital curtain, the podcast where we unravel digital deception and fight back against AI-generated misinformation. I'm Dr. Sergio Sánchez, but around here they call me Dr. Qubit, your guide through this world of technological shadows. Today, we dive into dangerous territory: the mind of the manipulator. Who are the hackers? How do they think? And how do they use AI to deceive you? Get ready—because this episode will open your eyes.