Eating For Free

Joan Summers and Matthew Lawson
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Feb 27, 2020 • 1h 24min

Getting Scammed at Jake Paul's School Of Financial Freedom (Part 1)

Kendall joins Matt and Joan in the studio to talk about one of YouTube's worst "content creators", Jake Paul. We cover the Financial Freedom Movement, how it affects his impressionable young viewers, and the ideology behind get-rich-quick schemes. -------- Eating For Free is an investigative podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of critical reporters at a time when pop culture and tech coverage is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to monthly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Any personal, business, or general inquires can be sent to eatingforfreepodcast@gmail.com Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Kendall Close : Twitter Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Sources: Official Financial Freedom Movement Site (FFM) YouTuber Jake Paul Launches Entrepreneur How-To Platform, Financial Freedom Movement (Variety) YouTuber Jake Paul is trying to cash in on teaching fans how to become influencers — two years after his first project failed (BusinessInsider) Jake's socialblade has seen a massive drop since 2017 (SocialBlade)
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Dec 12, 2019 • 55min

TikTok-ing Through the Apocalypse (Part 3)

In part three of our TikTok installment, we round-out out our coverage of the new global phenomenon taking over social media. We talk about the new censorship against users dissenting against China, those not deemed worthy of the algorithm's promotion, the way their app directs data to 3rd party companies, and the recent class-action settlement with the United States Federal Trade Commission. Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to monthly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Sources: Tik Tok and the Uighur Muslims (BBC) Feroza Aziz's Banned TikTok Video (YouTube) Privacy Analysis of Tiktok's App and Website (Rufposten) TikTok prevented disabled users' videos from showing up in feeds (The Verge) TikTok and Chinese Surveillance Software (The Independent) Privacy Analysis of Tiktok's App and Website (Rufposten) TikTok chief, facing criticism over China ties, cancels meetings with US lawmakers (CNBC) TikTok's chief cancels planned meetings with US senators amid concerns over privacy and app's ties to China (Business Insider) TikTok music app owner agrees to $1.1 million class action settlement for alleged underage privacy violations (Chicago Tribune)
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Dec 3, 2019 • 1h 17min

TikTok-ing Through the Apocalypse (Part 2)

In this two-part series we explore the international phenomenon and emerging social media platform: TikTok. From the failing Shanghai tech company that created Musical.ly to ByteDance's $1b acquisition in 2017, we explore how TikTok became the highest-valued startup to date now totalling over $75b. Part 2 will examine the way TikTok has changed our perception of content production, how its paying the most popular users, and breakdown what exactly is going on between the new controversy regarding Mark Zuckerberg and the US Gov. plan to investigate the app's Chinese background. We also realize over the course of recording, that this may be our most important episode to date! Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Sources: Meet the Head of TikTok, a 35-Year-Old Who Makes Employees Do Push-Ups if Their Videos Don't Get Enough Likes - Money, Julia Glum (2019) How a failed education startup turned into Musical.ly, the most popular app you've probably never heard of - Business Insider, Biz Carson (2016) Chinese Tech Firms Forced to Choose Market: Home or Everywhere Else - NYT, Paul Mozur My conversation with Zhang Yiming, founder of Toutiao - Technode, 2017 Musical.ly, a Chinese App Big in the U.S., Sells for $1 Billion (Paul Mozur) - NYT, 2017 Who's Too Young for an App? Musical.ly Tests the Limits - NYT, John Herrman, 2016 The popular Musical.ly app has been rebranded as TikTok - The Verge, Dami Lee. (2018) These Teens Are Making Thousands a Month With Karaoke App Musical.ly - Money, Gabriela Fernandez AI In China: How Buzzfeed Rival ByteDance Uses Machine Learning To Revolutionize The News - Forbes, Bernard Marr A Look at Toutiao: China's Artificial Intelligence Powered News Platform - Wei Chun Chew, Medium The Hidden Forces Behind Toutiao: China's Content King - Ycombination, Anu Hariharan (2017 The History of TikTok (TeenVogue) How TikTok is Rewriting the World (NewYorkTimes) TikTok, Explained (Vox) How TikTok Holds Our Attention (NewYorker) 32 Biggest Stars on TikTok (Business Insider) How 7 Brands are Using TikTok (HugSpot) TikTok and Activism (BBC) Meet the Head of TikTok (Money.com) How A Failed Startup Became Musical.ly (Business Insider) Chinese Tech Firms Forced to Choose Market (NewYorkTimes) My conversation with Zhang Yiming, founder of Toutiao (Technode) Musical.ly, a Chinese App Big in the U.S., Sells for $1 Billion (NewYorkTimes) Who's Too Young for an App? Musical.ly Tests the Limits (NewYorkTimes) The popular Musical.ly app has been rebranded as TikTok (The Verge) These Teens Are Making Thousands a Month With Karaoke App Musical.ly (Money.com) AI In China: How Buzzfeed Rival ByteDance Uses Machine Learning To Revolutionize The News (Forbes) How TikTok Took Over Music (Rolling Stone) Record Labels Demand More Money for Songs on TikTok App (Bloomberg) U.S. Army Looking Into National Security Concerns Over TikTok After Using It to Recruit Troops (Gizmodo) U.S. opens national security investigation into TikTok (Reuters) TikTok national security inquiry (CNBC) US investigating TikTok owner ByteDance (South China Morning Post) Before Mark Zuckerberg Tried To Kill TikTok (BuzzFeedNews) TikTok has moved into Facebook's backyard (CNBC)
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Nov 26, 2019 • 1h 14min

TikTok-ing Through the Apocalypse (Part 1)

In this two-part series we explore the international phenomenon and emerging social media platform: TikTok. From the failing Shanghai tech company that created Musical.ly to ByteDance's $1b acquisition in 2017, we explore how TikTok became the highest-valued startup to date now totalling over $75b. In part 1 we'll break down the app and its powerful machine learning technology, and how its Chinese roots are critical to understanding the future of the company. Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Sources: Meet the Head of TikTok, a 35-Year-Old Who Makes Employees Do Push-Ups if Their Videos Don't Get Enough Likes - Money, Julia Glum (2019) How a failed education startup turned into Musical.ly, the most popular app you've probably never heard of - Business Insider, Biz Carson (2016) Chinese Tech Firms Forced to Choose Market: Home or Everywhere Else - NYT, Paul Mozur My conversation with Zhang Yiming, founder of Toutiao - Technode, 2017 Musical.ly, a Chinese App Big in the U.S., Sells for $1 Billion (Paul Mozur) - NYT, 2017 Who's Too Young for an App? Musical.ly Tests the Limits - NYT, John Herrman, 2016 The popular Musical.ly app has been rebranded as TikTok - The Verge, Dami Lee. (2018) These Teens Are Making Thousands a Month With Karaoke App Musical.ly - Money, Gabriela Fernandez AI In China: How Buzzfeed Rival ByteDance Uses Machine Learning To Revolutionize The News - Forbes, Bernard Marr A Look at Toutiao: China's Artificial Intelligence Powered News Platform - Wei Chun Chew, Medium The Hidden Forces Behind Toutiao: China's Content King - Ycombination, Anu Hariharan (2017 The History of TikTok (TeenVogue) How TikTok is Rewriting the World (NewYorkTimes) TikTok, Explained (Vox) How TikTok Holds Our Attention (NewYorker) 32 Biggest Stars on TikTok (Business Insider) How 7 Brands are Using TikTok (HugSpot) TikTok and Activism (BBC) Meet the Head of TikTok (Money.com) How A Failed Startup Became Musical.ly (Business Insider) Chinese Tech Firms Forced to Choose Market (NewYorkTimes) My conversation with Zhang Yiming, founder of Toutiao (Technode) Musical.ly, a Chinese App Big in the U.S., Sells for $1 Billion (NewYorkTimes) Who's Too Young for an App? Musical.ly Tests the Limits (NewYorkTimes) The popular Musical.ly app has been rebranded as TikTok (The Verge) These Teens Are Making Thousands a Month With Karaoke App Musical.ly (Money.com) AI In China: How Buzzfeed Rival ByteDance Uses Machine Learning To Revolutionize The News (Forbes) How TikTok Took Over Music (Rolling Stone) Record Labels Demand More Money for Songs on TikTok App (Bloomberg) U.S. Army Looking Into National Security Concerns Over TikTok After Using It to Recruit Troops (Gizmodo) U.S. opens national security investigation into TikTok (Reuters) TikTok national security inquiry (CNBC) US investigating TikTok owner ByteDance (South China Morning Post) Before Mark Zuckerberg Tried To Kill TikTok (BuzzFeedNews) TikTok has moved into Facebook's backyard (CNBC)
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Nov 15, 2019 • 1h 13min

Jeff Bezos' America (Part Four)

In this multipart series we've explored how Amazon uses its various spheres of control to manipulate our ideologies surrounding labor, consumer rights, mass surveillance, and corporate dependency. In part four, the series ends on the political ramifications of Amazon, and thereby Jeff Bezos' control of American ideology, and how some current organizations, even presidential candidates, plan to stop this. If you or anyone want to contact us about tips, stories, or personal experiences that relate to any of what we plan to discuss in this series, please contact us by our hotline or email below, we appreciate any inquiry! Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Links: Jeff Bezos's Master Plan (Franklin Foer, The Atlantic) Karlie Kloss, Josh Kushner, and Jeff Bezos Are All on Vacation Together, and You Can See It on Instagram (Town and Country) Bernie Sanders' Plan for Action (Campaign Site) Elizabeth Warren's Plans for Action (Campaign Site)
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Nov 6, 2019 • 1h 17min

Jeff Bezos' America (Part Three)

In this multipart series we will explore how Amazon uses its various spheres of control to manipulate our ideologies surrounding labor, consumer rights, mass surveillance, and corporate dependency. Part three will examine how Amazon has partnered with the US Government's Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and many privately-owned surveillance companies. In part four, the series will end on the political ramifications of Amazon, and thereby Jeff Bezos' control of American ideology, and how some current organizations, even presidential candidates, plan to stop this. If you or anyone want to contact us about tips, stories, or personal experiences that relate to any of what we plan to discuss in this series, please contact us by our hotline or email below, we appreciate any inquiry! Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.
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Oct 17, 2019 • 1h 30min

Jeff Bezos' America (Part Two)

In this multipart investigative series we will explore how Amazon uses its various spheres of control to manipulate our ideologies surrounding labor, consumer rights, mass surveillance, and corporate dependency. Part one will cover Amazon's newly expanding use of propaganda through social media and advertorial content, specifically the company's creation of the Prime Day Concert, their 'FC Ambassadors,' and a in-house blog. Part two will explore Amazon's anti-union training, and the reality of working in an Amazon warehouse. We will examine the safety of their warehouses, the suicides and deaths that have occured, and what it is like to go on an Amazon FC tour. Part three (and possibly four) will examine how Amazon has partnered with the US Government's Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and many privately-owned surveillance companies. The series will end on the political ramifications of Amazon, and thereby Jeff Bezos', control of American ideology, and how some current organizations, even presidential candidates, plan to stop this. Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Articles: Corporatism (Wikipedia) Neo-feudalism (Wikipedia) Advertorial Propaganda (Wikipedia) Amazon's Aggressive Anti-Union Tactics Revealed in Leaked 45-Minute Video (Bryan Menegus, Gizmodo) Amazon and Tesla Facilities Named Among the Most Dangerous Workplaces in America (Melanie Ehrenkranz, Gizmodo) 'Colony of Hell': 911 Calls From Inside Amazon Warehouses (Max Zahn, TheDailyBeast) U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal (Andrew Chung) Unfulfilled at the Amazon tour (Sarah Miller, The Outline) MissionRacer: How Amazon Turned the Tedium of Warehouse Work Into a Game (Greg Besigner, Washington Post)
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Oct 9, 2019 • 1h 2min

Jeff Bezos' America (Part One)

In this multipart investigative series we will explore how Amazon uses its various spheres of control to manipulate our ideologies surrounding labor, consumer rights, mass surveillance, and corporate dependency. Part one will cover Amazon's newly expanding use of propaganda through social media and advertorial content, specifically the company's creation of the Prime Day Concert, their 'FC Ambassadors,' and a in-house blog. Part two will explore Amazon's anti-union training, and the reality of working in an Amazon warehouse. We will examine the safety of their warehouses, the suicides and deaths that have occurred, and what it is like to go on an Amazon FC tour. Part three (and possibly four) will examine how Amazon has partnered with the US Government's Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and many privately-owned surveillance companies to expand their state-wide technological monopoly. The series will end on the political ramifications of this newly expanding capitalist specter, and how some current organizations, even presidential candidates, plan to stop this. If you or anyone want to contact us about tips, stories, or personal experiences that relate to any of what we plan to discuss in this series, please contact us by our hotline or email below, we appreciate any inquiry! Eating For Free is an investigative pop-culture podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Article Links Corporatism (Wikipedia) Neo-feudalism (Wikipedia) Advertorial Propaganda (Wikipedia) What's an Amazon 'FC Ambassador' and Are They Okay? (Bryan Menegus, Gizmodo) @AmazonFCHannah (Twitter) The Amazon (Propaganda) Blog (About Amazon.com) I watched Amazon's Prime Day concert—and it made me want to shop for a new planet (Joe Berkowitz, Fast Company) Amazon fired a warehouse worker who was trying to unionize. Now he's taking legal action (Alexia Fernández Campbell, Vox)
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Aug 21, 2019 • 52min

About the Boycott: BDS and the Fight for Palestinian Liberation with Alex Verman (Part 2)

What is BDS? Why are people around the world calling for the social and economic boycott of Israel? Why are the celebrities that perform there entrenched in controversy? In this extra-special two-part interview, we talk to the talented and hilarious writer/researcher Alex Verman—who is here to explain why these movements exist, and what we can do to help. We cover the origins of which imperial powers are killing and forcing Palestinians out of their home land, and why organizations like the BDS and PACBI are here to help those affected. Alex breaks down how this issue is not solely a Palestinian conflict, but a world-wide system of colonialism, capitalism, racism, and xenophobia, dirtectly effecting millions across the world. Part two drops next week, stay tuned! Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram. Links and resources: Full masterlist of links: https://www.one-tab.com/page/h3zPWikLTu2DEo8RuPq_8w #justiceformoka gofundme.com/princessaanya PASAN.org Maggie's Toronto Sex Workers' Action Project alexverman.com tinyletter.com/alexvee
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Aug 14, 2019 • 56min

Anti-Capitalist Happy Hour: Disney Waged War Against Unions While Cannibalizing Your Nostalgia

And... we're back! Between our amazing interview about the BDS movement with the iconic Alex Verman, let's get back into our listener letters! We talk #JANA and the horror that is YouTube media, listen to a voicemail from an alleged nefarious source, read from a listener about their experience looking into the world of female sexual dysfunction (and the medication marketed to those groups), and end on a shocking voicemail left from someone working in the animation industry (hint, its about The Lion King!), and much more! Stay tuned next week for part two of our Alex interview, you won't wanna miss it! Eating For Free is a bi-weekly gossip podcast reporting from the edge of the internet! We're a new wave of celebrity reporters at a time when pop culture is increasingly chaotic and media lacks the ability or moral direction to make sense of this capitalist nightmare! Do you have a tip for us? Got some hot gossip? Need to get any questions off your chest? Call our hotline at Call 1-810-EAT-FREE (1-810-328-3733) or send us an email at questions@eatingforfree.com! Become a Patreon backer for exclusive access to weekly bonus episodes and more! You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. For behind-the-scenes gossip and access, join our exclusive Facebook group: Girls & Gays (G.A.G.S.)! Joan Summers: Twitter, Instagram. Matthew Lawson: Twitter, Instagram.

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