10 episodes
Rabbit Hole The New York Times
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- Technology
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4.7 • 23 Ratings
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What is the internet doing to us? The Times tech columnist Kevin Roose discovers what happens when our lives move online.
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One: Wonderland
A young man finds escape on the internet. He doesn’t realize that on the other side of the screen, a force is pulling him in.
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Two: Looking Down
“The truth is down there, and you’ve got to go down and dig for it.” We trace Caleb’s descent into YouTube, inch by inch.
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Three: Mirror Image
Five years into a rabbit hole, Caleb goes from one side of the screen to the other.
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Four: Headquarters
A trip to YouTube for a conversation with the woman trying to change it.
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Five: The Accidental Emperor
How one outsider came to rule the internet — and eventually embody its battle with mainstream culture.
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Customer Reviews
Down the rabbit hole....
Beautifully researched and crafted.... listening and educational value.... press play and get informed.
moral panics over technology are passé
Firstly this is a well-written podcast with excellent editing and production. It is thrilling and addictive and ironically uses similar language, and makes stylistic choices that draws people to the very mind-think (Q anonymous, alt right, red tube) that the podcast accuses others of falling for because they’re addicted to internet.
This podcast fails to really engage with the political, socio-economic dynamics that draw people to extremes, but rather suggests that the algorithm in AI is why people are polarized. This really comes across in episode 9, an interview with a former Q Anom person. We finally end on a veiled suggestion that a Chinese company could do the same, which perpetuates alarmist and frankly racist fears about “Chinese takeover”. Despite excellent footage and elements of great journalism, the general argument is very weak and widely debunked by sociologists and media studies. This podcast can be enjoyed but with critical distance
The right stuff at the right time
I really love the idea as a start. Not many more avenues that can be explored and be so relevant in 2020. The rabbit hole analogy also works perfectly and develops nicely with all the subsequent titles. Will definitely recommend it to anyone who's willing to seek answers to the question: How much of what I'm doing and exploring online is actually manipulating me?