Samantha Cole, co-founder of 404 Media and former editor at Motherboard, shares her insights on transforming online journalism. She discusses the birth of 404 Media, sparked by the rise of worker-owned outlets. Their commitment to independent and impactful stories sets them apart from mainstream media. Cole dives into pressing issues like digital security vulnerabilities and the ethical concerns around deepfakes. She also highlights the challenges of running a small media outlet in today's landscape, emphasizing the importance of subscriber support in ensuring journalistic integrity.

Samantha Cole, a culture critic and co-founder of 404 Media, and CT Jones, a pop culture writer for Rolling Stone, dive into the quirky world of 2024 internet trends. They discuss the tragicomic rise of a social media personality who expertly turned an interview into fame overnight. They explore the clash of modern celebrity culture with traditional feminine ideals through the 'tradwife' movement. The conversation also highlights concerns over disinformation and declining internet authenticity, pondering how these shifts impact human connections.

Samantha Cole, a journalist from 404 Media, discusses the growing role of AI in journalism as The Washington Post shifts its focus to technology amidst budget woes. She highlights the risks of sacrificing journalistic integrity for automation and critiques the unrealistic expectations of AI's reliability. The conversation navigates the absurdities of AI tools and their impact on reporting quality. Cole emphasizes the importance of skepticism in an era where technology threatens the foundation of good journalism, while sharing humorous takes on the industry's absurdities.

Author Samantha Cole discusses how sex influenced the development of the internet, from browser cookies to online dating. She explores the intersection of sex and early internet culture, including discussions on consent and love. Additionally, she talks about the evolution of the adult industry in the digital age, from traditional studio models to individual ownership.

AI interface researcher Kate Devlin and tech journalist Samantha Cole discuss the risks of AI-generated images, deep fakes, the challenges of protecting our likeness, and the moral and legal complexities surrounding AI in the adult entertainment industry. They emphasize the difficulty for individuals to safeguard their images and highlight the bizarre and strange nature of AI-generated content.