Mike talks with artist, researcher and online harassment expert Caroline Sinders about blocking people online. What’s it for, and what kinds of feeling do we have when using it? Then, friend of the show Meghal Janardan speaks to children’s book author Laura Dower about her series “From the Files of Madison Finn”, an early exploration about what it was like being young, and online, at the turn of the millennium. Also: ssshhhhhh library asmr

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Become a Never Post member at https://www.neverpo.st/ for access to extended and bonus segments, and our side shows like “Slow Post”, “Posts from the Field” and “Never Watch”

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Intro Links

• Wired Establishes Itself as the Digital Thorn in Elon Musk’s Side, The Wrap 
• Introducing ChatGPT Gov, OpenAI
• As Trump Offers Buyout to Get Rid of as Many Government Workers as Possible, OpenAI Announces New Version of ChatGPT Designed to Do Government Work, Futurism
• Union lawsuit seeks to block ‘deferred resignation’ program, Federal News Network
• EU sets out guidance on banning harmful AI uses, TechXplore
• The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers, Advait.com
• Google drops pledge not to use AI for weapons or surveillance, Washington Post
• Google scraps its diversity hiring goals as it complies with Trump’s new government contractor rules, APNews
• Vance gets the TikTok portfolio, Punchbowl

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What If There Were Fewer Connections?

Journalists’ Use of Social Media Disconnection Practices: ‘I Try Not to Block People, but…’

Dr Dawn Wheatley, dcu.ie

Find Caroline:

• convocation.design
• cord_labs on IG

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From the Files of Madison Finn

Find Laura:

• lauradower.com

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Never Post’s producers are Audrey Evans, Georgia Hampton and The Mysterious Dr. Firstname Lastname. Our senior producer is Hans Buetow. Our executive producer is Jason Oberholtzer. The show’s host is Mike Rugnetta.

The soft rumor of spreading weeds. The sound of things ruined by the wind. The come to me as if I were the heart of all that exists. I would like to be dead, and also to go inside another’s heart.

Summer Goodbyes, by Alejandra Pizarnik

Never Post is a production of Charts & Leisure