INFLUENCE

Latest Episodes:

Autcraft: The Minecraft Server for Kids With Autism [ENCORE] Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

We've got two fresh interviews cooking for the weeks ahead, but for now, please enjoy this inspiring encore from about a year back!

-- Original Show Notes from May 16, 2022 --

Autistic children love Minecraft as much as anyone, but they're often bullied by other kids on multiplayer servers. When software developer and dad Stuart Duncan learned of this, he set out to create a private, safe Minecraft server exclusively for autistic kids and their families. The moment he shared it, he got 300 emails from parents who desperately wanted in,

Today, Autcraft has a community of 15,000 kids with autism and their parents, and Stuart quit his job to run the server fulltime and meet the needs of his players. He shares how the server changed the lives of kids and parents, Autcraft's accessibility features that Minecraft has implemented into its game for all players, and why social scientists study the server for autism research.

Learn more about Autcraft and support Stuart's efforts on Patreon: https://www.autcraft.com/

https://www.patreon.com/autcraft/posts

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251 Her Epic Swag Collection Grows With Every Failed Tech Company (ft. Christina Warren) Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

The Internet startup landscape is fraught with questionable business models, fickle users, and boatloads of misplaced venture capital. For every TikTok and Door Dash, there are thousands of spectacular failures. And most of them had the hubris to make (and sometimes sell) branded swag -- t-shirts, mugs, bags, and more.

That's where collector Christina Warren comes in. For years she's been hunting for authentic swag from tech and media companies that have gone bust: Quibbi, CNN+, Gowalla, Theranos, Enron and more.

Her collection has garnered international media attention and speaks to the hubris of companies who believe they're the next big thing ... until they're gone.

Alli and Lindsey chat with Christina about her days covering startups as a journalist, the extremely online landscape, the swag she's most proud of, and the "white whale" that continues to elude her collection.

Follow Christina: https://twitter.com/film_girl https://www.instagram.com/film_girl/

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250 Let's Go Inside a Catfishing Factory Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

It's a tale as old as time: Boy meets girl, boy sends dick pic to girl, girl turns out to be a journalist writing a story about catfishing.

But these days, it's not just dating apps and Craigslist where lonely men are tricked online. A "Catfishing Industrial Complex" has emerged, with all the bells and whistle of modern customer service call centers, where multiple low-wage sex workers (of any gender) pretend to be attractive women sending intimate messages that men are eager to pay for.

Niamh McIntyre and Jasper Jackson went under cover at one of these operations to find out how they work and expose their abusive practices in a piece for The Bureau of Investigative Journalism entitled: "Please Acknowledge the Dick: Inside a Catfishing Factory." They chat with Alli and Lindsey about the horrors they discovered, and why this kind of sex work could be a positive force if it was more transparent and fair.

Read their story: https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2023-02-14/please-acknowledge-the-dick-inside-a-catfishing-factory

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249 Roast Alli as Hard as You Can Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

Alli has an interesting way to start her stand-up set, and needs YOU to make fun of her as brutally as possible. Send a text, call the voicemail line, email, or drop your most devastating roasts into the Discord and we'll share them on a future episode!

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248 "Data Is Power" | Inside the Wild World of Excel Esports Mar 27, 2023

Show notes

Many of us use Microsoft Excel to track expenses and run basic reports at work. But there are some who walk among us with super-human spreadsheet skills. The best of the best compete for cash prizes in Excel esports, an elite world that congregates online — and sometimes on ESPN.

Alli and Lindsey meet Oz du Soleil, a competitive Excel commentator, YouTube creator, and educator who specializes in "cleaning messed up data." He shares how he got into the wild world of Excel esports, how the community found each other online, and the fundamentalist factions at war in the Excel ecosystem.

Subscribe to Oz on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgOVykPoRbSZQfY9YysiRQ

Shout out to the excellent People Make Games: https://youtu.be/N2QC6VQXo8U

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247 Thousands of People Are Still Using (and Modifying) Their iPods Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

Despite having all media at our fingertips, there are still thousands of people who prefer to put mp3 files on their Apple iPods when they listen on the go. In fact, there's a large online community of people who love the simplicity of the retro music player. For some it's pure nostalgia. For others, there's a deeper hobby.

Alli and Lindsey talk with Michi, a prominent modder in the iPod community, and Austin Lucas, the owner of Elite Obsolete Electronics, a shop that sells replacement parts and upgrades for these ancient devices. They discuss how people are resurrecting and Frankensteining their iPods, why the device has so much staying power 20+ years on, and the tale of one iPod that has traveled around the world.

Follow Michi: https://twitter.com/NekoMichiNyan

Check out Elite Obsolete Electronics: https://eoe.works/

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246 Adult Fans of 'Bluey' (Don't Worry, It's Wholesome) Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

The Australian children's cartoon "Bluey" has become a global phenomenon in recent years. But it's not just kids racking up all the views. Parents, non-parents, would-be parents, and all kinds of grown-ups are obsessed with this wholesome show about a family of dogs.

This week, Alli and Lindsey talk with Jeffery Dibble, the moderator of a Facebook group called "Adult Bluey Fans," which has ballooned from a humble 5,000 members to more than 230,000. There, they share Bluey memes, tattoos, fan art, wild (and conspiratorial) fan theories, and of course get into heaps of drama. Jeffrey, who is also a dad, shares why he and the community find this particular show (and its fandom) so special.

Adult 'Bluey' Fans: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3863578243733419/

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245 How Many Handshakes Does It Take You to Get to Hitler? Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

Lindsey and Matt have returned from their tropical adventures, and Alli has some big news about an upcoming project! Also, are aliens real? But seriously, ARE THEY?

Plus, our new favorite game about shaking hands with Hitler.

The origin of the Hitler Handshake game, by @aledornell: https://twitter.com/aledornell/status/1629969858598248448

h/t: Evan Engel

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244 Shout-Out to Gavin From REI Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

Lindsey is off to Columbia for 3 weeks on an extremely dangerous vacation! So we look up whether "Podcast Host Insurance" is a thing, just in case she never comes back. Also, Alli's show "Love Isn't Blind" continues its smash success at new venues, and her secret crush is attending the latest performance!!!11!. Plus, Linsey recounts the pros and cons of going to REI in preparation for her adventures.

We also talk about the Grammy Awards, a highly relevant topic from 400 weeks ago!

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243 Emoji Are Deciding Court Cases but the Legal System Is Still ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

Emoji have been popping up as pivotal evidence in legal proceedings ranging from real estate to drugs and sexual predation. The informal field of "emoji forensics" has lead to new caselaw about the meaning of some "non-textual" communication. But these waters are muddy due to legal interpretation, rapidly evolving Internet slang, and the many cultural meanings attributed to emoji symbols — not to mention that emoji may look completely different, depending on what software is displaying them, making it difficult to prove intent in court.

Alli and Lindsey talk with Eric Goldman, a professor of law at Santa Clara University and co-director of the High Tech Law Institute, where he specializes in Internet law and intellectual property, especially as it relates to Silicon Valley. Eric has a special fascination with emoji, and shares the most popular symbols appearing in court, and how the law is adapting to disputes happening inside our text messages.

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