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Off The Hook

2600 Enterprises
WBAI
Artificial Intelligence
ICE
Google
Cybersecurity
Twitter
Trump Administration
Privacy
Social Media
ICE Detention
Hacking
Drones
Habeas Corpus
New York City
Elon Musk
Defcon
Political Asylum
Internet Archive
Donald Trump
Human Rights

Off The Hook a podcast from 2600: The Hacker Quarterly. It discusses the hacker's view of the emerging technology, and the threats posed by an increasingly Orwellian society. Hear updates on security flaws from the hacker perspective, as well as the latest news from within the hacker community. Follow us on Twitter @HackerRadioShow and Mastodon @OffTheHook@masto.hackers.town

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes23Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsTechnology

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Artwork for Off The Hook

Latest Episodes

Short staffed, man sentenced to prison for AI-assisted music streaming fraud, bill introduced to ban Flock cameras, protecting AM radio, ICE blocked from making arrests at courthouses, listener mail, ICANN reveals new gTLDs.

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Kyle is still out, more info on the ShinyHunters FBI hack, FBI wants to open a dialog, concern for the hackers, more revelations about AI going rogue, listener phone calls.

YouTube

Kyle is in the Pacific Northwest, Alex explains his absence two weeks ago, air traffic control problems, Trump renames AI, flaws in the system, FBI hacked by ShinyHunters, Australia considering ban on smart glasses.

YouTube

Alex is back in NY, warnings about AI, how much is hype vs realty, who do we trust, what can we do now.

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Renoly Santiago
Actor known for Phantom Freak and The King of Ninex
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:00 EST
Cindy Cohn
Former executive director of Electronic Frontier Foundation
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:00 EST
Nish Telu
CEO of Provado, privacy protection advocate
Provado
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:00 EST
Mikhail Thelen
Journalist who covered BlueLeaks and related topics
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:00 EST
Julie Jamison
Musician whose work was featured at the conference
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:00 EST
Effie Urbellas
Former prosecutor, discusses technology in prosecutions and domestic violence,
Brooklyn DA's Office (Technology and Litigation Bureau) and NYS Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 12 Aug 2026 19:00:00 EST
Rob T. Firefly
Guest in Signaland segment
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 06 May 2026 19:00:00 EST
Emma Best
Investigative journalist and transparency advocate
Distributed Denial of Secrets
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 26 Nov 2025 19:00:00 EST
Cody Cosiamba
Founder of the No Longer Evil Thermostat Project
No Longer Evil
Episode: Off The Hook - Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:00:00 EST

Hosts

Emmanuel Goldstein
Host with deep roots in hacker culture and long-running association with the publication; central figure in governance and tech policy debates.
Kyle
Co-host and engineer; frequent contributor to discussions with a practical, hacker-culture perspective.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 215 ratings
  • Great podcast

    I started listening a year ago, listen to every episode now. Only feedback is sometimes Alex or another person makes a good point and Emmanuel will come down on them. For example, episodes ago about NYC snow days and Alex saying not all families have devices for kids at home to use for learning, very valid point, but Emmanuel made it into an issue of Alex not liking Mamdani

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Darbycrash1
    United States4 months ago
  • Very real, and as a result, very rough. Some real gems in there sometimes though.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    TheNunnceler
    a year ago
  • Long time off the hook listener.

    Never miss an episode. Long, long, long time listener. Important show. Now more than ever. Thanks to, & support WBAI too.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lgavs
    United Statesa year ago
  • Dude….

    What’s with all the politics on this one? I can’t handle it anymore. I didn’t start listening to this show for political commentary and it’s gotten to be like 50% of the episodes. So here is a 1 star review. Do better. Start a different show for your politics.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Kyles ipad12345678901
    United Statesa year ago
  • Buy American

    Trump and .Elon train. Too political we want a tech show! Also…. Apologize for this below.

    They are mad a judge ruled the cdc was not able to dictate masks. Boo hoo. Read the science on masks and also wear one 24/7 if you like but don’t force me when masks don’t help. Look at the data for Sweden and Florida compared to CA and NY.

    Now lately, it’s boo-hoo Elon musk and Twitter are bad. How about you guys start talking about technology again instead of politics

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Shannon30338
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audio quality and production sometimes criticized relative to polished podcasts.
Listeners appreciate the depth on security and policy, but some feel politics overwhelm technical content at times.
The show is valued for its candid, independent hacking community perspective and long-running history.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#182
Poland/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Off The Hook - Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:00 EST
Q: How should institutions respond to data breaches when dealing with large vendors like Instructure?
They suggest immediate incident response, transparency with affected users, and re-evaluating procurement choices toward open-source or locally controlled solutions.
Off The Hook - Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:00 EST
Q: What do you do at that point when you realize you are surveilled by wearable tech?
They discuss awareness, practical steps for personal safety, and the need for better detection and notification mechanisms to protect bystanders.
Off The Hook - Wed, 13 May 2026 19:00:00 EST
Q: Can I ask a question? Why?
The hosts respond by discussing the broader implications of centralized systems in education and security, questioning why schools outsource critical functions and how that affects local control and safety.
Off The Hook - Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:00:00 EST
Q: Who would like to begin?
Alex volunteers to start, arguing from both child safety and freedom perspectives before the group explores the tradeoffs of age verification and design. The discussion then broadens to how these tools interact with platforms, OSes, and user behavior.
Off The Hook - Wed, 04 Feb 2026 19:00:00 EST
Q: How do people who either are lawyers or are assumed to be lawyers get started with this? Is there a site they can go to or a place they can show up?
Check out Immigrant Arc. It's a not-for-profit where lots of lawyers are volunteering. You just need to be admitted to the Southern District of New York or the Eastern District of New York.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Gender Skew
Location
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Off The Hook

What is Off The Hook about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A long-running, hacker-aligned tech and policy show that blends in-depth analysis of security, privacy, and governance with personal anecdotes and culture from the broader tech community. Episodes often feature roundtable discussions among a rotating cast of hosts and guests, tackling topics like AI, surveillance, data centers, encryption, and civil liberties, all through a skeptical, community-driven lens. The format tends to mix technical critique with sharp political commentary, practical security tips, and occasional lighter, travel or culture anecdotes, making it appealing to listeners who want both the technical stakes and the societal implications. A notable strength is the consistent engagement with open-source, decentralization, an... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Off The Hook?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Off The Hook:

1. Off The Wall
2. The 404 Media Podcast
3. Hacked
4. Darknet Diaries
5. Risky Bulletin

How many episodes of Off The Hook are there?

Off The Hook launched 21 years ago and published 23 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Off The Hook?

Recent guests on Off The Hook include:

1. Renoly Santiago
2. Cindy Cohn
3. Nish Telu
4. Mikhail Thelen
5. Julie Jamison
6. Effie Urbellas
7. Rob T. Firefly
8. Emma Best

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