The 404 Media Podcast

Latest Episodes:

AI Companies Are Opting You In By Default Oct 02, 2024

Show notes

Over the past two weeks we've had a ton of stories where AI and other companies have opted users into data collection and processing by default. What the hell is going on??? They're all doing it at once! Jason starts us off with how Udemy created an 'opt-out window'. If you missed it, you're out of luck until next year. Then after the break, Sam and Joseph discuss similar stories with PayPal and LinkedIn. In the subscribers-only section, Sam talks about how a woman was essentially trapped in a driverless Waymo.

*This show is sponsored by BetterHelp*

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Telegram is Working With the Cops Sep 25, 2024

Show notes

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

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Hezbollah's Exploding Pagers Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

We chime in on the developing story coming out of Lebanon about a wave of exploding pagers. Jason has some unusual expertise that is pretty relevant here. After the break, Jason breaks down why Larry Ellison's AI-powered surveillance dystopia is already here. In the subscribers-only section, Emanuel explains how he figured out what is, and is not, happening with Snapchat's future AI selfie ads.

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Fraudsters: 'We Know Where You Live' Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

We've got a really varied one today. First, Sam talks about the new wave of sextortion emails which send a target their home address to scare them into paying. After the break, Jason talks about the rise of the right to repair movement, but for your body and prescription drugs. In the subscribers-only section, Jason breaks down a years old Reddit mystery that is finally solved, thanks to some facial recognition tech.

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Is Criticizing AI Ableist? Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

The organization that runs National Novel Writing Month, a November challenge to write 50,000 words, said "the categorical condemnation of Artificial Intelligence has classist and ableist undertones." Does it?

Also Discussed:

NaNoWriMo Says Condemning AI Is ‘Classist and Ableist’

This Is Doom Running on a Diffusion Model

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The Arrest of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Aug 28, 2024

Show notes

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.

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A Whirlwind Tour of DEF CON Aug 25, 2024

Show notes

This month Joseph went to the annual DEF CON hacking conference and spoke to a bunch of interesting hackers, researchers, and technologists. We wanted to provide our paying subscribers with a snapshot of what it's like to be at DEF CON—the sounds, the vibe, the people, the hacks. Become a paying subscriber now at 404media.co to listen!

The Golden Age of Hackers in Vegas Is Over

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How Taylor Swift Could Sue Trump for AI Images Aug 21, 2024

Show notes

This week Sam starts with how Taylor Swift could sue Donald Trump for posting a series of fake, AI-generated images that claimed she wanted fans to vote for the presidential candidate. After the break, Joseph pieces together how the U.S. has been quietly using hacked messages from an encrypted phone company to prosecute alleged cocaine traffickers. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about how Sam triggered a lawsuit against Nvidia for scraping YouTube, and go longer on why we generate impact and how.

Swift Could Sue Trump Under State Law for Fake AI Endorsement
US Feds Are Tapping a Half Billion Encrypted Messaging Goldmine
Nvidia Sued for Scraping YouTube After 404 Media Investigation

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The OSINT Hunt for a Sex Trafficking Ringleader Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

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."

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The Massive Nvidia Leak Aug 07, 2024

Show notes

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.

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