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Artwork for The 404 Media Podcast

The 404 Media Podcast

404 Media
Artificial Intelligence
ICE
Privacy
Flock
Cybersecurity
Openai
Generative AI
Microsoft
Data Privacy
Surveillance
Reddit
Meta
Social Media
Encryption
Surveillance Technology
Google
4chan
Elon Musk
AI Technology
Ai-Generated Content

Welcome to the podcast from 404 Media where Joseph, Sam, Emanuel, and Jason catch you up on the stories we published this week. 404 Media is a journalist-owned digital media company exploring the way technology is shaping–and is shaped by–our world. We bring you unparalleled access to hidden worlds both online and IRL through investigative reporting, smart blogging, and breaking news. At 404 Media... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes230Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Tech NewsNewsTechnology

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Artwork for The 404 Media Podcast

Latest Episodes

Big tech is rushing to build hundreds of data centers across the planet to keep up with the computing demand of artificial intelligence. The tech companies are promising the massive buildings will bring jobs and prosperity when they’re built, but com... more

YouTube

We start this week with Joseph’s article about Raven, previously known as Geospy. This is an AI tool that can geolocate photos, and now says it can pinpoint a specific house based just on one photo taken inside. After the break, Jason explains why a ... more

YouTube

Sponsor: Take back control today: go to incogni.com/404media and use code 404MEDIA for 60% off an annual plan. That's incogni.com/404media, promo code 404MEDIA—risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen bec... more

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We start this week with a story from our old friend Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, about how cops can bypass the inactivity reboot on iPhones. After the break, Jason tells us how people are losing their minds over an LLM ‘torture’ prison. In the subs... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Frances Haugen
Meta whistleblower, journalist and advocate
Facebook/Meta (former); whistleblower advocate
Episode: The Social Reckoning’s Real-Life Whistleblower
Becky Ferreira
Writer for The Abstract; author of First Encounters
The Abstract / Forklift Media
Episode: 404 Media Live! The Three Year Anniversary Show
Jason Kint
CEO of Digital Content Next
Digital Content Next
Episode: AI Companies Scraped the Web and Are Destroying the Human Internet
Nadim Khan
CEO of Vedismo Intelligence Hub
Vedismo
Episode: The FBI Was Hacked. We’ve Seen the Data
Kashmir Hill
Reporter at The New York Times, author of Your Face Belongs to Us, A Tale of AI, A Secret of Startup, and The End of Privacy
The New York Times
Episode: The End of Privacy Is Here (with Kashmir Hill)
Sherry Turkle
Licensed clinical psychologist, MIT professor, author
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Episode: Is AI Making Us Less Human?
Sam Biddle
Intercept reporter focusing on surveillance, privacy, and corporate power
The Intercept
Episode: 404 Media x The Intercept LIVE: How AI Is Used to Surveil and Kill
Jason Koebler
Co-founder of 404 Media, writes about surveillance and AI
404 Media
Episode: 404 Media x The Intercept LIVE: How AI Is Used to Surveil and Kill
Jennie Rose Halperin
Executive Director of Library Futures, a non-profit advocating for fair digital access for libraries
Library Futures
Episode: Fighting for the Future of Libraries (With Jennie Rose Halperin)

Hosts

Joseph Cox
Host of 404 Media Podcast; long-running lead host known for investigative tech reporting and coverage of surveillance, privacy, and platform governance.
Sam Cole
Co-host and journalist with a focus on investigative reporting and tech policy.
Emanuel Maiberg
Co-host and co-founder contributing reporting on technology, AI, and media.
Jason Koebler
Co-host and co-founder; leads investigative tech coverage and panel discussions.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • a such

    informative channel i already tell from the first episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    givememyalias
    South Korea2 months ago
  • Has potential

    While I enjoy the topics, the hosts saying, “like”, every 5 words makes this podcast unlistenable.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    JDHappy
    United States3 months ago
  • Best tech podcast, easily

    If you care about personal security issues, AI issues, freedom of internet issues, or just tech in general and what it is doing to us, this is the place to go. These are talented and passionate journalists working at the top of their game, independently, to verify stories and present real facts. Their stories are regularly quoted and referenced by more mainstream news outlets. Sometimes they break the news first. Sometimes they offer excellent insight into news already broken. 404 is one of the ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    warmgunn
    United States4 months ago
  • Left wing Drivel at times

    It’s not okay to subvert a legal process to remove aliens and send them back home. It’s called being a country. Every country has this. There is a legal process to be in the country and everyone must follow it. Stop trying to demonize ICE.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    wakefoot
    United States4 months ago
  • Excellent insight into rapid changes in tech

    I would recommend this podcast and the associated written content created by 404 Media for anyone who wants to keep abreast of the changing landscape of technology. Thank you to the show creators.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zippylips
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Appreciation for timely coverage of underreported tech and policy stories.
Listeners praise rigorous, independent reporting and insightful interviews with expert guests.
Praise for linking issues to broader societal impacts beyond tech headlines.
Some critique cadence and repetitive phrasing, calling for tighter editing and production polish.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#3
United States/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#239
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#3
Canada/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#8
United Kingdom/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#248
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#6
Australia/News/Tech News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

404 Media Live! The Three Year Anniversary Show
Q: How do you balance reporting on local issues versus national or global issues?
The group discussed that very specific, local stories can reveal universal themes and inform broader debates, while maintaining a pipeline to broader coverage by connecting local findings to national conversations and using iterative storytelling to keep topics fresh.
The End of Privacy Is Here (with Kashmir Hill)
Q: What is Meta currently planning with facial recognition in its smart glasses?
The conversation suggests Meta envisions glasses that are always on and passively collecting information to act as a helper, including identifying people you encounter, though officially they frame it as a limited, social-network-based identification rather than universal identification.
Is AI Making Us Less Human?
Q: What do you see as the end game of this technology—are there positive paths, or is the trajectory largely problematic?
She argues for staying in our lane with AI, recognizing useful applications while resisting reductions of essential human experiences like therapy, friendship, and education to chatbot interactions.
Is AI Making Us Less Human?
Q: Can you talk us through what you're seeing with the inner struggle around using chatbots as confidants?
Turkle explains the distinction between venting to a chatbot and engaging in a real, human conversation, noting that over-reliance on bots leads to de-skilling in human communication and worsens relational problems.
Fighting for the Future of Libraries (With Jennie Rose Halperin)
Q: Can you explain what SB1234 in Connecticut is, and why it mattered?
The Connecticut bill was a local advocacy effort linked to broader muscular efforts around e-book contracts; it aimed to reform terms and push for more fair pricing and access, though passage varied by state and the landscape remains complex. The takeaway is that local action informs broader national conversations and models for contract language.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About The 404 Media Podcast

What is The 404 Media Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features in-depth, often investigative tech journalism that tackles topics like AI, surveillance, privacy, and how digital ecosystems shape everyday life. Across episodes, the hosts routinely dissect powerful tech players, evolving security and policy issues, and the societal implications of rapid technical change. A standout element is the mix of tech-for-good rigor with candid on-the-record reporting, guest experts, and on-the-ground storytelling that pulls back the curtain on hidden systems and data practices. The format is sharp, script-free interview and panel-style conversations that frequently surface underreported stories with practical takeaways for policymakers, industry, and everyday users. Potential listeners who want c... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The 404 Media Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The 404 Media Podcast:

1. Tech Won't Save Us
2. Better Offline
3. Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000
4. This Machine Kills
5. Panic World

How many episodes of The 404 Media Podcast are there?

The 404 Media Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 230 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 The 404 Media Podcast?

Recent guests on The 404 Media Podcast include:

1. Frances Haugen
2. Becky Ferreira
3. Jason Kint
4. Nadim Khan
5. Kashmir Hill
6. Sherry Turkle
7. Sam Biddle
8. Jason Koebler

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