Foundering

Over the last few months, governments around the world have cracked down on bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. But one country is sticking to its crypto-friendly policies: Japan. This week on Decrypted, Bloomberg Technology's Yuji Nakamura and Aki Ito take you to Tokyo to meet the unlikely characters who helped turn Japan into the world's premier bitcoin hub, including investor Roger Ver, a.k.a. Bitcoin Jesus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the last few decades, Melinda Gates' philanthropy has taken her to all corners of the globe. But recently she's come to focus on an issue much closer to home: a dearth of women in tech. This week on Decrypted, Melinda sits down with Bloomberg Technology's Emily Chang to talk about her decision to back a venture capital firm run by two women, and what she hopes to achieve from that investment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Facebook reels from a public backlash over its handling of user data, former employees are starting to air their hesitations and criticisms of the company they helped build. This week, Bloomberg Technology's Sarah Frier and Aki Ito hear from these former insiders to examine the mistakes that led to the company’s crisis today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're hard at work on a new episode about Facebook's data scandal. We'll be publishing that later this week. Stay tuned.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the advent of the internet, local newspapers like the U.K.'s Bournemouth Daily Echo have been relentlessly cutting costs to survive. Now, another wave of change is approaching: automation. This week, Bloomberg Technology's Jeremy Kahn visits the Echo's newsroom, which has been experimenting with computer-generated stories produced by a project funded by Google. The technology's helping the paper's editors serve its readers with fewer journalists. But will automation ultimately end up taking even more jobs?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Abigail Stone decided to start an online candle company, she had neither investors nor a product. But she found an early ally in the branding agency Red Antler, which agreed to help her get her business off the ground in exchange for a cut of her company. This week, Bloomberg Technology's Jing Cao and Brad Stone follow Abigail in the frenzied months leading up to and following the launch of her startup Otherland. Along the way, we'll see how much Red Antler can help an unknown entrepreneur stand out in the highly-competitive e-commerce industry—and we'll judge whether its services are worth the considerable price.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the time he was 27, Hector Monsegur had become one of the most notorious hackers on the internet. With the vigilante group Anonymous and its offshoot LulzSec, he launched attacks against multibillion-dollar companies and governments around the world. But then he got caught. This week on Decrypted, Bloomberg Technology's Aki Ito and Brad Stone bring you his story in its entirety, in two episodes. Part 1 recounts Hector's childhood as he fell in love with the internet, and gradually descended into the world of cybercrime. Part 2 traces his complicated journey to rebuild his life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the time he was 27, Hector Monsegur had become one of the most notorious hackers on the internet. With the vigilante group Anonymous and its offshoot LulzSec, he launched attacks against multibillion-dollar companies and governments around the world. But then he got caught. This week on Decrypted, Bloomberg Technology's Aki Ito and Brad Stone bring you his story in its entirety, in two episodes. Part 1 recounts Hector's childhood as he fell in love with the internet, and gradually descended into the world of cybercrime. Part 2 traces his complicated journey to rebuild his life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Decrypted returns on March 6 with a brand new season. Here's a sneak peek of what's in store. We'll be releasing new episodes every Tuesday starting next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Brad and Aki have a special announcement: Decrypted will be on break for the next few weeks. The team's already hard at work on a bunch of new stories for 2018, and we promise they'll be worth the wait. In the meantime, happy holidays! We'll be back with weekly episodes in February. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.