The 404 Media Podcast

The Latest Epstein Dump is a Disaster

We start this week with Sam and Emanuel’s article about the latest Epstein dump, and how it’s really a disaster in a lot of ways. After the break, Matthew runs us through Moltbot and its terrible security. After the break, Emanuel breaks down his two recent stories about a fundamental issue exposing a bunch of very sensitive data. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 2:19 - DOJ Released Unredacted Nude Images in Epstein Files 25:08 - Silicon Valley’s Favorite New AI Agent Has Serious Security Flaws 34:55 - Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site YouTube version: https://youtu.be/gDcOOP_Y9cU * DOJ Released Unredacted Nude Images in Epstein Files [https://www.404media.co/doj-released-unredacted-nude-images-in-epstein-files/] * Silicon Valley’s Favorite New AI Agent Has Serious Security Flaws [https://www.404media.co/silicon-valleys-favorite-new-ai-agent-has-serious-security-flaws/] * Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site [https://www.404media.co/exposed-moltbook-database-let-anyone-take-control-of-any-ai-agent-on-the-site/] * App for Quitting Porn Leaked Users' Masturbation Habits [https://www.404media.co/app-for-quitting-porn-leaked-users-masturbation-habits/] * Massive AI Chat App Leaked Millions of Users Private Conversations [https://www.404media.co/massive-ai-chat-app-leaked-millions-of-users-private-conversations/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

How Identity Literally Changes What You See (with Samuel Bagg)

This week Joseph talks to Samuel Bagg, assistant professor of political science at the University of South Carolina. Bagg recently wrote a fascinating essay, linked below, about how the problem with lots of things might be knowledge-based (people believing stuff that’s wrong or dangerous) but the solution is not more knowledge. It’s all about social identity. This is an incredibly interesting discussion, and definitely check out more of Bagg’s writing. * The Problem is Epistemic. The Solution is Not [https://blog.apaonline.org/2025/11/12/the-problem-is-epistemic-the-solution-is-not/?amp=1] * The Dispersion of Power: A Critical Realist Theory of Democracy [https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-dispersion-of-power-9780192848826?cc=us&lang=en&] YouTube version:  https://youtu.be/lNKOqp-rZL8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Creators Worry Porn Platform Is Falling Into ‘AI Psychosis’

We start this week with Sam’s piece about ManyVids, and how some creators believe its CEO, and the person who controls their livelihood, may be experiencing ‘AI psychosis’. After the break, Jason gives us an update on some mysterious disappearing ICE footage. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about Flock and what police are being told to do: not describe what they’re using the AI cameras for. Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 2:41 - Aliens and Angel Numbers: Creators Worry Porn Platform ManyVids Is Falling Into ‘AI Psychosis’; Amid Backlash, Massive Porn Platform ManyVids Doubles Down on Bizarre, AI-Generated Posts 32:12 - DHS Says Critical ICE Surveillance Footage From Abuse Case Was Actually Never Recorded, Doesn't Matter YouTube version: https://youtu.be/EFv0rD9F9es * Aliens and Angel Numbers: Creators Worry Porn Platform ManyVids Is Falling Into ‘AI Psychosis’ [https://www.404media.co/manyvids-porn-platform-ai-psychosis-bella-french-bio/] * DHS Says Critical ICE Surveillance Footage From Abuse Case Was Actually Never Recorded, Doesn't Matter [https://www.404media.co/dhs-says-critical-ice-surveillance-footage-from-abuse-case-was-actually-never-recorded-doesnt-matter/] * Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use Flock [https://www.404media.co/police-told-to-be-as-vague-as-permissible-about-why-they-use-flock/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Exposing the People Behind Deepfake Porn Sites with Bellingcat Investigator Kolina Koltai

This week, Sam is in conversation with Kolina Koltai. Kolina is an investigator, senior researcher and trainer at Bellingcat. Her investigations focus on the people and systems behind AI companies and platforms that peddle non-consensual deepfake explicit imagery. They discuss how she found herself in this field, her recent investigation [https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/12/15/mark-resan-reface-deepfake-porn/] uncovering the man behind two deepfake porn sites, and how it feels to watch these sites go down after exposing the people running them. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/CbmUwwVGaf4 Stories discussed: * Profiting From Exploitation: How We Found the Man Behind Two Deepfake Porn Sites [https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/12/15/mark-resan-reface-deepfake-porn/] * Behind a Secretive Global Network of Non-Consensual Deepfake Pornography [https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2024/02/23/behind-a-secretive-global-network-of-non-consensual-deepfake-pornography/] * Unmasking MrDeepFakes: Canadian Pharmacist Linked to World’s Most Notorious Deepfake Porn Site [https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/05/07/canadian-pharmacist-linked-to-worlds-most-notorious-deepfake-porn-site/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Here’s What Palantir Is Really Building

We start this week with Joseph’s article about ELITE, a tool Palantir is working on for ICE. After the break, Emanuel tells us how AI influencers are making fake sex tape-style photos with celebrities, who can’t be best pleased about it. In the subscribers-only section, Matthew breaks down Comic-Con’s ban of AI art. 0:00 - Intro 2:16 - ‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid [https://www.404media.co/elite-the-palantir-app-ice-uses-to-find-neighborhoods-to-raid/] 22:45 - Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals [https://www.404media.co/instagram-ai-influencers-are-defaming-celebrities-with-sex-scandals/] Subscriber's Story: Comic-Con Bans AI Art After Artist Pushback YouTube version: https://youtu.be/b-QHWpqjD-E Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]