The 404 Media Podcast

Really excited about this one. We spend the entire episode talking about SS7, the fundamental network and protocol which is both at the heart of the world's telecommunications infrastructure, and crucial for governments, spy firms, and criminals to monitor people or intercept texts. In the first half we break ton what SS7 is, why it's an issue, and our nearly 10 years of experience covering it. Then, we talk about the news we revealed about a U.S. cybersecurity official breaking rank with his agency to expose SS7 attacks in the U.S. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about Axon's new ChatGPT-like tool which automatically creates narratives from police bodycam audio, and all the implications that might have. Cyber Official Speaks Out, Reveals Mobile Network Attacks in U.S. Here Is What Axon’s Bodycam Report Writing AI Looks Like Subscribe at 404media.co for access to bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got something of a John Deere special episode this week. We start with Jason's piece on how the recent solar storm knocked out GPS for John Deere tractors, having a direct impact on farming across the country. After the break, Jason breaks down his deep dive into the various walls closing around John Deere's right to repair monopoly. In the subscribers-only section, we've got two wild Amazon stories: one on the bots used by Amazon workers to book time off, and another on "Swag Bucks," Amazon's internal employee cash system. Solar Storm Knocks Out Farmers' Tractor GPS Systems During Peak Planting Season The Walls Are Closing in on John Deere’s Tractor Repair Monopoly Amazon Workers Use Bots to Claim Limited Supply of Time Off Amazon’s Swag Store Sells Neck Fans to Prevent Workers from Overheating Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content.

Apologies for some audio issues this week, they'll be fixed next time, but for now we have a super packed episode! We start with Jason's months-long deep dive into what Facebook has become with all of that AI-generated garbage on the site. It's not the dead internet, it's something much worse. After the break, Emanuel explains how Pokemon Go players are manipulating mapping technology to cheat at the game. Then in the subscribers-only section, Jason breaks down the latest cat and mouse game between ticket sellers and brokers. Facebook’s AI Spam Isn’t the ‘Dead Internet’: It’s the Zombie Internet Pokémon Go Players Invent Fake Beaches on Real Maps to Catch Rare Wigletts How Resellers Are Transferring Billie Eilish's 'Untransferable' Tickets Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content.

We start this week's episode with a mystery: where did a 17-second music snippet that has puzzled online sleuths for years really come from? Sam breaks it down. After the break, Joseph explains how an online service was scraping and selling Discord server messages for as little as $5. Then in the subscribers-only section, Jason takes us into the world of influencers who are using AI livestream apps, complete with fake audiences, and how they're being used to target women.

• Long Lost Song Hunted By Thousands Found in 80s Porno
• Discord Shuts Down ‘Spy Pet’ Bots That Scraped, Sold User Messages
• Men Use Fake Livestream Apps With AI Audiences to Hit on Women

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This is a long one! First Joseph previews his upcoming book, DARK WIRE. Go to the link below and enter "DW20" for 20% off! Also make sure to redeem your preorder behind-the-scenes bonus content. As for this week's stories, we start off with Jason explaining why we can, we must, dunk on the Humane Ai Pin, a piece of hardware that is AI's Juicero moment. After the break, Emanuel shows that Instagram is advertising deepfake nudify apps, the sort that are being abused right now in schools. In the subscribers-only section, we talk a bunch about Reddit, and especially how a tool has been made to sprinkle AI-generated product placements into popular Reddit threads.

• Preorder DARK WIRE for bonus content and 20% off with code "DW20"
• We Can, and We Must, Clown on the Humane AI Pin Forever
• Instagram Advertises Nonconsensual AI Nude Apps
• AI Is Poisoning Reddit to Promote Products and Game Google With 'Parasite SEO'

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We start this episode with Joseph's latest fly-on-the-wall investigation into the Com, the nebulous online entity and culture that is linked to some of the most high profile and brazen data breaches in recent history. Joseph sat in their chatrooms while rival hackers and criminals doxed and physically robbed one another. A true melding of digital and physical crime. After the break, Jason breaks down why some researchers are calling out Google on some of its AI science research. In the subscribers-only section, Sam explains why a guy made an AI-powered (kinda) sex box.

• Inside the ‘Com World War’: Robberies, Brickings, and ‘Drama’
• Is Google's AI Actually Discovering 'Millions of New Materials?'
• This Man Wants to ‘Save the World’ By Letting You Jerk Off Into a Computer

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We start the episode with an announcement: we've brought on our first 404 Media fellow Jules Roscoe! They did amazing work at Motherboard, and we're stoked to have them on board to cover labor for us and getting our work to audiences wherever they are. As for this week's stories, we start with Jason's wild one about grifters who are taking influencer's videos, deepfaking an AI face onto them, and then driving people to OnlyFans-style accounts. After the break, Sam talks about the couple who have finally got porn onto the Apple Vision Pro. In the subscribers-only section, Jules tells us what they saw when visiting a particular, Zoom-powered chicken shop in NYC.

• ‘AI Instagram Influencers’ Are Deepfaking Their Faces Onto Real Women’s Bodies
• How Amateur Performers Are Making Porn in the Apple Vision Pro
• NYC Chicken Shop Replaces Cashier With Woman in Philippines On Zoom

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This is a super fun episode with a lot of labor themes throughout. Jason starts off by describing the totally wild Xz backdoor which, in a way, was an open source labor issue. Then Emanuel takes us through how AI might be sneaking into the peer-review process. Then in the subscribers-only section, Sam explains why a major journal has decided to stop the use of an infamous image in its papers.

• The Xz Backdoor Highlights the Vulnerability of Open Source Software—and Its Strengths
• ChatGPT Looms Over the Peer-Review Crisis
• Scientific Journal Bans Images of ‘Lena,’ Researchers’ Favorite Centerfold

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A jam packed episode this week. First, Jason explains how a 'study' that says surveillance company Flock is “instrumental in solving 10 percent of reported crime in the US” is heavily flawed. He got a bunch of internal emails and spoke to those involved. After the break, Sam and Emanuel tell us how people are being pushed to far sketchier parts of the web after Pornhub pulled out of Texas. Then in the subscribers-only section, Jason and Joseph detail how they dug into the new owners of Deadspin, and what that all means for the wider media industry.

• Let’s Talk About the Flock Study That Says It Solves Crime
• Age Verification Laws Drag Us Back to the Dark Ages of the Internet
• Deadspin Is Becoming a Gambling Referral Site

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Shrimp Jesus. Shrimp Jesus. Shrimp Jesus. That is what the first story is about! We now have robust academic research into the mass of AI-generated garbage flooding Facebook. Jason takes us through what this era of Facebook means. After the break, Sam explains why Pornhub pulled out of Texas. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph shows how two of the biggest safe lock manufacturers in the world have put backdoors into their products.

• Facebook’s Algorithm Is Boosting AI Spam That Links to AI-Generated, Ad-Laden Click Farms
• Pornhub Pulls Out of Texas
• Massively Popular Safe Locks Have Secret Backdoor Codes

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