Taylor Lorenz’s Power User

Steven Asarch, internet culture journalist who’s spent a decade covering Twitch communities, walks through r/LiveStreamFail’s origins and rise. Short clips, clip farming, and viral moderator power are key topics. They dig into how clips turbocharged streamers, enabled harassment, and turned the subreddit into a political battleground.

Liz Nolan Brown, a journalist covering tech and legal fights, breaks down the landmark California lawsuit accusing platforms of designing addiction. Short takes on why proving causation is hard. Why design-defect claims could threaten free speech and Section 230. A look at moral panics past and whether regulation or user-focused fixes are the path forward.

Caroline Kwan, Twitch streamer and pop culture commentator, explores why Chinese-inspired memes and apps are reshaping internet taste. She traces TikTok migrations, CapCut and other tech influences. Short takes cover lifestyle trends, high-speed rail vs US decay, shifting views on Made in China, and how online nostalgia and identity are changing cultural power.

Kat Tenbarge, journalist and author covering online culture and celebrity drama. She breaks down the backlash to Brooklyn Beckham’s Instagram post. Short takes on how tabloids and right-wing influencers distort stories. Discussion of why women get blamed when men set boundaries and how PR and smear campaigns shape public outrage.

The podcast dives into the alarming world of surveillance capitalism, revealing how your online activities fuel data harvesting for government use. It discusses plans for a centralized portal where agencies can buy sensitive data like location and social media content. Concerns about AI-driven analysis, including the risks of biased algorithms and pre-crime policing, are highlighted. The need for privacy laws to safeguard free speech is emphasized, warning that unchecked surveillance poses a significant threat to individual freedoms.

Matt Bernstein, a content creator and podcast host, alongside journalist Kat Tenbarge, dive deep into the unexpected nostalgia for 2016. They explore the revival of 2016 aesthetics on platforms like TikTok and the cultural significance behind memes and trends from that year. The discussion touches on the early days of influencer culture and what makes this particular era resonate today. From shared community moments to the emotional rollercoaster of election night, they unravel why 2016 still captivates our collective memory.

Dive into the chilling ideology sweeping Silicon Valley, where tech billionaires envision AI as humanity's successor. Explore how early thinkers like Moravec and Vinge laid the groundwork for a pro-extinction belief system—dubbed Tescreal—pushing the narrative that machines could replace flawed humans. Discover the culture of minimalist design and automation erasing visible human labor, while figures like Musk and Altman fuel the fantasy of uploadable consciousness. Uncover the environmental costs of rapidly deployed AI and the moral dilemmas surrounding the future of society.

Investigative reporter Joe Cox from 404 Media dives into ICE's alarming new surveillance technologies, Tangles and WebLock. He explains how these tools can track everyone's phone movements in real-time, from work to home. Joe reveals the intricate ways the ad industry exploits location data, which governments buy for monitoring purposes. The discussion also touches on the chilling effects on free speech and protests, legislative responses to protect privacy, and practical steps individuals can take to safeguard their data. It's a deep and thought-provoking exploration of digital surveillance.

Ashley St Clair, a conservative influencer and former Turning Point USA figure, discusses her transformative journey after personal experiences shifted her views on trans rights and AI. She recounts the shock of discovering deepfake images created by Elon Musk's Grok and criticizes the platform's response. Reflecting on her past in the MAGA ecosystem, Ashley shares insights about how exposure to cruelty against trans individuals changed her perspective. The conversation explores the complexities of her political evolution and the challenges of navigating the influencer landscape.

In this enlightening discussion, Michael Stabile, Director of Public Policy at the Free Speech Coalition, highlights the alarming implications of the SCREEN Act, a law masquerading as a child safety measure. He reveals its roots in conservative circles and discusses the risks of mandatory age verification and identity checks. Stabile warns of the chilling effects on privacy and the potential push to ban VPNs, while emphasizing the need for collective action against these encroachments on free speech. Tune in for a critical analysis of legislation that threatens online freedoms.