There Are No Girls on the Internet

Bridget is having an “off day” in this one, but Joey helps her through it. Virginia election candidate responds after leak of tapes showing her performing sex acts with husband – "It won't silence me": https://www.cbsnews.com/news/susanna-gibson-candidate-responds-leak-tapes-sex-acts-husband-live-videos/ Actually, That AI Drake and The Weeknd Song Is Not Eligible for a Grammy: https://gizmodo.com/ai-drake-and-the-weeknd-song-not-eligible-for-a-grammy-1850818801 Open letter from parents of trans and gender expansive kids: KOSA would make our kids less safe: https://www.transparentsletter.com/ Ads for AI sex workers are flooding Instagram and TikTok: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/ai-girlfriend-ads-instagram-tiktok-chat-pics-chatgpt-dose-rcna97547 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashton Kutcher recently wrote a letter to a judge, asking for leniency for his friend and TV co-star Danny Masterson (Kelso and Hyde from That 70’s Show). It was surprising, because for the past decade Ashton Kutcher has been trying to rebrand himself as an anti-trafficking hero. Not just any anti-trafficking hero, but a tech guru type who could use the power of technology and venture capital to save the children. We take a look into his organization, Thorn. Like so many other “save the children” orgs before it, Thorn seems to be using rhetoric and misleading statistics about trafficked children to push laws that further criminalize and marginalize consenting adult sex workers. Sex, lies, and surveillance: Something's wrong with the war on sex trafficking: https://www.engadget.com/2019-05-31-sex-lies-and-surveillance-fosta-privacy.html Real Men Get Their Facts Straight: https://www.villagevoice.com/real-men-get-their-facts-straight/ Ashton Kutcher Claims He Helped Cops Save Way More Sex-Trafficking Victims Than Authorities Say They've Found: https://reason.com/2017/02/15/ashton-kutcher-plays-sex-worker-savior/ The bogus claim that 300,000 U.S. children are ‘at risk’ of sexual exploitation: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/05/28/the-bogus-claim-that-300000-u-s-children-are-at-risk-of-sexual-exploitation/ SEX TRAFFICKING Online Platforms and Federal Prosecutions : chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-385.pdfSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you still on Twitter? Over on the Patreon we’re having a conversation about the decision to stay on the platform or leave: https://www.Patreon.com/tangoti US law firm alters diversity fellowship criteria after lawsuit: https://news.yahoo.com/us-law-firm-alters-diversity-231155108.html Good company! Indeed Will Give Trans Employees $10,000 to Relocate for Gender-Affirming Care: https://www.them.us/story/indeed-trans-employees-relocation If You’ve Got a New Car, It’s a Data Privacy Nightmare: https://gizmodo.com/mozilla-new-cars-data-privacy-report-1850805416 Elon is being antisemitic on main, while Linda is tweeting about how much she likes sports! https://www.mediamatters.org/twitter/elon-musk-again-undermines-x-ceo-linda-yaccarino-reinforcing-why-advertisers-cant-trust-her Airbnb is over in NYC: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/06/new-york-city-airbnb-short-stay-booking-rental-rules-laws-impact Grindr’s Return-to-Office Ultimatum Has Gutted a Uniquely Queer Space in Tech: https://www.wired.com/story/grindrs-return-to-office-ultimatum-gutted-a-uniquely-queer-space-in-tech/ The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes: The most overrated metric in movies is erratic, reductive, and easily hacked — and yet has Hollywood in its grip: https://www.vulture.com/article/rotten-tomatoes-movie-rating.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fearless Fund is a Black woman led venture capital firm that offers investment, financial support, and mentorship to Black women owned businesses. But they are under attack for providing support for traditionally marginalized entrepreneurs. Edward Blum, the professional hater at the heart of the supreme court’s legal challenge of affirmative action, is suing them for what he says is racial discrimination.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opt out of meta using your facebook to train ai (this isn't a fake fb chain letter, it's real!): https://www.zdnet.com/article/meta-uses-your-facebook-data-to-train-its-ai-heres-how-to-opt-out-sort-of/ College professor harassed students to quench 'clown fetish,' offering extra credit, cash: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/08/31/clown-fetish-professor-kent-northern-illinois-nicholls-state/70603544007/ Giuliani loses defamation lawsuit from two Georgia election workers: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/30/politics/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers/index.html ACLU sues Mastercard on behalf of sex workers: https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/how-mastercard-is-endangering-sex-workers Australia will not force adult websites to bring in age verification due to privacy and security concerns: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/31/roadmap-for-age-verification-online-pornographic-material-adult-websites-australia-law Arkansas social media age verification law blocked at the last minute: https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2023/08/31/social-media-age-verification-law-blocked-arkansasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a historic year of wildfires in Canada. But as thousands in the country are trying to safely evacuate, Canadians can’t use Facebook or Instagram to get even basic information about what’s happening because Facebook has banned all news content in the country. Bridget talks with the always insightful Paris Marx about what it means and why it matters for Canadians, Americans, and democracy around the world. Paris’ podcast Tech Won’t Save Us is one of our favorites. Listen here: https://techwontsave.us/ Paris’ Disconnect Newsletter: https://www.disconnect.blog/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome our producer Joey Patt, who is joining Bridget for their first news roundup! Fresh & Fit, misogynistic manosphere podcast and enemies of the pod, demonetized on YouTube: https://www.insider.com/fresh-and-fit-host-cries-when-announcing-podcast-demonetization-2023-8 Bridget’s piece on Fresh & Fit from the Nation: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/toxic-podcasting/ DON’T MISS: Bridget’s long, petty take on Fresh & Fit on the patreon! https://www.patreon.com/tangoti Tik Tok’s draft plan with the Biden Administration revealed, would give U.S. government broad censorship powers that should make all Americans uncomfortable: https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2023/08/21/draft-tiktok-cfius-agreement/?sh=3ee00abe112a Have you ever taken an Uber or gotten Instacart and then had a worker contact you to hit on you after the fact, and they could because they have your information? Yuck, right? Well you are not alone, sadly: https://www.businessinsider.com/delivery-drivers-asking-customers-sex-dates-2023-8?r=US&IR=T&utm_source=reddit.com Can AI creative work be copyrighted? NO. Silly rabbit, copyrights are for humans! https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-generated-art-cant-by-copyrighted-federal-judge-rules-2023-8 Elon wants to remove headlines on news articles on Twitter: https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/22/x-is-planning-to-hide-headlines-from-news-links-for-improved-aesthetics/ And maybe he’s making his terrible jokes on Twitter to nobody because his followers are fake... https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-inactive-followers-whole-x-platform And he’s asking for your government ID (please don’t give it to him) New data about autonomous vehicles is scary: https://gizmodo.com/driverless-cars-worse-kids-dark-skinned-people-study-1850770302 Autostraddle and independent queer media: https://defector.com/autostraddle-to-be-acquired-by-queer-wellness-company-for-hemSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hollywood screenwriters and actors have joined workers across the economy to demand better pay, better conditions, and better protections against encroaching technology. Because it’s not just about Hollywood - it’s about an entire country of working people who feel fed up with a dynamic where they get squeezed harder and harder to make someone else richer and richer. Writer, actor, and producer Francesca Ramsey (Broad City! The Larry Wilmore Show! Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell!) says it’s about time. Technology has been a double edged sword for her. Her career in entertainment was launched on the Internet. But now she sees the ways that AI and streaming are being used by studio executives to push down wages and lock creatives out of profits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to TANGOTI producer Joey Patt talk with the hosts of Stuff Mom Never Told You to break down why the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is actually a threat to kids and the to the Internet: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-is-kosa-and-why-is-it-so-scary/id304531053?i=1000624187418 New Illinois law entitles kid influencers to earnings: https://fortune.com/2023/08/13/social-media-influencer-law-illinois-kids-sue-parents/ Iowa educators use ChatGPT to identify naughty books: https://www.popsci.com/technology/iowa-chatgpt-book-ban/ Jury awards Jane Doe 1 Billion dollars in damaged in vast online abuse campaign: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ex-boyfriend-explicit-photos-lawsuit_n_64da58f4e4b030f54dc70598 In a spectacularly ill conceived bill, Wisconsin state Senator wants to assume all Internet users are children and enforce lights out at 10pm: https://www.techdirt.com/2023/08/14/wisconsin-pushing-bill-that-requires-websites-to-treat-all-users-as-if-theyre-children/ Elon Musk throttles traffic to sites that criticize him because he loves free speech: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/08/15/twitter-x-links-delayed/ YouTube announces a policy to remove cancer misinformation; sounds great but will they enforce it?: https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/15/23832603/youtube-cancer-treatment-misinformation-policy-medical Don't forget: emergency contraception is legal in all 50 states (plus DC!): https://www.americansocietyforec.org/ Jordan Peterson is cherry picking his blurbs: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-66520089 Where do you think he got that idea? LUANN: https://pagesix.com/2019/10/23/reviewer-talks-luann-de-lesseps-license-with-review-of-her-cabaret-show/ Don't miss out: Claim your share of the class action lawsuit against Facebook for improperly sharing your data (link is a redirect to the official site): www.TANGOTI.com/zuckbucks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer Jane Friedman has a stellar reputation in publishing. But a huckster, armed with AI impersonations of her writing, was trying to scam folks by using her name on Amazon GoodReads. She raised hell, and last week Amazon finally took them down. But what about new authors who don’t have her huge platform? Who is looking out for them? Jane joins to talk about the threat AI presents to authors, publishing, and the rest of us. I Would Rather See My Books Get Pirated Than This (Or: Why Goodreads and Amazon Are Becoming Dumpster Fires): https://janefriedman.com/i-would-rather-see-my-books-pirated/ Author discovers AI-generated counterfeit books written in her name on Amazon: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/08/author-discovers-ai-generated-counterfeit-books-written-in-her-name-on-amazon/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The role of misogynoir and disinformation in the Tory Lanez trial: www.Patreon.com/tangoti Here’s the story on Jane Friedman, the author AI impersonated- Amazon author AI counterfeit books: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/08/author-discovers-ai-generated-counterfeit-books-written-in-her-name-on-amazon/ New Zoom AI policies were loudly hated across the internet: https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoom-is-entangled-in-an-ai-privacy-mess/?ftag and https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxjgvy/zoom-changes-tos-to-say-it-wont-train-ai-on-your-calls-without-your-consent-after-backlash Eight Months Pregnant and Arrested After False Facial Recognition Match: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/06/business/facial-recognition-false-arrest.html Here’s Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino’s full CNBC interview but you don’t really need to watch the whole thing to get the gist: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/08/10/watch-cnbcs-full-interview-with-x-corp-ceo-linda-yaccarino-on-twitter-rebrand-and-more.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and that’s a great opportunity for Bridget to dig into one of her favorite subjects to nerd out about: trends in audio. In this episode, she breaks down the history of auto-tune. Today it’s incredibly common, but when musicians first started using it there was a huge backlash. Prominent musicians said it was ruining music, and Time Magazine put it on their list of “50 Worst Inventions.” Yet artists like T-Pain and Cher used it to create new sounds that listeners loved, and today it is widely accepted as a valuable tool for legitimate artists to use for making music. The disruptive history of auto-tune, originally derided as a toy before innovators embraced it to create something new, offers lessons for how we should understand AI in 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Henrietta Lacks’ family settles lawsuit with a biotech company that used her cells without consent: https://apnews.com/article/henrietta-lacks-hela-cells-thermo-fisher-scientific-bfba4a6c10396efa34c9b79a544f0729 Uber CEO balks after a reporter tells him the cost of his 2.9-mile Uber ride: 'Oh my God. Wow.' https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uber-ceo-balks-reporter-tells-171042745.html Man Behind U.S. Supreme Court's Affirmative Action Decision Sues VC Fund Supporting Black-Women-Owned Businesses https://afrotech.com/black-venture-capital-firm-fearless-fund-has-been-sued Classic TANGOTI on that time Facebook banned news in Australia: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-there-are-no-girls-on-the-65877505/episode/disinformed-facebooks-bans-news-in-australia-77921963/ Pornhub goes dark in Arkansas after age verification law kicks in: https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/3/23818865/pornhub-mindgeek-arkansas-age-verification-block-ban-porn Viral Italian voice behind ‘Attenzione pickpocket’ revealed as racist counsellor for far-right: https://www.euronews.com/culture/2023/08/02/viral-italian-voice-behind-attenzione-pickpocket-revealed-as-counsellor-for-far-right-legaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were off last week while Bridget recovered from surgery. But don’t feel bad for her, she’s been screwing up emails for 6 months and she is sorry for that. Send more emails to Bridget at [email protected] Texas A&M president resigns over "controversial" hire of a Black woman to lead the journalism school. Similar to the White House cybersecurity director, it sounds like the incoming professor was well qualified but faced a different level of scrutiny because of her identity: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/21/texas-am-president-resigns-00107695 Must read Intercept piece - YEARS AFTER #METOO, DEFAMATION CASES INCREASINGLY TARGET VICTIMS WHO CAN’T AFFORD TO SPEAK OUT: https://theintercept.com/2023/07/22/metoo-defamation-lawsuits-slapp/ Senate panel advances rival bills to childproof the internet: https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/27/23809876/kosa-coppa-2-child-safety-privacy-protection-social-media Google-Owned YouTube Makes Millions From Channels Pushing Climate Disinformation: https://www.commondreams.org/news/youtube-climate-disinformation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lena Dunham is in the news, which means a particularly sticky misleading claim about her is, too. We have no strong position on Lena Dunham, but we are solidly against misleading claims. In this best-of episode from last year, Bridget sits down with producer Mike to explain the origins of the idea that Lena Dunham abused her little sibling, why it persists, and why it matters for the rest of us. Got a burning question for Bridget and the TANGOTI team? We’ll answer it in a live AMA! Submit your questions for free at Patreon.com/tangoti Emily in Paris to Become Polly in Pocket: https://www.vulture.com/2023/07/lily-collins-lena-dunham-polly-pocket-movie-details.html The Lena Dunham child abuse controversy, explained: https://www.vox.com/2014/11/8/7157065/dunham-child-abuse Ben Shapiro sings WAP (you should definitely watch this): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZYzauhOJcQ It didn't make it into the episode, but Ben Shapiro HATED the Barbie movie...a lot: https://www.them.us/story/barbie-movie-ben-shapiro Want to support the show (thank you so much!)? Tell a friend! Or subscribe, join our patreon, leave a review, or buy some merch at There Are No Girls on the Internet’s store: TANGOTI.COM/STORE Say hello at [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rolling Stone’s Miles Klee has become a target of an extremist harassment campaign after publishing a review of the new movie Sound of Freedom. ‘Sound Of Freedom’ Is a Superhero Movie for Dads With Brainworms https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/sound-of-freedom-jim-caviezel-child-trafficking-qanon-movie-1234783837/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WANT TO LISTEN TO AD-FREE BONUS CONTENT AND SUPPORT THE SHOW? CHECK US OUT ON PATREON AT PATREON.COM/TANGOTI Laid-off Twitter Africa team ‘ghosted’ without severance or benefits: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/17/tech/ghana-twitter-layoffs-severance-intl-hnk/index.html Meta rejected scores of women’s health ads. Democrats want answers: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/17/meta-rejected-dozens-womens-health-ads-democrats-want-answers/ Threads Usage Drops By Half From Initial Surge: https://www.similarweb.com/blog/insights/social-media-news/threads-week/ Harriet Tubman research material: https://archives.nypl.org/scm/20868 Would you visit this phone free island? https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/finland-phone-mobile-free-island-b2361499.html EA Sports FC 24 Fully Revealed: Release Date, Ultimate Team, and More: https://www.ign.com/articles/ea-sports-fc-24-fully-revealed-release-date-ultimate-team-and-more Personal debts said to scuttle nomination of Biden’s acting cyber director, an unusual level of scrutiny: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/07/15/kemba-walden-nomination-cyber-director/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The disgraced CEO of Theranos, the scam blood testing company, built her career with savvy press moves. Now she’s headed to prison, but not before doing a flashy New York Times Magazine profile on the way in. Bridget talks with legendary media OG Lea Goldman, deputy editorial director of G/O Media and founder of the social first media newsletter Hazmat Hotel about what it means, what it tells us about women’s media, celebrity profiles, and why it matters. FOLLOW HAZMAT HOTEL! I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING FROM LEAH’S MEDIA MUSINGS: https://www.instagram.com/leajgoldman/ Liz Holmes Wants You to Forget About Elizabeth: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/07/business/elizabeth-holmes-theranos-interview.html The New York Times’ Elizabeth Holmes Profile Is Causing Drama in the Newsroom: “What the Hell Happened Here?”: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/05/elizabeth-holmes-new-york-times She’s left the Firm behind. Harry’s found a polo team in Santa Barbara. The kids are doing great. Now she’s ready for her next act: https://www.thecut.com/article/meghan-markle-profile-interview.html .Donahue Show Gay Marriage 1991 https://youtu.be/cfXwwzg_Ntc Want to support the show? Get ad free content on our Patreon: Patreon.com/Tangoti See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Birthday There Are No Girls on the Internet! The podcast turned 3 years old this week! We are officially a toddler! Thanks to everyone who made this possible by listening! Twitter promises payouts for ad share...but will they pay up? https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/13/twitter-creators-payments-right-wing/ The FTC is reminding Open AI that laws are a thing! https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/07/13/ftc-openai-chatgpt-sam-altman-lina-khan/ Did Google steal everything you ever searched online? Yes they did: https://gizmodo.com/google-bard-ai-stole-data-class-action-suit-says-1850631307 Sarah Silverman is suing Open AI for stealing her book: https://apnews.com/article/sarah-silverman-suing-chatgpt-openai-ai-8927025139a8151e26053249d1aeec20 Voice over actors are pissed their voices are being cloned in AI porn: https://www.gamesradar.com/voice-actors-call-out-ai-as-imitations-spread-in-erotic-skyrim-mods-i-do-not-give-consent/ Buffalo shooting victims sue social media companies and demand change: https://gizmodo.com/google-reddit-facebook-instagram-sued-buffalo-massacre-1850635671 Don’t live stream yourself performing surgery! https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/12/us/dr-roxy-tiktok-operations-livestream.html Your next smartphone will have a removable battery! https://mashable.com/article/replaceable-batteries-smartphones-iphones-2027 Bridget has a bone to pick with Jeff Lewis, formerly of Bravo. Listen on Patreon: Patreon.com/tangotiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget has a deeply fascinating and important conversation with the brilliant Vitus Spehar from Under The Desk News about “the news.” TikTok and social media have changed who gets to tell the news, for good and for bad. On the positive side, engaging creators are making important issues resonate with their communities more deeply than Walter Cronkite ever could have dreamed. On the negative side, social media algorithms reward outrage and encourage disinformation that entrenches polarization. It’s complicated! Fortunately we have people like V who can succinctly tell us, and legislators, what we need to know. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonah Hill’s ex released some pretty controlling texts from the actor policing her Instagram posts. Keke Palmer’s boyfriend publicly shamed her concert outfit on Twitter. It’s clear we need to talk about the role social media plays in controlling relationships. We get into it all on Patreon and here’s a preview. For the full ad free episode, check our our Patreon: Patreon.com/tangotiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So much happened with Twitter. It broke, or maybe they broke it. Then they broke it more, possibly trying to fix it. It's still broken and the vibes are off. Meta launched its new Threads app into the social hole abdicated by Twitter, and 30 million people said "ok" even though Meta is a demonstrably terrible brand that chooses profit over people over and over and over again. We'll probably check it out. The ever increasing availability of digital surveillance tools is threatening privacy in France (the police want to turn on your phone's camera), Virginia (adults need to register with a government website to view porn), and Sacramento (the Sheriff illegally shares license plate data with police in states that have criminalized abortion). Meanwhile in England, a newspaper was forced to publish a front-page apology for a sexist (but not racist!!!) article about Meghan Markle (it was racist). Threads' privacy policy: https://help.instagram.com/515230437301944 French law: https://gazettengr.com/france-passes-bill-to-allow-police-remotely-activate-phone-camea-microphone-spy-on-people/ Sacramento Sheriff: https://news.yahoo.com/sacramento-sheriff-sharing-license-plate-133000119.html Virginia is for lovers (not filthy perverts): https://www.wired.com/story/porn-age-checks-id-laws/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fast fashion retailer Shein’s brand trip didn’t quite go as they planned. They sent a group of influencers to China to tour their facility after a bunch of bad press, but now those influencers are facing backlash themselves, and renouncing their partnership with Shein. The whole thing raises questions about the ethics and harm of fast fashion, as well as the influencers who shill for it. Aja Barber wrote the book on consumption. She explains why it’s about more than just Shein. Aja is the most stylish person I know! Follow her on Patreon for sustainable style insights: https://www.patreon.com/AjaBarber Check out Aja’s book Consumed: https://www.ajabarber.com/book Wanna support the There Are No Girls On The Internet? Check us out on Patreon at Patreon.com/tangoti See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SCOTUS’ affirmative action ruling leaves us mad as hell; Dylan Mulvaney, the trans influencer targeted for extremist hate in the wake of a Bud Light brand partnership, returns to social media; Canva’s AI text to image tool labels Bantu knots “unsafe;” A new lawsuits says Open AI’s ChatGPT is taking all of our data; Google and Facebook threaten to go dark on Canadian news. Facebook’s bans news in Australia is silencing activists: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/disinformed-facebooks-bans-news-in-australia-is-silencing/id1520715907?i=1000510047480 Google says it will start blocking Canadian news stories in response to new: https://www.npr.org/2023/06/29/1185087587/google-says-it-will-start-blocking-canadian-news-stories-in-response-to-new-law We had a little bit more to say in this episode, so to hear the rest of the newscast, subscribe to our Patreon: Patreon.com/tangotiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s no denying that dating apps, social media, and smartphones have changed the way platonic, romantic, and sexual relationships play out in all of our lives. But it’s more than just that! Making meaningful friend relationships can be tough because of *everything* we’re all dealing with. Comedian and author Lane Moore explores how we all make friendships now and her new book You Will Find Your People. CHECK OUT LANE’S NEW BOOK: https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/you-will-find-your-people_9781419762567/ Wanna support the show and get AD FREE bonus content? Patreon.com/tangoti See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a heavy musk of Elon in this episode. He tries to redefine the word ‘cis’ to be a slur and says it will be considered harassment on his janky platform that encourages deadnaming; he inspires the CEO of Reddit to follow his lead and alienate his own users by charging for API access; and he challenges Mark Zuckerburg to an ill-advised cage match that seems like it might actually happen. RFK Jr. went on Joe Rogan’s podcast to rehash some tired old medical misinformation from 2020, then Rogan’s listeners got big mad when an actual scientist wasn’t interested in debating their nonsense. But it’s not all gloom and doom! In happier news, the two Georgia poll workers whose lives were upended by Trump and Giuliani’s baseless lies about them were finally officially exonerated. Illinois gets behind the librarians to ban book bans, and the Recording Academy takes a stand by insisting that only humans can win Grammys - not AI. Did you follow the Oceangate tragedy? Listen to an ad free bonus episode breaking down online discourse, conspiracy theories and right wing grievance mongering around Oceangate: https://www.patreon.com/posts/oceangate-85029090 Listen to Bridget’s episode about Ruby and Shay Freeman on Internet Hate Machine: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/part-one-why-trump-targeted-two-black-election-workers/id1648497305?i=1000590820764 Erin Reed’s piece on the history of the word cis https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/cisgender-is-no-more-a-slur-than Anna Merlan’s Vice piece on RFK on Rogan: https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7zz9z/spotify-rogan-rfk-vaccine-misinformation-policySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Amazon Prime's new docu series Shiny Happy People, we're given a look into the Duggars' harmful religious ideology. Eve Ettinger shares their story in the film. Eve joins to talk about their work with the Coalition for Responsible Home Education to help advocate for homeschooled kids. Listen to Eve's podcast Kitchen Table Cult: https://kitchentablecult.com/ and subscribe to their Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kitchentablecultpod SUPPORT Coalition for Responsible Home Education: https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/support-crhe/ Eve's Salon piece: Shiny happy homeschooling: The abusive Duggar-like household is preventable, if we all take action: https://www.salon.com/2023/06/10/duggar-homeschooling-danger-reform-shiny-happy-people/ Want to support the show and get ad free content: Subscribe to the patreon: patreon.com/tangotiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A besmirched radio host sues OpenAI over ChatGPT hallucinations of impropriety. Google rakes in ad cash from anti-choice "pregnancy crisis centers" designed to trick pregnant people. GLAAD releases its third annual Social Media Safety Index on platform safety for LGBTQ individuals (spoiler: Twitter is going backwards). More Teslas are crashing than previously realized. Majorities of GenXers and Millenials would like to travel back in time before social media existed. Read the GLAAD report, it's accessible and interesting: https://assets.glaad.org/m/7adb1180448da194/original/Social-Media-Safety-Index-2023.pdf More than half of Nintendo Switch owners are female: https://mynintendonews.com/2023/06/10/us-47-of-console-gamers-are-female-and-52-own-nintendo-switch/ Read about the lawsuit against OpenAI. Make sure to follow the link in the article to read the complaint itself, it's worth it: https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/9/23755057/openai-chatgpt-false-information-defamation-lawsuit Report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate on Google's profiteering from deceptive anti-choice "pregnancy crisis centers": https://counterhate.com/research/google-profiting-from-fake-abortion-clinics-ads/ Remember to look both ways before crossing the street, there could be a Tesla coming: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/06/10/tesla-autopilot-crashes-elon-musk/ GenXers and older millenials are over it with social media: https://www.fastcompany.com/90909279/gen-xers-and-older-millennials-really-just-want-to-go-back-in-time-to-before-the-internet-existed Get more bonus content ad-free and join the TANGOTI Discord chat at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tangoti See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few weeks ago in our news roundup we talked about a weird social post from Essence magazine on Viola Davis's incredible outfit at the Cannes Film Festival. Not only was her name spelled wrong, but the language just felt off, and Bridget speculated that it seemed like it was written by AI. Fast forward a few weeks, and Essence reached out to Bridget about it on Instagram! But their response was confusing, at first they admitted to being "busted" and it seemed all in good fun, UNTIL they accused her of spreading misinformation. So was it written by AI or not? Bridget explains the reasons she still thinks it was, what this says about the future role of AI in media, and why AAVE (African American Vernacular English) might be the Achilles heel of generative language models. See a screenshot of the original post through this public Patreon link (and while you're there, sign up for more bonus ad-free content): https://www.patreon.com/posts/84517863 Check out Bridget's critically acclaimed podcast "Beef", all about epic competitions: https://ncpodcasts.com/beefSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we learned Amazon employees spied on Ring customers, YouTube is rolling back its policy about election disinfo, and Instagram is even worse than we thought (which was already very bad). In less terrible news, Twitter has a new CEO, and some low stakes drama between two Birthday Moms in the park reminds us why the Internet is great. Good news! Biden names a point person to counter extremists trying to ban LGBTQ books: https://www.npr.org/2023/06/08/1180941627/biden-pride-month-book-bans Bad News! Instagram Algorithms Boost and Connect Vast Network of Pedophiles: https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/instagram-pedophile-network-child-pornography-researchers-1235635743/ Scary news! DeSantis campaign uses AI-generated deep fake images of Trump and Fauci: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/06/desantis-ad-uses-fake-ai-images-of-trump-hugging-and-kissing-fauci-experts-say/ The ‘Enshittification’ of TikTok: https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/ The opposite of ‘Enshittification’ is ‘Embiggification’: https://youtu.be/FcxsgZxqnEg Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino Is Teetering on the Glass Cliff: https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-linda-yaccarino-glass-cliff/ Get more bonus content ad-free and join the TANGOTI Discord chat at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tangoti See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to what’s next in technology and the internet, we’d all benefit from listening to sex workers. Dr. Olivia Snow, dominatrix and researcher at UCLA’s Center for Critical Internet Inquiry, explains why people who engage in sex work have been right about the internet all along. ‘Magic Avatar’ App Lensa Generated Nudes From My Childhood Photos: https://www.wired.com/story/lensa-artificial-intelligence-csem/ Are You Ready to Be Surveilled Like a Sex Worker? https://www.wired.com/story/roe-abortion-sex-worker-policy/ WANT TO SUPPORT THE SHOW AND GET AD FREE CONTENT? SUBSCRIBE ON PATREON AT PATREON.COM/TANGOTI See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Elon Musk interacted with a fake Twitter account impersonating AOC, which had been banned until he decided to unban it, presumably so he could flirt with it. In less cringy news, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a landmark report calling for urgent action to protect young people from the harms of social media. TikTok is awash in creepy AI-generated true crime content being narrated by fictional murdered children, the National Eating Disorder Association learns that replacing humans with AI chatbots can lead to dangerous outcomes, NYC takes a tentative step to require transparency in AI-assisted hiring decisions, and Apple announces a suite of new accessibility features. Amanda Knox talks true crime on There Are No Girls on the Internet: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amanda-knox-asks-who-gets-to-own-their-story/id1520715907?i=1000552625297 Internet Hate Machine episode of the importance and history of verification on Twitter: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-elon-musk-could-learn-from-the-endfathersday-hoax/id1648497305?i=1000585587576 NPR piece about the National Eating Disorder Association’s union-busting chatbot: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/31/1179244569/national-eating-disorders-association-phases-out-human-helpline-pivots-to-chatbo Get more bonus content ad-free and join the TANGOTI Discord chat at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tangoti See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paris Marx, host of the hit podcast Tech Won’t Save Us says criticism about technology and the people and culture who build it, is imperative to securing a better tech future. Listen to Tech Won’t Save Us: https://techwontsave.us/ SUPPORT THE SHOW BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR PATREON! PATREON.COM/TANGOTISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we learned that police officers helped the insurrectionists, and that Google never stopped collecting data on visits to abortion centers like they said they would. Target pulled Pride merch to protect its employees from violent exhibitionists, and Ron DeSantis congratulated himself on Twitter (in between server crashes). For more content like this, check out our Patreon: Patreon.com/TANGOTISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When writer, cultural critic and OG Twitter icon Mikki Kendall created the viral hashtag #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen, she changed the face of online feminism. Ten years later she looks back on where the platform, and all of us, are headed. Mikki’s MIT Tech Review Piece: I made it big on Twitter. Now I don’t think I can stay: https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/10/28/1062414/elon-musk-leaving-twitter-solidarity-is-for-white-women-virality/ Mikki’s NPR response about #SolidarityisForWhiteWomen (and NPR’s apology:) https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/05/219278156/twitter-feminism-and-race-who-gets-a-seat-at-the-table SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PATREON FOR AD FREE BONUS CONTENT: PATREON.COM/TANGOTISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re doing a new thing where we summarize tech, media, and internet news you may have missed this week. For more content like this, check out our Patreon: Patreon.com/TANGOTI Banning TikTok would hurt marginalized communities w/ Abbie Richards: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banning-tiktok-would-hurt-marginalized-communities/id1520715907?i=1000606352152See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode of our miniseries Present Future, Bridget talks with disinformation expert Nina Jankowicz. After being appointed to a position in the Biden administration to combat disinformation, she was targeted by a right wing smear campaign that upended her life and impacted her family. Now, she’s suing Fox News for defamation. Are defamation lawsuits a new blueprint for how to combat harmful lies and harassment in the future? Listening to Nina's story, it's clear we need a change. New Defamation Suit Against Fox Signals Continued Legal Threat: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/business/media/defamation-suit-fox-nina-jankowicz.html IF YOU WANNA SUPPORT THE SHOW, GET MORE CONTENT BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR BRAND NEW PATREON! Patreon.com/tangoti See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There Are No Girls on the Internet is back! And this season we’re diving into the future and making sure everyone’s voice is included with our new series Present Future. How has AI impacted women and people of color? What’s the next big social media platform if Twitter dies and how will we all show up there? What’s the future of our digital landscape? On this brand new season, we’ll hear from the women, LGBTQ folks, and people of color mapping out the future of the internet today to explore what you need to know about what’s next. New episodes from Tuesday May 16th! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

VOTE FOR US TO WIN A SHORTY AWARD: TANGOTI.COM/VOTE You can vote every day until 4/26 and it only takes a moment! Bridget joined Main Accounts: A Myspace Podcast to reminisce about the role Myspace played in our digital lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TikTok disinformation researcher Abbie Richards breaks down the recent TikTok Congressional hearings and why she says a ban on TikTok in the US would hurt marginalized communities the most. Hands off My TikTok. Banning It Would Hurt the Most Marginalized: https://www.newsweek.com/hands-off-my-tiktok-banning-it-would-hurt-most-marginalized-opinion-1789597See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a difference between posting a picture of your child on social media and making a business out of posting content about your child. New legislation aims to keep minors from being exploited online See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus Twitter Spaces conversation, Bridget is joined by #OscarsSoWhite creator April Reign and Dr. Jon Paul, screenwriter and co-host of BFF: Black, Fat, Femme podcast to discuss how marginalized creators are still celebrating our creativity even within industries that don’t always see it. How #OscarsSoWhite changed the Academy Awards: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64883399 LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO DR. JON’S PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bff-black-fat-femme/id1631198874 Opinion: Black Oscar Snubs Say More About the Industry Than It Does Black Creators: https://www.bet.com/article/sj85cv/black-oscar-snubs-say-more-about-the-industry-than-it-does-black-creatorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you need another water bottle? How about another pair of leggings? If you’ve been seeing de-influencing videos on your social media feed telling you not to buy new stuff, this is the episode for you. Bridget joins Sam and Anney at Stuff Mom Never Told You to dig into why de-influencing is all over our social media feeds and what it says about where we’re all at.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're popping in from our hiatus to celebrate Black history, Black presence, and Black futures by revisiting our conversation with archivist Jocelyn Robinson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meghan and Harry are being targeted by a media manipulation campaign.Former counterintelligence agent Asha Rangappa breaks down how they’re fighting back. What Harry and Meghan Can Teach Us About Information Warfare: https://asharangappa.substack.com/p/what-harry-and-meghan-can-teach-us?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Misogynistic, violent scam influencer Andrew Tate was detained in Romania in connection with a human trafficking ring. Let’s revisit our episode on who Tate is and why it matters that he has a platform. My piece at the Nation- It’s Not Just Joe Rogan. The Entire Digital Space Is Rotten.https://www.thenation.com/article/society/toxic-podcasting/ The Grid: Andrew Tate isn’t just another misogynist with an online following. Here’s why you need to pay attention. https://www.grid.news/story/technology/2022/08/23/andrew-tate-isnt-just-another-misogynist-with-an-online-following-heres-why-you-need-to-pay-attention/ Laura Bates on TANGOTI- full episode- https://www.tangoti.com/episode-214See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruby Freeman & Shaye Moss are heroes for their testimony before the Jan 6th commission, but they shouldn’t have to be. The Daily Zeitgeist’s Miles Gray joins Bridget to discuss what happened when the disgraced president and the right wing digital media ecosystem coalesced to attack Black women for simply doing their jobs as poll workers during the 2020 election.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last night Elon Musk banned a bunch of journalists, stormed out of a Twitter Spaces when questioned about it, then (maybe?) turned off the Spaces feature for everyone! Given how weird his tenure has been, let’s revisit how we got here with my friends at Stuff Mom Never Told You. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The moral panic around the film Cuties explains why so many right wing extremists are using the “groomer” “child predator” attack to smear their enemies todaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From pressure to create the perfect holiday scene for family, or the most over-the-top instagram post for “the internet,” the holidays can be a stressful time. As usual, gendered labor like cooking, presents, and kin-making most often falls to women and moms. Social media companies love to monetize our anxieties in order to sell stuff, and the holidays are no exception, but social media can also help us feel connected and learn tips like how to set boundaries around gift giving. Bridget talks with three women about how, and with whom, they navigate the holidays online. The Kardashian’s over the top Easter: https://www.tiktok.com/@plantawhisperer/video/7087734906087853354?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1 An Elf breakfast: https://twitter.com/OnPunsnNeedles/status/1600905934678548480 The Gendering of Holiday Labor: https://daily.jstor.org/the-gendering-of-holiday-labor/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.