Better Offline
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build.
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.
Episodes
Mentioned books
9 snips
Apr 24, 2024 • 34min
How Managers Are Breaking The Internet
Management consultant Ed Zitron discusses the growth-driven mindset in tech companies like Google and Meta, leading to profit over user experience. Topics include the impact of aggressive advertising, degraded search quality, misleading data in media companies, and the exploitative nature of tech companies profiting from user data.
7 snips
Apr 17, 2024 • 37min
How A Chinese Glycine Manufacturer Went Viral ft. Louise Matsakis and Tianyu Fang
Louise Matsakis and Tianyu Fang discuss the viral trend of a Chinese glycine manufacturer on TikTok, exploring cultural nuances, marketing strategies, labor rights violations, and the quirky side of Chinese social media. They debunk misconceptions, celebrate diverse perspectives, and address concerns about xenophobia.
62 snips
Apr 12, 2024 • 48min
The AI Bubble Is Bursting
Explore the potential burst of the AI bubble as the podcast delves into the drawbacks of generative AI technology, financial challenges faced by AI companies, deception in the industry, and the reality of AI revenue growth. Reflect on the rise and fall of a crypto startup founder, industry skepticism towards generative AI, and the theme song composer details for the show.
23 snips
Apr 10, 2024 • 30min
Are We At Peak AI?
AI expert Ed Zitron discusses the limitations of Large Language Models like ChatGPT. He highlights the four intractable problems stopping these models, which may indicate we're at the peak of generative AI capabilities. Dive into the challenges of AI hype, synthetic data risks, and doubts about the future profitability of AI technology.
30 snips
Apr 3, 2024 • 37min
Wikipedia Is All The Web Has Left ft. Molly White
Molly White, an 18-year Wikipedia veteran, joins to discuss Wikipedia's reliability, volunteer network, financial structure. Topics include quality control, lack of compensation, notability criteria, ad-free model, AI integration, Google's impact on traffic, and the importance of human-reviewed content.
14 snips
Mar 27, 2024 • 49min
Rich Idiots Are Killing The Media To Please The Tech Industry
Ed Zitron discusses how the startup mindset has devastated media outlets like Sports Illustrated and VICE due to profit-focused decisions and neglect of quality journalism. The podcast explores the impact of prioritizing tech giants over content creators, the challenges of profit-driven strategies on the media industry, and the importance of valuing authentic relationships and quality content for the future of journalism.
13 snips
Mar 20, 2024 • 54min
How Growth Is Killing Tech's Innovation, ft. Robert Evans
Discussion on how the growth-driven mindset in tech hinders innovation, with examples of unsustainable businesses, inflated valuations, and lack of genuine advancements. Critique of prioritizing profits over creativity, societal impacts of tech elites disconnect, and call for ethical innovation.
11 snips
Mar 13, 2024 • 45min
Musk's Uncharitable Charity ft. David Fahrenthold
Exploring Elon Musk's controversial Musk Foundation, the podcast features insights from a Pulitzer-prize winning reporter on its questionable charitable practices. Discussions include failure to meet legal donation requirements, ties to Musk's personal interests, criticisms of benefiting Musk and his businesses, non-profit school operations, lack of transparency, and comparisons to Trump Foundation's charitable practices.
25 snips
Mar 6, 2024 • 39min
The Metaverse: How Mark Zuckerberg Lied To The World
Critiquing Mark Zuckerberg's deceptive renaming of Facebook to Meta as a metaverse company, uncovering the tech industry's wastage on an ambiguous concept. Exploring the unclear definitions and questionable investments in virtual reality, shedding light on the contradictions and conflicts surrounding the metaverse hype. Delving into the illusion of luxury in the metaverse, contrasting it with affordable options by Quince, and critiquing the exploitation and deception by metaverse companies like Skymavis' Axie Infinity.
15 snips
Mar 1, 2024 • 47min
How The Winklevoss Twins Lost A Billion Dollars
Discover how the Winklevoss twins lost over a billion dollars in a shady loan scheme at their cryptocurrency exchange. From being conned by Zuckerberg to conning thousands into risky investments, the episode reveals financial chaos, fraud, and lawsuits in the crypto industry. Unveiling deceit, mismanagement, and legal battles, it showcases the lack of transparency and accountability in high-stakes dealings.
