The 404 Media Podcast

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 you’ll read, and hear, stories you can’t find anywhere else written by journalists who are leading experts on their beats. Subscribe to 404 Media at 404media.co to gain access to an ad-free version of this podcast, as well as a bonus podcast episodes. Subscribers are the bedrock of building a sustainable business for our journalism.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Recent Episodes
  • Cops Are Using AI Bots to Surveil People
    Apr 23, 2025 – 54:19
  • AI Slop Is Breaking the Internet as We Know It (Live at SXSW)
    Apr 18, 2025 – 59:54
  • Inside the ICE Deportation Tool
    Apr 16, 2025 – 43:55
  • How a $2,000 'Made in the USA' Phone Is Manufactured
    Apr 10, 2025 – 01:06:34
  • The FBI Secretly Ran a Massive Money Laundering Ring
    Apr 9, 2025 – 57:15
  • OpenAI's Studio Ghibli AI: 'An Insult to Life Itself'
    Apr 2, 2025 – 50:10
  • The DNA of 15 Million People Is For Sale
    Mar 26, 2025 – 48:51
  • The Websites An ICE Contractor is Monitoring
    Mar 19, 2025 – 42:46
  • We're Not Ready for Chinese AI Video Generators
    Mar 12, 2025 – 47:19
  • The Tesla Protests Come for Cybertruck Owners
    Mar 5, 2025 – 43:31
  • The Rise of AI Book Ripoffs
    Feb 26, 2025 – 42:44
  • DOGE's Website, Hacked
    Feb 19, 2025 – 39:43
  • AI Is Breaking Our Brains
    Feb 12, 2025 – 51:21
  • Inside Musk’s Government Takeover
    Feb 5, 2025 – 49:39
  • The Truth Behind DeepSeek
    Jan 29, 2025 – 55:15
  • Pornhub Exec Discusses Pulling Out of the South, Trad Wives, and Feet Pics
    Jan 27, 2025 – 54:25
  • TikTok and the Tech Oligarchy
    Jan 22, 2025 – 49:30
  • Total Chaos at Meta
    Jan 15, 2025 – 55:05
  • Meta Goes Mask Off
    Jan 8, 2025 – 50:31
  • The 404 Media Year in Review
    Dec 31, 2024 – 01:06:24
  • Why We Cover AI the Way We Do
    Dec 25, 2024 – 01:03:35
  • The New Jersey Drone Panic
    Dec 18, 2024 – 42:18
  • 3D Printed Guns and UnitedHealthcare
    Dec 11, 2024 – 59:43
  • Your Bluesky Posts Are Probably Training AI
    Dec 4, 2024 – 43:39
  • Pokémon Go to The Military Industrial Complex
    Nov 27, 2024 – 51:01
  • Buzzfeed's AI Ads Are a Disaster
    Nov 20, 2024 – 46:03
  • How AI Is Being Used by Hackers and Criminals (Sponsored)
    Nov 15, 2024 – 30:34
  • How Apple is Locking Out Cops
    Nov 13, 2024 – 48:19
  • The Plan to Use AI to Purge Voter Rolls
    Nov 6, 2024 – 46:01
  • An Elon Musk-Funded PAC Is Running a Democrat Impersonation Campaign
    Oct 30, 2024 – 50:13
  • How Politician Turned Advocate Susanna Gibson Battles Non-Consensual Imagery
    Oct 25, 2024 – 01:02:59
  • How the U.S. Government Tracks Your Phone
    Oct 23, 2024 – 55:03
  • Why the WordPress Chaos Matters
    Oct 16, 2024 – 44:21
  • The Smart Glasses That Dox Strangers
    Oct 9, 2024 – 45:39
  • One Year Anniversary Subscriber Bonanza
    Oct 4, 2024 – 06:40
  • AI Companies Are Opting You In By Default
    Oct 2, 2024 – 40:47
  • Telegram is Working With the Cops
    Sep 25, 2024 – 46:35
  • Hezbollah's Exploding Pagers
    Sep 18, 2024 – 44:23
  • Fraudsters: 'We Know Where You Live'
    Sep 11, 2024 – 40:46
  • Is Criticizing AI Ableist?
    Sep 4, 2024 – 38:59
  • The Arrest of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov
    Aug 28, 2024 – 46:18
  • A Whirlwind Tour of DEF CON
    Aug 25, 2024 – 01:40
  • How Taylor Swift Could Sue Trump for AI Images
    Aug 21, 2024 – 36:15
  • The OSINT Hunt for a Sex Trafficking Ringleader
    Aug 14, 2024 – 43:07
  • The Massive Nvidia Leak
    Aug 7, 2024 – 48:41
  • Signal's Meredith Whittaker on Backdoors and AI
    Aug 2, 2024 – 50:00
  • Google, Reddit, and the Robots.txt Rebellion
    Jul 31, 2024 – 46:05
  • The CrowdStrike Outage
    Jul 24, 2024 – 40:14
  • The Worst Telecom Breach Ever
    Jul 17, 2024 – 42:24
  • The Ticketmaster Hack
    Jul 10, 2024 – 42:29
Recent Reviews
  • arm twisted
    Consistently best reporting on tech
    404 Media is consistently one of the best sources for deeply reported, reality-based journalism on tech, including “AI”. The podcast provides deeper (and very engaging) discussions of a selection of stories each episode and is a fantastic way to stay up-to-date.
  • M.J.Red
    Subscribe
    Only podcast I pay for. Well worth it. Support independent journalism.
  • Amblin42
    Great topics and good show
    They go deep into interesting and important topics. Worth a listen.
  • Bread Pirate
    If you’re interested in the intersection of tech, dark web, sex, govt surveillance this is the pod!
    I’ve been following 404media since their inception by way of Remap Radio (formerly known as Waypoint). I immediately started listening to their podcast, and when I have time reading their articles. They ran a deal on their yearly subscription last Fall that I immediately jumped on and haven’t regretted it. I’m in a tight budget as a grad student, but I really value getting high quality news and supporting independent journalists. I like that I know my money is directly supporting the writers. Each of the cohosts are so cool and smart and I love feeling like I’m a fly on the wall listening to them talk about their latest scoops. I’m so excited to see where they take 404media moving forward. Cheers!
  • msl12345
    A+
    Smart, interesting, and necessary reporting. Keep it up!
  • Upgrayedd_
    Uncompromising Tech Journalism
    I have been a paying subscriber to 404 Media for a while now and it has been a great decision. The stories are deeply researched and well reported. Listening to Sam, Emanuel, Joseph and Jason talk about the stories they are reporting is extremely engaging. As someone who is a big tech enthusiast, but also deeply skeptical of many tech industry practices, the viewpoints presented by 404 are invaluable.
  • professor dane
    best reporting on tech and politics
    these folks are the real deal. they are doing serious, quality original reporting in all aspects of the tech world and its impact on politics, culture, and beyond. listen and support!
  • digitaltammi
    A subscription to 404 Media is money well spent
    became a subscriber after listening to two episodes almost a year ago. The reporters are covering topics that corporate media tends to miss or not cover at all. Technology is a major part of the world we live in and if you’re not reading tech news, you’re missing a big part of what’s going on.
  • GT in ID
    Great podcast
    If you want independent journalism I highly recommend 404 Podcast. I rely on their reporting for most of my information about the current situation in AI and tech industry. As well as issues around privacy and technology powered abuses.
  • Ace of Base10
    Leading the Pack
    The team at 404 provides comprehensive reporting days or weeks before the stories make it to mainstream media. Their reporting is highly detailed and uniquely relevant. Where lesser journalists “hand wave” their way to a conclusion, 404 goes out of their way to address any limitations or dead ends encountered in their investigations. I’m a paying subscriber and will for a long time!
  • Quattuor
    Fantastic additions to their reporting
    This podcast provides so much additional insight to the reporting done by 404 media. There’s so much more to their reporting that gets brought out in their conversations.
  • lexan71
    Real Tech Journalism!
    This is one of the best tech reporting podcasts I’ve come across. They’re not cheerleaders for big tech unlike other popular sites. They’re owned and operated by really talented and experienced reporters that do their own investigation and writing. Top notch!
  • Mouse2335
    A Way to Stay Oriented in a Disorienting World
    These people help me make some kind of sense of the tech world, and also occasionally validate my belief that there is no sense to be had in some tech spaces so it's time to stop trying to find the logic in them. Very helpful, and also generally entertaining.
  • Elteege
    Unique stories and coverage
    Love their reporting. They cover news that’s not getting picked up by bigger outlets.
  • Gaulk
    👍
    A good listen for empathetic, independent, and rigorous tech-oriented journalism.
  • jblobdog1992
    Essential Journalism
    I can’t say enough good things about this podcast. If you are even a little bit interested in tech news from an independent perspective, this is the show for you!
  • smallerdemon
    Great Reporting and Discussions
    404 Media as a podcast is great, but the real part of their operation is at the 404 Media website. Their reporting is thorough, well-sourced, well-written, and consist of sometimes revelatory stories that surprise you and other times confirmation of what you suspect all along behind the tech industry. It is one of two reporting related subscriptions I continue to pay for, and if I have to drop one ever it will not be 404 Media. They are on the long-term, permanent subscribe list in order to provide resources to reporters doing everything they can to make sure we know exactly how the tech industry kowtows governments and other influences as long as it makes their tech-bro friend rich.
  • gentlereminder
    This is what journalism looks like
    Independent in-depth investigative journalism about things that matter. Breaking news in tech and the world. Produced by a small cadre of professional journalists with high ethical standards for news reporting. This is one of the few news sources I subscribe to.
  • AKBnPDX
    With so much chaos & hidden activity in our world…
    It’s nice to have a podcast like 404 Media that seeks truth, exposes hidden tech uses, tells it like it is all with a good dose of humor & voice. Independently journalist owned, 404 Media podcast is a must listen to stay informed in this crazy world!
  • JonSnow78
    Simply the Best Tech reporting online and irl
    404 Media is the only truly reliable and in depth source of information about what actually is happening in tech and the social repercussions of it. They are always the first to talk about our shared online experiences a dig deep into what’s going on. Without it I would feel much less aware of my online surroundings
  • Johnnnnnn222
    Support journalists
    Good journalism is good
  • somenickname$@(&
    Some of the best journalists in the business
    These folks are industry vets and some of the few I trust. I mainly listen to the subscribers feed and I can attest it's worth my time. I don't read all their articles and so I get a glimpse of news I might not have otherwise read
  • rowdymouse
    The only news podcast I listen to
    I appreciate this podcast because it’s refreshing to hear knowledgeable, level-headed folks talking about the tech-related news of the week without too much formality or meandering. I’m a fan of 404’s written pieces, but sometimes the podcast format is more convenient and adds a little more context.
  • Discerning Iistener
    Essential!
    Essential listening.
  • LauraSJ
    Real Journalism
    404 Media a podcast hosted by real journalists. They do the footwork of journalism: researching topics, speaking to sources, requesting documents, and breaking new stories before reporting on them. Plus, they are a fun group to listen to and have a great way of interacting with each other that makes the news feel relevant and interesting. Highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for in-depth reporting with flair.
  • axemtitanium
    A tech podcast about humans
    Sam, Jason, Emanuel, and Joseph punch way, way, way above their weight in their respective beats. The podcast is a fantastic companion to their written reporting, which often goes into the practical realities of journalism. These guys are the real deal.
  • this A.O.
    Note on the April 2nd 2025 show referencing animation
    Inbetweeners have existed since the earliest days of animation. It was an entry level job that could be a stepping stone to director. You can check books on Disney or Warner Brothers as reference or ping animation historians with an online presence. Good podcast BTW
  • cosmographia
    My favorite podcast right now
    I’ve been binging all the episodes after discovering this podcast. The journalism is fantastic: it’s thorough and in-depth and there’s a lot the 404media team are reporting that I haven’t heard about anywhere else
  • LeftistTechBro
    Good writing
    Good show
  • JLoJax
    Poorly sourced reporting
    I really want to like this podcast but the reporting is so poorly sourced that the commentary is on the level of “vibes” and “people online are saying” and even those comments is not complete or accurate. Research better, people. It’s not a sin to know things.
  • Ashleyoftheriver
    Must listen!
    I love their discussions of the issues. Relevant and intelligent analysis of what is happening,
  • lu and ru fan
    hot boomer takes
    …from the kind of people who are proud they don’t get TikTok. A improvised centrist’s Tech Won’t Save Us
  • Azroute
    Like it’s pretty good, like
    Many good reports, but consider using AI for the good and edit out the constant use of “like”.
  • Gkstark
    Unbearable
    The one guy talks like a 13-year-old girl. If you took one pull of beer every time you heard “like” you’d be passed out within 5 minutes. Like, totally. But, like, really, he thinks he’s, like, so smart. Torturous.
  • Micah V
    Essential listening
    I learn something from every show and I’m a tech nerd who likes to stay on top of things.
  • tHe bE3s kNeeS1
    Finally find Jason &Joesph from CYBER!!!!!!!!
    Thank for not giving up on podcasting I never knew y’all made a new podcast haha that’s unfortunate for VICE!! Yeeeee haaaaa
  • PDXCrow
    Unequaled value
    404 Media must surely be the most efficient value in tech media that exists today. The output and consequential change that these four journalists are able to produce week after week is astounding. And the reporting and podcasts are just as efficient. You get the necessary context, the facts and implications plus any outcomes from their work with little to no fluff or filler, while they still maintain a sense of humor and personality that makes it feel very accessible and human. This is what quality journalism looks like.
  • whiteblazer
    Good niche topics. Plodding and boring as heck
    I could listen at 3x. Makes me want to jump off a cliff when i listen since its so humorless and meh. These folks talk so slow. Get an editor. Take out the pauses and stammers.
  • AndrewNeel
    Brilliant, honest, accessible tech journalism
    This podcast is restoring my hope in tech media. From the at-times absurd stories (about them scraping their own writing to create an AI-generated content site to show how that process works) to the breaking news (the Runway document link) this podcast and the team behind 404 Media is insightful, fun, and deeply trustworthy. The fact this company is journalist-owned is the cherry on top. Highly recommend.
  • We are dieing
    Out put DB is too low
    Hey guys, bass way to low and general output nearly half any other podcast. -12 db should your standard out level.
  • Cade2424
    General review
    Good in depth, well written, podcast enjoy listening to it. Very informative.
  • vwell
    Simple effective journalism
    This podcast is so refreshing. Strip away all the excessive production that many of the others seem to rely on, almost as a crutch, music and all, and you get this podcast. Talk to the person who wrote the story and get the information. It's succinct and covers stories that don't seem to be reported elsewhere, at least not as thoroughly. Really enjoy this podcast. Always gives me things to think about and share with others. Thank you. keep up the excellent work.
  • Sergio the BEAST
    Following
    I found the stories that these journalists write about very interesting & I became a personal fan of their writing & style so when they dropped their former bosses & started 404 media I had to follow! Keep up the great work!!
  • Royce1629
    We need more independent journalism like this!
    I love getting the daily newsletter article in my inbox, and I love the in-depth reporting this podcast provides just as much!
  • Rye500000
    Don’t miss this podcast
    404 is one of the podcasts that I’ll play immediately when there’s a new episode. Real journalists doing real journalism that will get you stories before they’re trending on twitter. My only issue is that when it comes to AI they sometimes sound like horse riders in the 1920’s high-fiving each other as they dunk on automobiles and how hilarious it is that people think they’ll ever replace horses. I also think AI right now is still mostly sizzle, no steak and super cringe. But I think it’ll sneak into our lives like the internet did. And I remember people dunking on the WWW. I say this as an gen xer who first got online via Prodigy. But really everyone should listen to this podcast because these journalists are seriously in top of it. Their logo’s cool, too.
  • Vtlynch
    Important Independent research
    404 is on the cutting edge
  • Oh my goodness 123
    Independent Journalism At Its Finest
    In the face of cuts and layoffs across the media landscape, 404 Media are the real deal. Really excellent reporting.
  • Middle Toe
    Incredible Reporting
    404 Media’s journalism has immediately had an outsized impact for their size. Fantastic stories about the tech world covered in a way no one else is, and are genuinely making a difference
  • It, son of Them
    highly recommended
    I am more or less constantly sending 404 media articles to my friends - the journalists who make up 404 media do really phenomenal work - this podcast also is excellent
  • Friendliestmilk
    Great Podcast
    I'm a new subscriber to 404 Media and really appreciate how this podcast allows me to catch up on what 404 Media has been doing. For me, the reporting also fills the gap left by The Content Mines, and then some. I enjoy the way the stories cover the intersection between technology, crime, and content moderation.
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