The 404 Media Podcast

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 Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content.

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 Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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' Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Subscribe at 404media.co for access to the bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A jam packed episode this week. First, Jason explains how a 'study' that says surveillance company Flock is “instrumental in solving 10 percent of reported crime in the US” is heavily flawed. He got a bunch of internal emails and spoke to those involved. After the break, Sam and Emanuel tell us how people are being pushed to far sketchier parts of the web after Pornhub pulled out of Texas. Then in the subscribers-only section, Jason and Joseph detail how they dug into the new owners of Deadspin, and what that all means for the wider media industry. Let’s Talk About the Flock Study That Says It Solves Crime Age Verification Laws Drag Us Back to the Dark Ages of the Internet Deadspin Is Becoming a Gambling Referral Site Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shrimp Jesus. Shrimp Jesus. Shrimp Jesus. That is what the first story is about! We now have robust academic research into the mass of AI-generated garbage flooding Facebook. Jason takes us through what this era of Facebook means. After the break, Sam explains why Pornhub pulled out of Texas. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph shows how two of the biggest safe lock manufacturers in the world have put backdoors into their products. Facebook’s Algorithm Is Boosting AI Spam That Links to AI-Generated, Ad-Laden Click Farms Pornhub Pulls Out of Texas Massively Popular Safe Locks Have Secret Backdoor Codes Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content and an ad-free version of the podcast. Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Somehow we filled a whole hour and it felt like five minutes! First Joseph explains his deep story on how hackers and fraudsters are injecting themselves into the electronic prescription system to order mountains of drugs. Then Emanuel breaks down how 404 Media, bizarrely, is included in a fake Netflix trailer that was probably made for the benefit of the Russian state. Then in the subscribers-only section, the group chats about ElevenLabs, and how Emanuel bypassed the company's "no-go voice" policy. How Hackers Dox Doctors to Order Mountains of Oxy and Adderall Why Is 404 Media Included in a Fake Netflix Trailer Made by Russia? ElevenLabs Block on Cloning Biden's Voice Easily Bypassed Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We go long (and play some bonus audio) for Jason's story inside the wild world of TikTok and Instagram hustlers who are using AI to swarm platforms with automatically generated garbage content. Some of them are making a killing in the process. After the break, we talk about Sam's story on Etsy sellers stealing fan fiction writers' work. Then in the subscriber-only section, Jason breaks down why a right to repair victory in Oregon is a massive deal for Apple globally. Inside the World of TikTok Spammers and the AI Tools That Enable Them Fanfiction Community Rocked By Etsy Sellers Turning Their Work Into Bound Books Oregon Passes Bill That Would Make iPhones More Repairable Everywhere Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tumblr and WordPress are set to sell posts to OpenAI and Midjourney. And cops are wearing body cameras in libraries. In this episode, Jason, Sam, and Emanuel try to explain what it means for OpenAI and Midjourney to scrape Tumblr's posts, broader chaos at the company, and whether AI is going to run out of things to ingest. Then we talk about the war on libraries, which is taking place all over the country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New format alert! We are experimenting with publishing additional interview episodes! These will not replace the normal weekly show. Rather, we'll upload an interview with people we find interesting whenever we feel a good opportunity comes up. Subscribers as usual get early and ad-free access. This episode is with Byron Tau, an investigative journalist and author of the new book Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government is Creating a New American Surveillance State. Joseph's and Byron's work on location data has bounced off each others' for years. Finally, the pair sit down and talk all about the adtech surveillance industry. Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government is Creating a New American Surveillance State Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A ton of stuff to talk about this week. We start with Jason and Emanuel's dive into how a deepfake nudify app rocked a high school. We got a copy of the police report, and more than anything else it shows we're simply not ready for what deepfakes will mean for ordinary people. Then Joseph talks about uncovering a network of fake funeral livestream scams on Facebook. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about Jason and Sam's very serious investigation into whether a certain brand of vibrator is actually delivering malware or not. ‘What Was She Supposed to Report?:’ Police Report Shows How a High School Deepfake Nightmare Unfolded Fake Funeral Live Stream Scams Are All Over Facebook Do Spencer’s Vibrators Have Malware on Them? An Investigation Subscribe for bonus content at 404media.co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got a real variety this week. First, Emanuel talks about Paradox.ai, a tool that massive brands like McDonald's, CVS, and FedEx are using to screen job applicants. It uses a bit of AI, but really this is more of a labor story. Then Jason breaks down Stract, an open source search engine that is trying to do search better than the increasingly bad experience of Google. In the subscribers-only section, the group goes long on how a viral story about a botnet of toothbrushes turned out to not be true, and how we've dealt with similar stories before. Service Jobs Now Require Bizarre Personality Test From AI Company This Guy Has Built an Open Source Search Engine as an Alternative to Google in His Spare Time The Viral Smart Toothbrush Botnet Story Is Not Real Get that bonus content by subscribing at 404media.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we start with Joseph's investigation into OnlyFake, an underground website that lets anyone generate convincing photos of fake IDs at the click of a mouse. Joseph successfully used one of these to bypass the identity verification process at a cryptocurrency exchange. This really will have massive implications for crime and cybersecurity more generally. After the break, we have a double feature with a story about AI audio porn and then a likely low tech response to the ongoing deepfake crisis. In the subscribers-only section, Emanuel tells us about how he investigated the Instagram ad to investment scam pipeline. Inside the Underground Site Where ‘Neural Networks’ Churn Out Fake IDs ‘Neural Network’ Fake ID Site Goes Dark After 404 Media Investigation AI-Generated Grandma Porn Is Flooding the Internet ‘DignifAI:’ 4chan Is Editing Pictures to Clothe Women Fake Bill Ackman and Jim Cramer Instagram Ads are Trying to Take My Money Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(I went in and fixed the audio issue! Please make sure your podcast client has the latest version downloaded. Okay, back to working on an investigation now, thank you for bearing with us) This week's episode is a banger. First, we go long with Sam and Emanuel, the two journalists who have followed deepfakes and generative AI more closely than anyone. Their latest piece talks about what is going to happen next: a clampdown in the AI and social media industries that may be an overcorrection, with impacts for everyone. Keeping with AI, Emanuel then explains how the founder of the extremism group The Base told his followers to use uncensored AI. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph talks about how an Iranian linked drug trafficker hired a member of the Hells Angel to carry out a hit on U.S. soil. Yes, that's the sentence. The Taylor Swift Deepfakes Disaster Threatens to Change the Internet As We Know It Founder of Neo-Nazi Group the Base Instructs Followers to Use 'Uncensored' AI Encrypted Phone ‘Sky’ Linked to Murder-for-Hire Plot in Maryland Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're doing something a little different this episode. For the whole free section of the podcast, we're talking all about the degradation of Google. That includes AI-generated articles making their way onto Google News, and how researchers found that, yes, Google search really is getting worse. This is a long, rich, and fun discussion. Then in the subscribers-only section, Joseph breaks down his latest investigation into a phone spying capability that is monitoring billions. Google (to their credit) cut-off a linked company in response to our inquiries. Google News Is Boosting Garbage AI-Generated Articles Google Search Really Has Gotten Worse, Researchers Find Inside a Global Phone Spy Tool Monitoring Billions Subscribe for access to bonus content at 404media.co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, that was a pleasant surprise: Google has formally endorsed right to repair! Jason not only broke this news but then had a long conversation with Google about why it made the change (spoiler: it was the concerted effort of consumers, activists, and journalists). Jason explains why this change matters in the first part of the show. After the break, Sam takes us through a pretty unusual court case and what it means for online dating. Then in the subscribers-only section, Joseph talks about a new map we just published showing which local police departments and public agencies have invested in the AI surveillance platform Fusus. Is your police department one of them? Take a look. Google Formally Endorses Right to Repair, Will Lobby to Pass Repair Laws YouTube Commenters and the Grassroots Movement Pushed Google to Support Right to Repair Man Sues 27 Women After Facebook Users Call Him ‘Clingy’ and ‘Psycho’ Is Your Local Police Department Using Fusus AI-Enabled Cameras? Find Out Here Subscribe at 404media.co for access to the bonus content. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason decided to publish our first story minutes before recording, so here is some hot off the presses material. That piece was about scam ads on YouTube involving deepfaked celebrities. After the break, Sam discussed a very bizarre FOIA response from Texas. Then in the subscribers-only section, Jason tells the long and very entertaining saga of the Polish hackers who fixed a bunch of trains, and faced legal threats in response. Deepfaked Celebrity Ads Promoting Medicare Scams Run Rampant on YouTube Texas Health Department Claims It Has Nothing to Do With Warnings on Porn From Texas Health Department Polish Hackers Say Manufacturer's Repair DRM Killed Train's Power, Broke Compressor Subscribe for access to bonus content at 404media.co. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are back for 2024! We hit the ground running this week with a story about charges against a man for allegedly orchestrating a massive, nationwide Airbnb scam. Then Sam speaks about how Pornhub is blocking access to visitors in North Carolina and Montana, who are now (predictably) using VPNs as a workaround. Then in the subscribers-only section we talk about the life and death of the encrypted app Wickr. RIP Wickr. Real Estate ‘Visionary’ Allegedly Behind Massive, Viral Airbnb Fraud Charge I Accidentally Uncovered a Nationwide Scam on Airbnb North Carolina and Montana Just Lost Access to Pornhub Wickr is Dead Subscribe for access to bonus content at 404media.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.