INFLUENCE

Latest Episodes:

259 Lemmy: Self-Hosted, Decentralized Communities for Reddit Exiles Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

In the wake of major API changes and the death of beloved 3rd party apps, scores of Reddit users have flocked to Lemmy, a similar online forum and news aggregating platform with one key difference: It's decentralized, and can never be owned by a single company or person. But this has nothing to do with blockchain or crypto.

Lemmy is part of the Fediverse, where self-hosted instances can interact with each other using common protocols. This is how other decentralized platforms like Mastodon work. Lemmy has been around since 2019, but as Reddit controversies continue, many instances of Lemmy have seen exponential growth in recent weeks.

Alli and Lindsey chat with Ruud Schilders, who hosts and operates what has become the largest Lemmy instance: lemmy.world. Ruud shares what makes federated social media so exciting, the challenges of content moderation, and the current blockers to mainstream adoption.

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Who knew eating people could be so sexy? Inside the fascinating Vore fetish [ENCORE] Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

This week we return to one of our most popular episodes: Vore! It also happens to be Jen's final episode. If you haven't heard this yet, you're in for a mind-expanding snack!

-- Original Show Notes | June 14, 2021 --

We often refer to attractive people as "snacks" and talk about "eating someone up." But vore enthusiasts take those feelings to the next level. The fetish is about consuming others, or being consumed, but it's completely fantastical of course -- no one is harmed in the making of vore content or roleplay.

This week, Alli and Jen talk with Carter, a moderator of the subreddit r/vore about the elaborate art created by the community, the discovery of his own feelings for the fetish, and why this kink is often misunderstood.

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258 Replika: The Surprising Reasons People Get Romantic With AI Chatbots Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

We hate to break this to you, but human relationships aren't perfect. People disagree, have conflicting values, and in the worst cases, become dishonest or abusive.

Instead, what if you could date the "perfect" person for you? A synthetic person that will never cheat or carry the emotional baggage that destroys relationships? That's the promise of Replika, a customizable AI companion with a large community of users, many of whom have developed romantic feelings for their bots.

If this sounds strange to you, you're not alone. Alli and Lindsey talk with Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, senior writer at New York Magazine and The Cut, who has covered AI dating extensively. Her recent piece begs philosophical questions about the "purpose" of human relationships, whether it really matters if both parties are human, and what happens when we entrust these connections to for-profit tech companies.

Check out Sangeeta's article on The Cut: https://www.thecut.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-chatbot-replika-boyfriend.html

Follow Sangeeta's work: https://www.sangeeta.space/

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257 We only worry about AI when it threatens OUR jobs Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

We thought burger-flipping, truck driving robots would take the first jobs. Turns out, its artists, writers, and podcasters who should be the most worried, thanks to large language models like ChatGPT and media synthesis from Midjourney.

We get philosophical about what means to fall in love with a synthetic personality, and discuss the End Times that befell the East Coast last week. Thanks, Canada.

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256 Where In the World Was Alli? -or- "My Little Throw-Up Spot" Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

Alli's back from Asia with some tales of the Far East. Also, have you heard of D R U G S?

Get at us:

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255 How 'Grand Theft Auto' Roleplaying Helped This Twitch Streamer Come Out May 29, 2023

Show notes

Meet Jubby. He fell in love with Grand Theft Auto Online for way more than just "cops and robbers" shenanigans. There's a huge roleplay scene across countless private servers, some of which have become very inclusive LGBTQ+ communities. On "No Pixel" where Jubby spends most of his day playing and streaming, he took up the mantle of organizing in-world Gay Pride events, fashion shows, and music festivals. These days, he's a Twitch partner who credits these virtual communities with empowering him to come out of the closet IRL.

Alli and Lindsey talk with Jubby about virtual drag shows, the in-world and out-of-world resources required for these big events, and the future of the LGBTQ+ community inside massively popular video games like GTA.

Follow Jubby: https://www.twitch.tv/jubby

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What Qualifies as "Free Speech" on the Internet? [Encore] May 22, 2023

Show notes

Where in the world is Alli Goldberg? As she continues her adventures in Asia, we have another fan favorite encore episode for you!

-- Original Show Notes from July 11, 2022 --

The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from abridging free speech and the press. And Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act prevents common carriers (like telephone companies) from being held liable for the speech of their users. But social media isn't quite either of those things, especially when a small handful of tech companies make huge profits by amplifying dangerous misinformation. So, what IS protected speech on the Internet, and what models of regulation are available to preserve open communication and a digital "public square," while curbing weaponized information?

Alli and Lindsey talk with Paul Singer, a partner at the law firm Kelley Drye & Warren LLP and former Texas Associate Deputy Attorney General, who has been focused on consumer protection on the Internet since the days of MySpace. Paul explains why regulating online speech is incredibly complex, especially at the speed of tech. But he remains optimistic that the history of telecommunications — specifically radio — might guide us toward a legal balance.

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254 They Don't Ask Too Many Questions at CVS May 15, 2023

Show notes

By the time you hear this, Allie will be in Singapore! Before she goes, she and Lindsey discuss dating each other's exes, disappearing friends, and the benefits of boosting at CVS.

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253 Why Would Anyone In Their Right Mind Post on r/RoastMe? May 08, 2023

Show notes

Hateful comments on the Internet are nothing new. But there's one special place where it's not only tolerated, but highly encouraged.

r/RoastMe is a 3 million-strong subreddit where people ask to be verbally obliterated by Internet strangers. Commenters can be as hateful, racist, and misogynistic as they please, as long as they follow the golden rule: It has to be funny. So who would open themselves up to something like this, and why?

Alli and Lindsey speak with Michael McElroy, arguably the most-roasted person in the subreddit's history, and Adyasha Mishra, a graduate student who is studying the social dynamics of this hilarious community.

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252 Schools Are Suing Social Media Over Kids' Mental Health. Can They Win? (w/ Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN) May 01, 2023

Show notes

Social media emerged as a way to democratize information and amplify marginalized voices. It empowered a new creative class, and fueled social justice movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. But as social apps are designed to squeeze profit from our attention, the dark side is now well studied. We've all felt the doom scroll addiction, anxiety, and depression that comes along with our constant need to see what others are doing — not to mention the privacy concerns. Now, consider the kids.

Citing massive spikes in teen suicides, bullying, and depression, some school districts are striking back at tech companies like Meta, Snap and TikTok for these abusive practices with class action lawsuits. So, do they have legs? And could any of these cases lead to stronger social media regulation?

CNN senior tech writer Samantha Murphy Kelly has been covering these lawsuits, and brings Alli and Lindsey up to speed on what they might mean for the future of how kids use the Internet.

Follow Sam's work here: https://twitter.com/HeySamantha

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