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At NATO Summit: Senior US Senator on Peace Prospects for Iran, Ukraine
In this bonus episode, hosts Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove are on the ground in The Hague, Netherlands where they're reporting from the NATO Summit. Kate and Sir Richard sit down with U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a leading member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to discuss the latest from the summit including talks among NATO members for increased defense budgets, President Trump's unique social media presence and how it shapes his foreign policy, and his role in the Israel-Iran ceasefire. Later, Kate and Sir Richard catch up to explore the regional ramifications of the Israel-Iran conflict in the Middle East and compare notes on what to expect from Israel. Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
Top US Foreign Relations Senator on Trump's New Playbook with Ukraine, EU
In this episode of One Decision, host Christina Ruffini sits down with United States Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Shaheen recently visited Kyiv, Ukraine, and shared her experience speaking with Ukrainian citizens in the small town of Bucha. She also reacted to the prospective mineral rights deal that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to with the United States, whether she thinks America is perceived as a reliable ally, the importance of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in mitigating adversary efforts by China, Iran, and Russia, and working with new cabinet secretaries under the Trump administration. The episode also features a preview discussion between French journalist Margot Haddad and former European Commissioner Thierry Breton in English. The full-length French conversation will be published next week and will explore the European Union’s relationship with President Donald Trump, the EU’s efforts in AI investments, tech titan Elon Musk, and much more. Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
Trump's ICE at the Winter Olympics: Security, Surveillance & World Cup Controversy | Former MI6 Chief Explains
From deploying anti-missile frigates on the Thames, to sending ICE agents to Milan, hosting the Olympics is a high-stakes security operation. Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and Kate McCann break down the 2026 Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup controversies on this week’s episode of One Decision: In Brief. Sir Richard explains the security precautions that countries undertake as both hosts and participants in Olympic games, citing past examples from the games in London, Russia and Germany. Kate addresses the controversies that have already cropped up around the US hosting this year’s FIFA World Cup, from spectator screenings to the potential for overstayed visas. They also discuss whether President Trump has overplayed his hand with ICE as an enforcement agency, and if the United States can handle the international scrutiny with regards to policing and violence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
“The IRGC Got Their Man”: Former UK Defense Minister and Ex-MI6 Chief on Mojtaba Khamenei’s Ascent
Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed to succeed his father as Supreme Leader of Iran. What now? Former UK Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace, who spent eight years as Chairman of the British–Iran Parliamentary Group, views this as a doubling down on defiance. Former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove and international journalist Rosanna Lockwood break down the rationale behind why the IRGC is vested in maintaining the status quo, the growing rift between the United States’s strategy and Gulf States Allies, and whether or not the United States and Israel have a viable endgame.Plus: Already at $100 per barrel, how high will the price of oil climb? What impact will the conflict in Iran have on European security and economies? Are Russia and China giving Iran an intelligence edge? In this episode: 01:10 Succession in Tehran 02:56 The IRGC as a Business Cartel 04:10 The Gulf States’ Perspective 06:55 UAE Business Backlash 10:26 Insurance and War Risk Shock 14:10 Shahi Drones and Escalation Risks 17:51 EU and UK Economic Hit 19:33 UK Politics and Social Tensions 21:38 One Decision to Watch Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief), Sir Ben Wallace (former UK Defence Secretary) and guest co-host Rosanna Lockwood (International Journalist) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
What to Expect as Putin Cements His Grip as Russia’s New Czar
This week, Vladimir Putin hailed a landslide win for a fifth term in an election with no real opposition, whose result was never in question. In a victory speech extending his iron grip on power, Putin warned that World War III between Russia and the West is not out of the question. Guest host and foreign affairs journalist Indira Lakshmanan and One Decision’s resident spymaster, former MI6 Chief Sir Richard Dearlove speak with Sir Laurie Bristow, who served two tours in Putin’s Russia as Britain’s ambassador to Moscow and as deputy chief of mission, about what to expect in the next six years from the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin. Bristow says that relations between Russia and NATO are at their most fragile point since the Cold War. Indira also spoke with Putin expert Dr. Angela Stent for her readout of the election results. Stent, a former U.S. national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia says the reelection of Donald Trump could be a victory for Putin, and warned of Russia’s attempts to meddle in the U.S. election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
Are the US & China headed towards conflict?
For our third installment on China at a crossroads, we look at where President Xi Jinping is positioning China in the world order and what his politics means for Chinese expansionism, influence, and aggression in the wider region. Is he likely to make a move on Taiwan? Will the contested areas in the seas around China be a new arena for hostilities? Will the US and China eventually be forced to go head-to-head, or is there too much financial incentive to cooperate? Brig. Gen. David Stilwell was the American Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and an Air Force veteran of 35 years. A fluent Chinese and Korean speaker, he also served as Defense Attache at the US Embassy in Beijing and has been a close watcher of Chinese politics ever since. He sits down with One Decision for a look at China's place in the world at the beginning of Xi's third term, with our Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, providing exclusive analysis on what he thinks the world should do in response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
Ex-MI6 Head on Trump-Putin Call
What is it like to meet with Russian leaders in Moscow? Will President Trump's phone call with President Vladimir Putin help end the war? And why is AI now the hottest tool in cybersecurity? In this week’s episode, Christina Ruffini catches up with co-host and former head of Britain’s MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, to unpack the global implications of President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. Sir Richard shares exclusive insight into his meetings in Moscow and what Ukrainians are telling him about ending the war. He also reveals what he believes is Putin’s true vulnerability. Later in the episode, Sir Richard sits down with Anne Neuberger, former Deputy National Security for Cyber and Emerging Technology under the Biden administration. They explore the growing role of artificial intelligence in defense systems and why China is the leading cybersecurity adversary. Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
In Brief: Why Trump Is Targeting Venezuela
In this week’s One Decision In Brief, hosts Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, break down the latest developments in Latin America, including the Pentagon’s recent deployment of an aircraft carrier off the coast of Venezuela. The hosts discuss President Donald Trump’s intentions and the role Secretary of State Marco Rubio is playing behind the scenes. Plus, they examine the aftermath of Argentina’s midterm elections, where President Javier Milei’s coalition secured the majority votes and what that means for Trump’s promise to bailout the Argentine economy. Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
In Brief: What's Going On Inside Putin's Inner Circle?
In this episode of One Decision In Brief, hosts Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of Britain's MI6, discuss the BBC's latest crisis after President Donald Trump threatened the broadcaster with legal action over their January 6 documentary. The BBC's coverage of issues such as Israel's role in the war in Gaza, trans rights, climate change, and more have come under fire, forcing top executives to resign. Plus, the hosts examine Vladimir Putin's close aid, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's recent withdrawal from the public and what that signals about Russia's leadership. Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
BONUS: The views from the Eastern Flank
Better late than never? As Nato members scramble to organize support and aid for Ukraine, Nato command has pledged to beef up the Eastern Flank - the Alliance's frontier against Russia. With the potential addition of Sweden and Finland - which may yet be stymied by Turkey - Nato's border with Russia looks set to double. For the countries on the edge, of what's known as the 'Eastern Flank', Nato needs to do more than just send more troops and hardware. Our team at the Nato summit in Madrid spoke to a number of leaders, ministers and representatives from across these nations. These are their views. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
Boris Johnson's First Ever Podcast Interview
Former British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson sits down with One Decision’s Julia Macfarlane and former head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove for his first ever podcast interview. Johnson discusses the state of the Ukraine war— his thoughts on Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's failed mutiny and details from his recent conversation with former President Donald Trump about supporting Ukraine in defeating Russia. He also talks about his post-Brexit frustrations, if he would change how he handled the pandemic, and what's the one decision he regrets during his time in office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdrl.fm -
Google Earth’s New AI Lets Anyone Fabricate Completely Bullshit Satellite Images
"Tonight I typed just one sentence into Google Earth and put refugees near the Mexican border. Then I planted a nuclear plant in Iran. Then I put a fatal crash on a street in Amsterdam." -
The Shifting World of OSINT (with Craig Silverman)
Joseph speaks to Craig Silverman, one of the co-founders of Indicator. Indicator is a new, independent media company that Craig runs with Alexios Mantzarlis. For years Craig has covered the world of ad fraud and disinformation using all sorts of open source intelligence (OSINT) techniques. Definitely check out Indicator at Indicator.media. The site publishes its own investigations but also tips and tricks you can use yourself. Indicator’s site: https://indicator.media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Landing Big Scoops as an Indie Journalist (with Marisa Kabas)
Marisa Kabas is the founder of The Handbasket, an independent newsletter and website that has been breaking stories left and right about government workers, the media business, and Trump’s mass deportation campaign. Jason and Marisa share notes Marisa about doing journalism without a big newsroom, how the media business has changed over the last decade, and why sources often prefer to talk to journalists who don’t work for mainstream media. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/e73spvZnc9s The Handbasket: https://www.thehandbasket.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Ticketmaster Hack
So, the Ticketmaster hack got a lot, lot worse. Jason breaks down why in the first half of the show. After the break, we talk more Ticketmaster, and how scalpers have teamed up with hackers to liberate "non-transferable" tickets. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains the latest with sales of netflow data to the U.S. government. Ticketmaster Confirms Hack in SEC Filing The Ticketmaster Hack Is Becoming a Logistical Nightmare for Fans and Brokers Scalpers Work With Hackers to Liberate Ticketmaster's ‘Non-Transferable’ Tickets U.S. Nuke Agency Buys Internet Backbone Data Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Websites An ICE Contractor is Monitoring
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 Monitoring NASA, Yale, and Stanford Scientists Consider 'Scientific Exile,' French University Says Super Nintendo Hardware Is Running Faster as It Ages Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Disappearing DOGE Depositions
This week we start with Joseph’s series of articles about the DOGE depositions. He watched hours and hours of them, then a judge ordered them removed from YouTube. But, they’ve already been archived all over the web. After the break, Jason tells us about the AI data labelers who are fighting back. In the subscribers-only section, Jason breaks down what’s wrong with all the AI job loss research at the moment. 0:00 - Intro 0:51 - Google Street View's Unmappable City 3:40 - I Watched 6 Hours of DOGE Bro Testimony. Here's What They Had to Say For Themselves 13:24 - DOGE Deposition Videos Taken Down After Judge Order and Widespread Mockery 18:58 - The Removed DOGE Deposition Videos Have Already Been Backed Up Across the Internet 28:32 - 'AI Is African Intelligence': The Workers Who Train AI Are Fighting Back SUB'S STORY - AI Job Loss Research Ignores How AI Is Utterly Destroying the Internet YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/xtMniLj_yzQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Cops Are Using AI Bots to Surveil People
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 ‘College Protester’ Isn’t Real. It’s an AI-Powered Undercover Bot for Cops I Went to See ‘God’s Influencer,’ the Millennial Saint Carlo Acutis How 404 Media Is Navigating 'Economic Headwinds' Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
People Are Modding Meta Ray-Bans to Spy On You
We have something of a Meta Ray-Bans smart glasses bumper episode this week. We start with Joseph and Jason’s piece on a $60 mod that disables the privacy-protecting recording light in the smart glasses. After the break, Emanuel tells us how some people are abusing the glasses to film massage workers, and he explains the difference between a phone and a pair of smartglasses, if you need that spelled out for you. In the subscribers-only section, Jason tells us about the future of advertising: AI-generated ads personalized directly to you. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/tAmhRnHc16Q 1:00 - A $60 Mod to Meta’s Ray-Bans Disables Its Privacy-Protecting Recording Light 18:03 - Meta's Ray-Ban Glasses Users Film and Harass Massage Parlor Workers SUBSCRIBER'S STORY: The Future of Advertising Is AI Generated Ads That Are Directly Personalized to You Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The CrowdStrike Outage
Some weeks are just crazy. On Friday, Windows machines around the world went down due to a faulty update to CrowdStrike's security software. We discuss what happened, and why, and the impact. After the break, Sam tells us how she vaped the internet (yep). In the subscribers-only section, we describe some leaked Cellebrite documents we got, which show what phones Cellebrite can (and can't) unlock. To Fix CrowdStrike Blue Screen of Death Simply Reboot 15 Straight Times, Microsoft Says CrowdStrike ‘Deeply Sorry for the Inconvenience’ CrowdStrike Outage Impacted U.S. Government Agencies I Tried to Vape the Internet Subscribe at 404media.co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The OSINT Hunt for a Sex Trafficking Ringleader
We're dedicating a whole episode to Sam's new narrative piece on how a ragtag group of friends hunted down a wanted sex trafficking ringleader. First we give you all the context for why this person, Michael Pratt, eventually ended up on the FBI's Most Wanted list. Then Sam breaks down the hunt for Pratt, told through the eyes of the people who were there. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains how and why hackers are "Airbnb hopping." 'She Turned Ghost White:' How a Ragtag Group of Friends Tracked Down a Sex Trafficking Ringleader ‘Airbnb Hopping’: How Hunted Hackers Stay on the Run From Kidnappers Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Replacing 404 Media with AI
Here's a fun one: Emanuel made his own ChatGPT-powered news site that ripped off our work and that of WIRED, The Verge, and others to show just how easy spinning up one of these AI click farms really is. After the break, we listen to some of the AI-generated music that has major record labels suing some startups. In the subscribers-only section, Sam tells us all about how a bunch of chatbots suddenly changed personality overnight. I Paid $365.63 to Replace 404 Media With AI Listen to the AI-Generated Ripoff Songs That Got Udio and Suno Sued ‘No Bot is Themselves Anymore:’ Character.ai Users Report Sudden Personality Changes to Chatbots Subscribe and gain access to bonus content at 404media.co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Inside a Small Town's Fight Against a $1.2 Billion AI Datacenter
We start with Matthew Gault’s dive into a battle between a small town and the construction of a massive datacenter for America’s nuclear weapon scientists. After the break, Joseph explains why people are 3D-printing whistles in Chicago. In the subscribers-only section, Jason zooms out and tells us what librarians are seeing with AI and tech, and how that is impacting their work and knowledge more broadly. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/rHk580uKwHw 6:03 - Our New FOIA Forum! 11/19, 1PM ET7:50 - A Small Town Is Fighting a $1.2 Billion AI Datacenter for America's Nuclear Weapon Scientists12:27 - 'A Black Hole of Energy Use': Meta's Massive AI Data Center Is Stressing Out a Louisiana Community21:09 - 'House of Dynamite' Is About the Zoom Call that Ends the World30:35 - The Latest Defense Against ICE: 3D-Printed Whistles SUBSCRIBER'S STORY: AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Arrest of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov
Emanuel and Jason break down the arrest of Telegram cofounder Pavel Durov, a slide deck showing "active listening" advertising based on microphone data, and a concerning new study that shows AI-generated CSAM is more common than you think. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
How to Talk to Your Friend Experiencing 'AI Psychosis'
This week we start with Sam’s story discussing something that has come up a lot but no one has really answered: how do you speak to your friend or family member falling into AI psychosis? After the break, Joseph breaks down what happened when the FBI wanted data from ProtonMail. In the subscribers-only section, Emanuel tells us about the viral developers behind an app called Quittr, and how they exposed very sensitive data of hundreds of thousands of users. 1:21 - 'How to Talk to Someone Experiencing 'AI Psychosis' 27:33 - Proton Mail Helped FBI Unmask Anonymous ‘Stop Cop City’ Protester SUBSCRIBER'S STORY: Viral 'Quittr' Porn Addiction App Exposed the Masturbation Habits of Hundreds of Thousands of Users 'How to Talk to Someone Experiencing 'AI Psychosis' Proton Mail Helped FBI Unmask Anonymous ‘Stop Cop City’ Protester Viral 'Quittr' Porn Addiction App Exposed the Masturbation Habits of Hundreds of Thousands of Users YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/oRiJHLIYkkw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
404 Media Live: LA! [TEASER]
This is a recording of our live show in Los Angeles in July! In this show we spoke all about ICE's technology and our reporting on it. Facial recognition, Palantir, Flock, and more. And we take questions from the audience. Thank you to everyone who came and we hope you enjoy the discussion! Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Video Game Industry’s Existential Crisis (with Jason Schreier)
The video game industry has had a turbulent few years. The pandemic made people play more and caused a small boom, which then subsided, resulting in wave after wave of massive layoffs. Microsoft, one of the major console manufacturers, is shifting its strategy for Xbox as the company shifts its focus to AI. And now, Electronic Arts, once a load-bearing publisher for the industry with brands like The Sims and Madden, is going private via a leveraged buyout in a deal involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Jared Kushner. Video games are more popular than ever, but many of the biggest companies in the business seem like they are struggling to adapt and convert that popularity into stability and sustainability. To try and understand what the hell is going on, this week we have a conversation between Emanuel and Jason Schreier, who reports about video games for Bloomberg and one of the best journalists on this beat. Jason helps us unpack why Microsoft is now aiming for higher-than-average profit margins at Xbox and why the company is seemingly bowing out of the console business despite a massive acquisition spree. We also talk about what the EA deal tells us about other game publishers, and what all these problems tell us about changing player habits and the future of big budget video games. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/6ydF7hD6cFI Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Microsoft Pushes Xbox Division to Hit Higher Profit Margins EA's Deal to Go Private Could Be Good for Investors, Bad for Employees EA Buyout Highlights Gaming Struggles as Growth Slows The Video-Game Industry Has a Problem: There Are Too Many Games Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Zines Are Back
We start this week with news of our zine! We’re printing it very soon, and walk you through the process. Independent media is turning back to physical zines as a way to subvert algorithms. After the break, Emanuel tells us about some very weird Instagram changes. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains ICEBlock’s lawsuit against the U.S. government. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lseEXc-ZzsQ Timestamps: 1:37 - 1st Story - 404 Media Is Making a Zine; buy the zine here 28:01 - 2nd Story - Instagram Is Generating Inaccurate SEO Bait for Your Posts SUBSCRIBER'S STORY - ICEBlock Creator Sues U.S. Government Over App’s Removal Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Luxury Surveillance (With Chris Gilliard)
Jason talks to Chris Gilliard, the author of the upcoming book Luxury Surveillance. Gilliard has studied the rise of companies like Ring and Flock, as well as the dynamics that lead people to surveil themselves and each other. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/4kBgnjn5cC0 Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Telegram is Working With the Cops
We have two related stories this week. First, Joseph, Emanuel, and Sam break down their experiences with Telegram, and the social network's massive policy shift. The company says it will now process valid legal requests from law enforcement for user data. After the break, Joseph tells us how the walls are closing in on one of the most disruptive hackers in recent memory. In the subscribers-only section, Emanuel explains why Nintendo's lawsuit against Palworld is bad, and why Nintendo will probably win. YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90T71r3h7oc Telegram Changes Policy, Says It Will Provide User Data to Authorities The Walls Are Closing in on the Snowflake Hacker ‘Cold-Blooded Business’: Nintendo Is Patent Trolling Palworld Because It Got Too Big Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
How to Fight Back Against AI Bot Scrapers
We’re back! We start this week with Emanuel’s article about Anubis, an open source piece of software that is saving the internet from AI bot scrapers. After the break, Joseph tells us about the new facial recognition app ICE is using and which he revealed. In the subscribers-only section, we do a lightning round runthrough of a bunch of our recent stories about LLMs and how to trick them, or what they don’t understand. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lqJL1u8UhmE The Open-Source Software Saving the Internet From AI Bot Scrapers ICE Is Using a New Facial Recognition App to Identify People, Leaked Emails Show AI Models And Parents Don’t Understand ‘Let Him Cook’ Fine-Tuning LLMs For ‘Good’ Behavior Makes Them More Likely To Say No Researchers Jailbreak AI by Flooding It With Bullshit Jargon Thumbnail credit: Mascot by CELPHASE. Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Epstein Email Dump Is a Mess
We start this week with a rant from Jason about how the latest dump of Epstein emails were released. It would be a lot easier to cover them if they were published differently! After the break, we talk about Joseph’s piece about a contractor hiring essentially randos off LinkedIn to physically track immigrants for $300. In the subscribers-only section, Sam tells us about a new adult industry code of conduct that has been a long time coming. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 3:08 - First Segment 34:23 - Second Segment YouTube version: https://youtu.be/_6tVI4jh__Y Our New FOIA Forum! 11/19, 1PM ET Contractor Recruiting People on LinkedIn to Physically Track Immigrants for ICE, Will Pay $300 Major Porn Studios Join Forces to Establish Industry ‘Code of Conduct’ Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Your Phone's Location is Exposed
Really excited about this one. We spend the entire episode talking about SS7, the fundamental network and protocol which is both at the heart of the world's telecommunications infrastructure, and crucial for governments, spy firms, and criminals to monitor people or intercept texts. In the first half we break ton what SS7 is, why it's an issue, and our nearly 10 years of experience covering it. Then, we talk about the news we revealed about a U.S. cybersecurity official breaking rank with his agency to expose SS7 attacks in the U.S. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about Axon's new ChatGPT-like tool which automatically creates narratives from police bodycam audio, and all the implications that might have. Cyber Official Speaks Out, Reveals Mobile Network Attacks in U.S. Here Is What Axon’s Bodycam Report Writing AI Looks Like Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
A Massive Google Leak
We start this week with a massive leak from inside Google. We obtained a copy of an internal Google database the company uses to track potential privacy and security issues. It's incredibly rare to get this sort of insight into a big tech company, and we explain what's inside the data itself. After the break, Sam tells us who deepfake legislation may leave behind. In the subscribers-only section, Jason explains how he tracked down the earliest known source of the All Eyes on Rafah image: a Facebook group dedicated to the AI industry. Inside the Biggest FBI Sting Operation in History Google Leak Reveals Thousands of Privacy Incidents Google Contractor Used Admin Access to Leak Info From Private Nintendo YouTube Video Laws About Deepfakes Can’t Leave Sex Workers Behind Viral ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ Image Came From Facebook Group to Make ‘AI Industry Prosper’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Creators Worry Porn Platform Is Falling Into ‘AI Psychosis’
We start this week with Sam’s piece about ManyVids, and how some creators believe its CEO, and the person who controls their livelihood, may be experiencing ‘AI psychosis’. After the break, Jason gives us an update on some mysterious disappearing ICE footage. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about Flock and what police are being told to do: not describe what they’re using the AI cameras for. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 2:41 - Aliens and Angel Numbers: Creators Worry Porn Platform ManyVids Is Falling Into ‘AI Psychosis’; Amid Backlash, Massive Porn Platform ManyVids Doubles Down on Bizarre, AI-Generated Posts 32:12 - DHS Says Critical ICE Surveillance Footage From Abuse Case Was Actually Never Recorded, Doesn't Matter YouTube version: https://youtu.be/EFv0rD9F9es Aliens and Angel Numbers: Creators Worry Porn Platform ManyVids Is Falling Into ‘AI Psychosis’ DHS Says Critical ICE Surveillance Footage From Abuse Case Was Actually Never Recorded, Doesn't Matter Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use Flock Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Understanding Roblox’s Grooming Problem
Cecilia D’Anstasio on Roblox efforts to protect children from pedophiles. Roblox is one of those games that is more popular than you can imagine, but unless you are of a certain age group and live in that world, you’ll rarely hear about it unless it makes the news for some terrible reason. More recently, for example, we wrote about the Tumbler Ridge shooter who created a mass shooting simulator in Roblox. But what is Roblox, how big is it exactly, and why does it seem like it's so frequently embroiled in controversy? This week we’re joined by Cecilia D’anstasio in an attempt to answer all of these questions. This week we’re joined by Cecilia D’Anstasio. Cecilia reports about video games at Bloomberg, and has written many important articles about the business and controversies of one of the biggest games in the world, Roblox. A few weeks ago we had Patrick Klepek on to discuss Roblox from a parent’s perspective, but today we’re going to hear about it from the perspective of a great investigative reporter and for my money the most knowledgeable journalists about Roblox. 404 Media is a journalist-founded company and needs your support. To subscribe, go to 404media.co. As well as bonus content every single week, subscribers get access to additional episodes where we respond to their best comments. Subscribers also get early access to our interview series. Gain access to that content at 404media.co. Listen to the weekly podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Become a paid subscriber for early access to these interview episodes and to power our journalism. If you become a paid subscriber, check your inbox for an email from our podcast host Transistor for a link to the subscribers-only version! You can also add that subscribers feed to your podcast app of choice and never miss an episode that way. The email should also contain the subscribers-only unlisted YouTube link for the extended video version too. It will also be in the show notes in your podcast player. Roblox’s Pedophile Problem How Roblox Became a Playground for Virtual Fascists Roblox Game-Buying Frenzy Is Turning Teens Into Millionaires Roblox User Group Re-Creates Real-Life Mass Shooting Events Go to surfshark.com/404Media to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN, plus there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee—or just use code 404MEDIA at checkout! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
3D Printed Guns and UnitedHealthcare
This week we start with Joseph's story about how the weapon found on the alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO murderer was a particular 3D printed design. Then Jason tells us what he found about the alleged killer Luigi Mangione through his online accounts, and why, ultimately, this kind of journalism might not matter. After the break, Sam talks about how various healthcare companies removed pages about their leadership after the murder, and what we're seeing when it comes to social content moderation around it. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about Congress getting big mad at Apple and Google after 404 Media's reporting on deepfake apps. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/HuyJp3QDTbk 404 Media Objects to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Subpoena to Access Our Reporting UnitedHealthcare Shooting Person of Interest Had 3D Printed Glock Luigi Mangione Played 'Among Us,' Breathes Air Major Health Insurance Companies Take Down Leadership Pages Following Murder of United Healthcare CEO Moderators Across Social Media Struggle to Contain Celebrations of UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Assassination Congress Pushes Apple to Remove Deepfake Apps After 404 Media Investigation Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
404 Media Live: NYC!
Here's the podcast recorded at our recent second anniversary party in New York! We answered a bunch of reader and listener questions. Thank you to everyone that came and thank you for listening to this podcast too! Thanks again to DeleteMe, use code 404media for 20% off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Hacking the Adderall Shortage
It feels way longer than a week since our last episode, weird. Anyway this week we start with a wild story with Emanuel, about how people in the US are paying a company, which in turn hires people in the Philippines to then call around U.S. pharmacies to check whether certain drugs are in stock. It shows just how bad the Adderall shortage in the U.S. has gotten. After the break, Sam tells us about a particularly alarming AirTags stalking case, and how the FBI flipped the script on the suspect. In the subscribers-only section, Jason breaks down a bunch of new information regarding the (alleged?) bankruptcy of media organization the Gateway Pundit. Americans Are Hiring People in the Philippines to Help Them Find Adderall A Suspected Human Smuggler Used AirTags to Track and Control The Woman He Brought Into the U.S. Gateway Pundit Bankruptcy Is a 'Delay Tactic,' Election Workers Suing the Company Say Subscribe for bonus content at 404media.co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Life Changing Power of Lifting (feat. Casey Johnston)
For this week’s podcast, I’m talking to our friend Casey Johnston, a tech journalist turned fitness journalist turned independent journalist. Casey studied physics, which led her to tech journalism; she did some of my favorite coverage of Internet culture as well as Apple’s horrendous butterfly laptop keyboards. We worked together at VICE, where Casey was an editor and where she wrote Ask a Swole Woman, an advice column about weightlifting. After she left VICE, Casey founded She’s a Beast, an independent site about weightlifting, but also about the science of diet culture, fitness influencers on the internet, the intersections of all those things, etc. She just wrote A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting, a really great reported memoir about how our culture and the media often discourages people from lifting, and how this type of exercise can be really beneficial to your brain and your body. I found the book really inspiring and actually started lifting right after I read it. In this interview we talk about her book, about journalism, about independent media, and how doing things like lifting weights and touching grass helps us navigate the world. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/vV0esl4LLIU Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
AI Slop Summer
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 AI-Generated Summer Guide Printed by Chicago Sun-Times Was Made by Magazine Giant Hearst American Schools Were Deeply Unprepared for ChatGPT, Public Records Show Star Wars Shows the Future of AI Special Effects and It Sucks Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
AI Celebs Take Over Google Image Search
Joseph is out this week, so the leftover crew considers what it means for Google image search to be taken over by AI images, talks about #finance, and discusses how an already sensationalist NY Times article about internet in the Amazon rainforest got further sensationalized. Articles discussed: AI Images in Google Search Results Have Opened a Portal to Hell You Probably Unwittingly Voted to Give Elon Musk a Huge Raise First Google Search Result for Tiananmen Square “Tank Man” Is AI Generated Selfie ‘Remote’ Amazonian Tribes Have Been Using the Internet for a Long Time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Your Identity Hacked, Yet Verified
We start this episode talking about some exciting updates for the podcast! For the first story, Joseph explains how an ID verification service for TikTok, Uber, and X exposed driver licenses, in a sign of what may be come as more sites demand to know our real identities. After the break, Jason breaks down what the FBI found when it investigated a specific Zoom Bombing ring. In the subscribers-only section, Emanuel and Joseph talk all about TLO, a powerful data tool that is being advertised on Fiverr to dox anyone for $30. ID Verification Service for TikTok, Uber, X Exposed Driver Licenses 'Local Residents' Terrorizing City Council Meetings Were Actually Overseas, Feds Allege Fiverr Freelancers Offer to Dox Anyone With Powerful U.S. Data Tool Subscribe at gain access to bonus content at 404media.co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Massive Nvidia Leak
This is a big one. Sam got hold of a massive leak of internal Nvidia emails, Slack messages, and documents which show how the tech giant is scraping YouTube and Netflix for its own purposes. In the second half of the show, Jason peels back the curtain on who is behind the wave of AI spam on Facebook and how they're doing it; finally an answer after months of investigation. In the subscribers-only section, we talk DEF CON, our experiences at the conference, and give a little preview of something DEF CON-related for our paying subscribers coming soon. Leaked Documents Show Nvidia Scraping ‘A Human Lifetime’ of Videos Per Day to Train AI Where Facebook's AI Slop Comes From Hotel to Search Rooms During DEF CON Hacking Conference Subscribe for bonus content at 404media.co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
The Worst Telecom Breach Ever
Sometimes a hack just completely blows you away. Late last week we learned that hackers had taken the call and text records of "nearly all" AT&T customers. That's absolutely staggering! We break down why it matters in the first half of the show, as well as discuss one of the hackers linked to the incident. After the break, Emanuel tells us about what the new Vice President hopeful JD Vance could mean for the AI industry. In the subscribers-only section, we talk all about a site selling faces for fraud. Hackers Steal Text and Call Records of ‘Nearly All’ AT&T Customers American Hacker in Turkey Linked to Massive AT&T Breach Dunking on J.D. Vance’s ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Is ‘Unusual Behavior,’ Goodreads Says AI Maxers Thrilled with Trump’s Vice President Pick JD Vance Inside the Face Fraud Factory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Here’s What Palantir Is Really Building
We start this week with Joseph’s article about ELITE, a tool Palantir is working on for ICE. After the break, Emanuel tells us how AI influencers are making fake sex tape-style photos with celebrities, who can’t be best pleased about it. In the subscribers-only section, Matthew breaks down Comic-Con’s ban of AI art. 0:00 - Intro 2:16 - ‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid 22:45 - Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals Subscriber's Story: Comic-Con Bans AI Art After Artist Pushback YouTube version: https://youtu.be/b-QHWpqjD-E Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
A Massive Archiving Effort at National Parks (with Jenny McBurney and Lynda Kellam)
If you’ve been to a national park in the U.S. recently, you might have noticed some odd new signs about “beauty” and “grandeur.” Or, some signs you were used to seeing might now be missing completely. An executive order issued earlier this year put the history and educational aspects of the parks system under threat–but a group of librarians stepped in to save it. This week we have a conversation between Sam and two of the leaders of the independent volunteer archiving project Save Our Signs, an effort to archive national park signs and monument placards. It’s a community collaboration project co-founded by a group of librarians, public historians, and data experts in partnership with the Data Rescue Project and Safeguarding Research & Culture. Lynda Kellam leads the Research Data and Digital Scholarship team at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries and is a founding organizer of the Data Rescue Project. Jenny McBurney is the Government Publications Librarian and Regional Depository Coordinator at the University of Minnesota Libraries. In this episode, they discuss turning “frustration, dismay and disbelief” at parks history under threat into action: compiling more than 10,000 images from over 300 national parks into a database to be preserved for the people. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/xrCElwgY5Co ‘Save Our Signs’ Archive and Submission Site 'Save Our Signs' Wants to Save the Real History of National Parks Before Trump Erases It ‘Save Our Signs’ Preservation Project Launches Archive of 10,000 National Park Signs Archivists Work to Identify and Save the Thousands of Datasets Disappearing From Data.gov Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
AI Avatar of Killed Man Testifies in Court
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 Glasses After All The Simulation Says the Orioles Should Be Good Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
Inside the ICE Deportation Tool
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 People I Tested The AI That Calls Your Elderly Parents If You Can't Be Bothered 4chan Is Down Following What Looks to Be a Major Hack Spurred By Meme War Subscribe at 404media.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm -
DARK WIRE on Whale Hunting
A something extra for our listeners this week. Joseph went on an episode of Whale Hunting to talk about his new book DARK WIRE, in which the FBI secretly ran its own encrypted messaging app to wiretap the world. Whale Hunting is a great podcast that has journalists go behind-the-scenes on their own stories. It is absolutely worth listening to if you don't already! Whale Hunting Podcast DARK WIRE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicespdst.fm