Who built the internet? And who will save it?

The AI vibes continue to find all-time lows. David and Nilay open the show by talking through the absurd Allbirds pivot to AI, the attacks on Sam Altman, and the increasing divide between what AI companies say is inevitable and what people actually want. Then, the Hype Desk crew ...  Show more

During the height of the cryptocurrency craze a few years ago, the actor Ben McKenzie found himself wondering why no one else was seeing what he was seeing. He joins the show to explain his yearslong attempt to understand Bitcoin and the crypto world, all of which is in his new d ...  Show more

As Meta launches its Twitter competitor, The Verge’s David Pierce says that we are watching the end of the social internet in real time. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Michael Raphael with help f ...  Show more

Taylor Lorenz is a writer, tech journalist and columnist for the Washington Post. Her new book is is Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence and Power on the Internet. The book tells the often messy and constantly evolving story of social media and the creator econo ...  Show more

In 1996, 19-year-old Jennifer Ringley started the Jennicam, a 24-hour online chronicle of her life. Seven years later, she disappeared entirely from the internet. But why? Also, PJ and Alex discuss how even in the past five months, the landscape of "lifecasting" has changed. And ...  Show more

An investigation by The Sunday Times has uncovered a dangerous network of pickup artists who profess to know how to coach other men to improve their sexual prowess. How does this website operate and what does it offer its users?

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