Power Plays, Pink Slips, & Public Receipts

Fraud, Feeds, & Trademark Fights

This week on Reputation Nation, Anne Marie and Stacy unpack yet another 30 Under 30 fraud case and why investors seem to never learn their lesson. They dig into a first-of-its-kind trial over whether social platforms are deliberately built to hook kids, and how AI is quietly supercharging the “WebMD effect” in lawyers’ offices. Then they wrap with a sharp look at the new trademark arms race, from pop icons to Real Housewives, as everyone scrambles to lock down catchphrases, signatures, and everything else in between.

Power Plays, Pink Slips, & Public Receipts

Anne Marie and Stacy are back with Fast Four—four stories, four takes, and four lessons in what not to do when the spotlight hits. This week, Costco’s $5 rotisserie chicken lands in a “no preservatives” class action, Apple gets sued in a fight over platform power and camera tech, the early-2026 layoff wave proves “efficiency” can become a credibility crisis overnight,  and the Lively–Baldoni saga gets even messier as “private” texts and voice notes become public fodder. They’ll break down what happened, what it means, and what you should do differently before the headlines do it for you.  Episode 13. Fast Four.

Headlines, Hallucinations, & AI in the Hot Seat

On the final Fast Four of 2025, Reputation Nation hosts Anne Marie Malecha and Stacy Bratcher break down a turning point for AI’s public image. Politicians, publishers, and the public are taking a harder line on accountability and governance when it comes to AI. The New York Times files another copyright lawsuit, The Washington Post’s new AI podcast is bending its own facts, state attorneys general are eyeing deceptive chatbots, and CNN is reporting that people are sick of the AI “slop” flooding their feeds. Anne Marie and Stacy close out the year with hard-earned lessons for anyone navigating AI risk and reputation in 2026. Episode 12. AI Series.

Courtrooms, Crises, & AI in Question

Co-hosts Anne Marie Malecha and Stacy Bratcher examine how AI lawsuits can quickly evolve from legal problems into full‑scale reputation crises for companies in every industry. Using The New York Times v. OpenAI and Mobley v. Workday as case studies, they cover how long‑running battles over copyright, bias, and data demands test stakeholder patience, drive media coverage, and force leaders to manage fear, anger, and uncertainty around AI. Sharing practical insight into choosing the right spokesperson, handling government involvement, and keeping investors, employees, and customers informed, this episode of Reputation Nation will help leaders stay ahead of the next wave of AI-driven crises. Episode 11. AI Series.

Class Actions, Copyright, & Corporate AI

On this episode of Reputation Nation, Anne Marie Malecha and Stacy Bratcher dig into how AI is rapidly becoming a high‑stakes legal, regulatory, and reputational risk for companies in every industry. They unpack Mobley v. Workday as a potential blockbuster AI hiring class action and The New York Times v. OpenAI as a case study in the new wave of AI copyright and training data lawsuits. Throughout the episode, they zero in on practical AI risk management, what in-house counsel, compliance teams, and communications leaders should be asking their vendors, hard‑wiring into contracts and governance, and doing now to protect corporate reputation before the next surge of AI litigation and regulation hits.