The 404 Media Podcast

Why Are We Obsessed With Aliens? (With Becky Ferreira)

Humanity has talked about aliens throughout recorded history, and obsession that has changed science, faith, and media.  The past few years have been very exciting for those who want to believe. The U.S. government has released tantalizing videos and held several gripping hearings showing and discussing UFOs. People who always thought the government was hiding evidence of alien life from the general population saw it as proof that what they’ve said was happening all along. Skeptics have made compelling arguments for why all these revelations could be anything but aliens.  But this debate and humanity’s obsession with aliens goes as far back as recorded history. In her book, First Contact: The Story of Our Obsession with Aliens [https://www.beckyferreira.com/first-contact.html], 404 Media’s science reporter and author of The Abstract [https://www.404media.co/tag/the-abstract/] newsletter Becky Ferreira [https://www.beckyferreira.com/] delves deep into this history, what it teaches us about humans, and what the near and far future of the search for alien life looks like.  I had a great time reading Becky’s book and an even better time discussing it with her on the podcast. It’s a great conversation that unpacks why these stories get so much attention, and a perspective on aliens in the news and pop culture that’s rooted in history and science. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/QToByEeq2vU Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Zines Are Back

We start this week with news of our zine! We’re printing it very soon, and walk you through the process. Independent media is turning back to physical zines as a way to subvert algorithms. After the break, Emanuel tells us about some very weird Instagram changes. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains ICEBlock’s lawsuit against the U.S. government. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lseEXc-ZzsQ Timestamps: 1:37 - 1st Story - ⁠404 Media Is Making a Zine⁠ [https://www.404media.co/404-media-is-making-a-zine/]; buy the zine here [https://404media.myshopify.com/products/presale-ice-surveillance-zine?ref=404media.co] 28:01 - 2nd Story - ⁠Instagram Is Generating Inaccurate SEO Bait for Your Posts⁠ [https://www.404media.co/instagram-is-generating-inaccurate-seo-bait-for-your-posts/] SUBSCRIBER'S STORY - ICEBlock Creator Sues U.S. Government Over App’s Removal [https://www.404media.co/iceblock-creator-sues-u-s-government-over-apps-removal/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

How AI Porn Isolates Us with Noelle Perdue

This week Sam is in conversation with Noelle Perdue. Noelle is a writer, producer, and internet porn historian whose works has been published in Wired, the Washington Post, Slate, and more, and you’re probably familiar with her work if you’ve been paying attention to the plot in your favorite pornographic films. She’s writing on Stubstack [https://noelleperdue.substack.com/about] so look her up there! YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/9eqMXBwWtkA Noelle and Sam discuss everything from sexbots and AI porn to censorship, age verification legislation, and their favorite parody porn flicks.   Listen to the weekly podcast on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-404-media-podcast/id1703615331?ref=404media.co], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0F3oY47l2XgoBMaAmIaw29?ref=404media.co], or YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@404Mediaco/videos?ref=404media.co]. Become a paid subscriber for access to this episode's bonus content and to power our journalism. If you become a paid subscriber, check your inbox for an email from our podcast host Transistor for a link to the subscribers-only version! You can also add that subscribers feed to your podcast app of choice and never miss an episode that way. The email should also contain the subscribers-only unlisted YouTube link for the extended video version too. It will also be in the show notes in your podcast player. Noelle Perdue on Substack [https://noelleperdue.substack.com/about] Michigan Lawmakers Are Attempting to Ban Porn Entirely [https://www.404media.co/michigan-porn-ban-bill-4938-anticorruption-of-public-morals-act/] New Bill Would Make All Pornography a Federal Crime in the U.S. [https://www.404media.co/mike-lee-porn-law-interstate-obscenity-definition-act/] OpenAI Catches Up to AI Market Reality: People Are Horny [https://www.404media.co/openai-sam-altman-interview-chatgpt-erotica/] ChatGPT’s Hail Mary: Chatbots You Can Fuck [https://www.404media.co/chatgpt-erotica-age-gating-verified-adults/] The Egg Yolk Principle: Human Sexuality Will Always Outsmart Prudish Algorithms and Hateful Politicians [https://www.404media.co/egg-yolk-popping-instagram-tiktok-ioda-anti-porn-laws/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This Podcast Will Hack You

We start this week with Joseph’s very weird story about Apple Podcasts. The app is opening by itself, playing random spirituality podcasts, and in one case directing listeners to a potentially malicious website. After the break, Matthew tells us how it sure looks like a map of Ukraine was manipulated in order to win a bet on Polymarket. In the subscribers-only section, Sam breaks down how half of the U.S. now requires a face or ID scan to watch porn. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/V4QCJh-imPM Timestamps: 2:00 - Story 1 - Someone Is Trying to ‘Hack’ People Through Apple Podcasts [https://www.404media.co/someone-is-trying-to-hack-people-through-apple-podcasts/] 24:40 - Story 2 - 'Unauthorized' Edit to Ukraine's Frontline Maps Point to Polymarket's War Betting [https://www.404media.co/unauthorized-edit-to-ukraines-frontline-maps-point-to-polymarkets-war-betting/] SUBSCRIBER'S STORY - Half of the US Now Requires You to Upload Your ID or Scan Your Face to Watch Porn [https://www.404media.co/missouri-age-verification-law-porn-id-check-vpns/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Inside the Biggest Sting Operation Ever (with Michael Bobbitt)

Joseph speaks to Michael Bobbitt, a former FBI official who worked directly on Operation Trojan Shield. In this operation the FBI secretly ran its own encrypted phone company for organized crime, backdoored the phone, and collected tens of millions of messages. Michael and Joseph discuss how Michael handled intelligence sourced from the phones, how to navigate an operation that complex, and its fallout. YouTube Version: https://youtu.be/bLeueG5V4QY * Dark Wire: The Incredible True Story of the Largest Sting Operation Ever [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/joseph-cox/dark-wire/9781541702707/?lens=publicaffairs] * Podcast: Signal's President Meredith Whittaker on Backdoors and AI [https://www.404media.co/podcast-signals-president-meredith-whittaker-on-backdoors-and-ai/] Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]