The 404 Media Podcast

We start this week with Jason and Matthew's story about an AI avatar that testified in court. It might be a sign of things to come. After the break, well, well, well, Meta is developing facial recognition for its smart glasses. In the subscribers-only section, Jason tells us all about AI in baseball. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/Mq4gqNS0vRw * 'I Loved That AI:' Judge Moved by AI-Generated Avatar of Man Killed in Road Rage Incident [https://www.404media.co/i-loved-that-ai-judge-moved-by-ai-generated-avatar-of-man-killed-in-road-rage-incident/] * Well, Well, Well: Meta to Add Facial Recognition To Glasses After All [https://www.404media.co/well-well-well-meta-to-add-facial-recognition-to-glasses-after-all/] * The Simulation Says the Orioles Should Be Good [https://www.404media.co/the-simulation-says-the-orioles-should-be-good/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

We start this week's episode with our massive story on TeleMessage, the Signal clone the Trump administration uses to archive messages which was hacked. We have more detail than anyone else on that story. After the break, Jason tells us about another hack, this time GlobalX Air, one of the airlines used by ICE for deportation flights. In the subscribers-only section, Sam and Emanuel tell us about the shut down of Mr. Deepfakes, and what the lasting legacy of the site will be. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/J__qWnFJZgA * The Signal Clone the Trump Admin Uses Was Hacked [https://www.404media.co/the-signal-clone-the-trump-admin-uses-was-hacked/] * Senator Demands Investigation into Trump Admin Signal Clone After 404 Media Investigation [https://www.404media.co/senator-demands-investigation-into-trump-admin-signal-clone-after-404-media-investigation/] * GlobalX, Airline for Trump’s Deportations, Hacked [https://www.404media.co/globalx-airline-for-trumps-deportations-hacked/] * Mr. Deepfakes, the Biggest Deepfake Porn Site on the Internet, Says It’s Shutting Down for Good [https://www.404media.co/mr-deepfakes-the-biggest-deepfake-porn-site-on-the-internet-says-its-shutting-down-for-good/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week we start with Sam's very in-depth story on Meta's AI chatbots, and how they're essentially posing as licensed therapists. After the break, Jason breaks down the wildly unethical AI-powered research that took place on Reddit. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains how the age of realtime deepfake fraud is here after he got a bunch of videos showing scammers do their thing. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/H5380M-hnJ4 * Instagram's AI Chatbots Lie About Being Licensed Therapists [https://www.404media.co/instagram-ai-studio-therapy-chatbots-lie-about-being-licensed-therapists/] * Researchers Secretly Ran a Massive, Unauthorized AI Persuasion Experiment on Reddit Users [https://www.404media.co/researchers-secretly-ran-a-massive-unauthorized-ai-persuasion-experiment-on-reddit-users/] * Reddit Issuing 'Formal Legal Demands' Against Researchers Who Conducted Secret AI Experiment on Users [https://www.404media.co/reddit-issuing-formal-legal-demands-against-researchers-who-conducted-secret-ai-experiment-on-users/] * The Age of Realtime Deepfake Fraud Is Here [https://www.404media.co/the-age-of-realtime-deepfake-fraud-is-here/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

We start this week with Emanuel and Jason's big story on Massive Blue, a company that is selling AI-powered undercover bots posing as protesters and children to the cops. After the break, Sam tells us about visiting the millennial saint. In the subscribers-only section, we talk business and the state of 404 Media. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/E98i9OFJbW4 * Leaked: Palantir’s Plan to Help ICE Deport People [https://www.404media.co/leaked-palantirs-plan-to-help-ice-deport-people/] * ICE Plans Central Database of Health, Labor, Housing Agency Data to Find Targets [https://www.404media.co/ice-plans-central-database-of-health-labor-housing-agency-data-to-find-targets/] * This ‘College Protester’ Isn’t Real. It’s an AI-Powered Undercover Bot for Cops [https://www.404media.co/this-college-protester-isnt-real-its-an-ai-powered-undercover-bot-for-cops/] * I Went to See ‘God’s Influencer,’ the Millennial Saint Carlo Acutis [https://www.404media.co/visit-carlo-acutis-millennial-saint-assisi/] * How 404 Media Is Navigating 'Economic Headwinds' [https://www.404media.co/how-404-media-is-navigating-economic-headwinds/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Jason, Sam, and Blood in the Machine's Brian Merchant discuss how AI slop has taken over the internet, how it is a brute-force attack against the algorithms that control what we see on social media, and what we can do to fight back against it. This panel was held at Speakeasy in Austin, Texas at SXSW on March 10, 2025. Thanks to our friends at Flipboard for giving us the space and to DeleteMe for sponsoring the event. Use code "404Media" for 20% off an annual plan of DeleteMe: https://www.404media.co/r/5d94373c?m=e247fe06-53d6-4c05-9484-be3684d4f655 Find Brian's work at Blood in the Machine: https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/ Become a paid subscriber for access to bonus content: https://404media.co/membership Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]