x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The 404 Media Podcast

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

news tech news

All Episodes

46:07

AI Slop Summer

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/05/21

We start this week with Jason's couple of stories about how the Chicago Sun-Times printed a summer guide that was basically all AI-generated. Jason spoke to the person behind it. After the break, a bunch of documents show that schools were simply not ready for AI. In the subscribers-only section, we chat all about Star Wars and those funny little guys.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/P2GzbKKeAFc Chicago Sun-Times Prints AI-Generated Summer Reading List With Books That Don't Exist Viral

en

51:59

AI Avatar of Killed Man Testifies in Court

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/05/14

We start this week with Jason and Matthew's story about an AI avatar that testified in court. It might be a sign of things to come. After the break, well, well, well, Meta is developing facial recognition for its smart glasses. In the subscribers-only section, Jason tells us all about AI in baseball.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/Mq4gqNS0vRw 'I Loved That AI:' Judge Moved by AI-Generated Avatar of Man Killed in Road Rage Incident Well, Well, Well: Meta to Add Facial Recognition To

en

47:02

The Trump Admin's Signal Clone Was Hacked

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/05/07

We start this week's episode with our massive story on TeleMessage, the Signal clone the Trump administration uses to archive messages which was hacked. We have more detail than anyone else on that story. After the break, Jason tells us about another hack, this time GlobalX Air, one of the airlines used by ICE for deportation flights. In the subscribers-only section, Sam and Emanuel tell us about the shut down of Mr. Deepfakes, and what the lasting legacy of the site will be.YouTube version:

en

54:56

Meta's AI Chatbots Are a Disaster

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/04/30

This week we start with Sam's very in-depth story on Meta's AI chatbots, and how they're essentially posing as licensed therapists. After the break, Jason breaks down the wildly unethical AI-powered research that took place on Reddit. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains how the age of realtime deepfake fraud is here after he got a bunch of videos showing scammers do their thing.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/H5380M-hnJ4 Instagram's AI Chatbots Lie About Being Licensed

en

54:19

Cops Are Using AI Bots to Surveil People

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/04/23

We start this week with Emanuel and Jason's big story on Massive Blue, a company that is selling AI-powered undercover bots posing as protesters and children to the cops. After the break, Sam tells us about visiting the millennial saint. In the subscribers-only section, we talk business and the state of 404 Media.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/E98i9OFJbW4 Leaked: Palantir’s Plan to Help ICE Deport People ICE Plans Central Database of Health, Labor, Housing Agency Data to Find Targets This

en

59:54

AI Slop Is Breaking the Internet as We Know It (Live...

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/04/18

Jason, Sam, and Blood in the Machine's Brian Merchant discuss how AI slop has taken over the internet, how it is a brute-force attack against the algorithms that control what we see on social media, and what we can do to fight back against it. This panel was held at Speakeasy in Austin, Texas at SXSW on March 10, 2025. Thanks to our friends at Flipboard for giving us the space and to DeleteMe for sponsoring the event.Use code "404Media" for 20% off an annual plan of DeleteMe:

en

43:55

Inside the ICE Deportation Tool

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/04/16

This week we start with a couple of Jason and Joseph's stories about the tool ICE uses to lookup an incredible amount of information about people. After the break, Joseph explains how he tested an AI service that calls your parents in case you can't be bothered. In the subscribers-only section, our new regular contributor Matthew Gault tells us all about the hack of 4chan and how we got here.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/gFmvCvvaB4k Inside a Powerful Database ICE Uses to Identify and Deport

en

66:34

How a $2,000 'Made in the USA' Phone Is Manufactured

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/04/10

Earlier this week we wrote an article called “A US-Made iPhone Is Pure Fantasy." The long and short of it is that Trump’s dream of moving all high tech manufacturing to the US is extremely difficult because global supply chains are so intricate, manufacturing expertise exists primarily in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and other countries, and the components that go into a phone are often made in other countries as well.But there is currently one smartphone that qualifies for a “Made in the USA” title

en

56:30

The FBI Secretly Ran a Massive Money Laundering Ring

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/04/09

We start this week with Joseph's story revealing how the FBI secretly ran a massive money laundering ring to catch drug traffickers and hackers. After the break, we run through a bunch of tariff stories and how it's going to impact everything from the Nintendo Switch to the iPhone. In the subscribers-only section, Jason explains why he found the new book on Facebook particularly illuminating. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/XUAuEtirP8E ‘Elon Musk’ Was a Prolific Money Launderer for Hackers and

en

50:10

OpenAI's Studio Ghibli AI: 'An Insult to Life Itself'

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/04/02

Jason, Sam, and Emanuel talk about Miyazaki being turned into a meme, the guys suing OnlyFans after being surprised to learn they were not actually talking to models, and the depravity of "brainrot" AI. Articles discussed: Hayao Miyazaki, Who Said AI Is ‘Insult to Life Itself,” Reduced to AI-Generated Meme by OpenAI: https://www.404media.co/hayao-miyazaki-who-said-ai-is-insult-to-life-itself-reduced-to-ai-generated-meme-by-openai/ OnlyFans Sued After Two Guys Realized They Might Not Actually Be

en

48:51

The DNA of 15 Million People Is For Sale

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/03/26

This week we start with the bankruptcy of commercial DNA company 23andMe, and what it means for its users' genetic data. Probably not good things! After the break, Joseph and Jason explain what 'Dogequest' is, and how people allegedly vandalizing Tesla locations have been caught. In the subscribers-only section, Emanuel tells us about some fake audio of JD Vance talking about Musk, and then we all chat about the crazy Signal group chat story.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/OLh0IDigwAM DNA of

en

42:16

The Websites An ICE Contractor is Monitoring

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/03/19

We start this week with Joseph's story about the 200+ sites an ICE contractor called ShadowDragon is monitoring. A lot of surprising ones on there. After the break, Emanuel explains why NASA, Yale, and Stanford scientists are considering leaving the U.S. for France. In the subscribers-only section, Emanuel breaks down the fascinating reason why Super Nintendos are getting faster as they age.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/LBUsFawJ6E0 The 200+ Sites an ICE Surveillance Contractor is

en

47:49

We're Not Ready for Chinese AI Video Generators

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/03/12

We start this week with Emanuel's great investigation into Chinese AI video models, and how they have far fewer safeguards than their American counterparts. A content warning for that section due to what the users are making. After the break, Joseph explains how police are using AI to summarize evidence seized from mobile phones. In the subscribers-only section, we chat about an AI-developed game that is making a ton of money. But your AI-generated game probably won't.YouTube version:

en

43:01

The Tesla Protests Come for Cybertruck Owners

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/03/05

This week we start with Jason's article on how a Facebook group for Cybertruck owners is completely overrun with people flipping them off. Then Joseph explains how U.S. crypto traders are buying IDs from the tropical nation of Palau to skirt the law. Then in the subscribers-only section (with a content warning), we talk about Jason's story on a big Instagram bug that pushed really horrible stuff into ordinary peoples' feeds.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/nhgK-e3AeR0 SXSW event

en

42:44

The Rise of AI Book Ripoffs

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/02/26

We start this week's episode with Joseph finding out someone basically ripped off his book with a potentially AI-generated summary. Emanuel also updates us on some of the impact his reporting on AI in libraries has had. After the break, Sam tells us all about a Y Combinator supported startup that is straight-up dehumanizing factory workers. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about an apparent act of protest from inside the U.S. government involving an AI video of Musk and Trump.YouTube

en

38:58

DOGE's Website, Hacked

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/02/19

This week we start with Jason's story about anyone being able to push updates to DOGE.gov website. Then we talk about other stories with the DEI.gov and Waste.gov sites. After the break, Sam tells us all about some lawyers who get caught using AI in a case. In the subscribers-only section, we chat about a true crime documentary YouTube channel where the murders were all AI-generated.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/wqjeDFk9LMo Anyone Can Push Updates to the DOGE.gov Website Researcher Captures

en

50:51

AI Is Breaking Our Brains

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/02/12

This week we discuss a new Microsoft study that finds using generative AI is "atrophying" people's cognition and critical thinking skills and the right's war on Wikipedia.Articles discussed: Microsoft Study Finds AI Makes Human Cognition “Atrophied and Unprepared” Wikipedia Prepares for 'Increase in Threats' to US Editors From Musk and His Allies You Can’t Post Your Way Out of Fascism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

49:09

Inside Musk’s Government Takeover

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/02/05

We dedicate the whole free section of this episode to Musk’s takeover of the federal government. We got audio from a meeting in which a Musk ally laid out their plans for AI across the government, and revealed who is now the head of HR for DOGE. In the subscribers only section, we talk about how your public library probably already has a bunch of AI slop.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/fTgHpq4-psQ ‘Things Are Going to Get Intense:’ How a Musk Ally Plans to Push AI on the Government Musk’s

en

55:45

The Truth Behind DeepSeek

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/01/29

We start this week with Emanuel's rundown on the DeepSeek situation, the Chinese-made AI that has rocked stock markets and the wider AI industry. After the break, Sam explains how metadata in U.S. government memos lists Project 2025 members as the memo authors. In the subscribers-only section, Jason and Sam explain how GitHub is showing the U.S. government's purging of information in real time.YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=351BmM2SaXY DeepSeek Mania Shakes AI Industry to Its

en

54:25

Pornhub Exec Discusses Pulling Out of the South, Trad...

The 404 Media Podcast ·

2025/01/27

On this special guest episode of the 404 Media Podcast, Sam talks to Alexzandra Kekesi, VP of Brand and Community at Pornhub. Kekesi started in her current role in August 2023, after working for Pornhub and its parent company for more than a decade. She joined us from Montreal, where Pornhub is headquartered. They discuss the stigma facing the adult industry, Luigi Mangione porn, the trad wife to feet pics pipeline, and algorithms that shut you down for showing side boob. Kekesi also breaks down

en

118 results

Similar Podcasts

DW Noticias

DW

JIJI English News-時事通信英語ニュース-

時事通信社

Legal AF by MeidasTouch

MeidasTouch Network

Mark Levin Podcast

Cumulus Podcast Network

朝日新聞AJW 英語ニュース（The Asahi Shimbun Asia & Japan Watch）

朝日新聞ポッドキャスト