Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt discusses how smartphones are fueling a teen mental health crisis on the podcast. They explore negative impacts on attention spans, relationships, and politics. They also touch on societal pressures, addictive nature of social media, and influence on political trust and polarization.

Journalist Sasha Issenberg discusses defeating conservatives in a truth-agnostic world with host Jon Favreau. They explore adapting to the Trumpy social media landscape, tackling disinformation, Democratic campaign strategies, countering misinformation, the challenges of online communication, and empowering supporters in a decentralized environment.

Critic Emily St. James and Crooked’s Halle Kiefer discuss 'WALL-E.' They explore the film's portrayal of technology addiction, fatness, and cancel culture. Themes include human-technology relationships, eco-pocalypse, and changing perceptions of tech brands. The conversation reflects on society's reliance on technology post-pandemic and parallels between 'Wall-E' and modern films.

Peter McIndoe, Birds Aren’t Real founder, discusses the allure of conspiracy theories and the impact of false realities. They also explore TikTok's influence on the election, Google's comical search results, and the 'Birds Aren't Real' movement's growth. The conversation delves into the power of social media activism and mobilizing young people for advocacy.

Guests Jamelle Bouie and Erin Ryan discuss how 'The Matrix' shaped modern online culture, inspired tech bros, trans allegory, red pill concept, nightmare fan theory, societal interpretations, critique of internet personas, allegorical nature for social media, reimagining the movie for today, living in a simulation, iconic screensaver, reflections on cultural and economic conditions, exploring AI reactions and philosophical concepts.

Professor Neil Van Leeuwen discusses the difference between thinking and believing, groupish thought, and the similarities between religious creeds and political ideologies. They also delve into Scarlett Johansson's AI controversy, the impact of misinformation in the digital era, and the emotional responses triggered when symbolic beliefs are challenged.

Writer and journalist Ezra Klein discusses the implications of AI on relationships inspired by the movie 'Her'. They debate emotional stakes in AI, AI's impact on relationships, and the resemblance of GPT-4o to Scarlett Johansson's voice.

AI's flirty upgrade with Chat GPT, Facebook's zombie internet, and the potential negative impact of mental health curricula in schools are discussed. The AI chatbot evokes Scarlett Johansson, while Facebook struggles with spam problems. The podcast also delves into the unintended consequences of algorithms on social media and the influence of therapy on teen mental health.

Crooked Executive Producer Kendra James and Jon Lovett discuss 'You've Got Mail' and its portrayal of '90s internet culture, including the shift from traditional mail to email, the impact of the internet on personal lives, and the dual identities maintained online. They also explore the nostalgia of AOL, online dating stigma, and the economy of the era.

Exploring AI friendships, benefits of smartphone bans in schools, and the rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Plus, a new East vs. West rivalry takes shape for Vote Save America's campaign.