Two very interesting announcements from the Adobe Max conference connect directly back to last week's conversation about digital rights attribution. The company is launching their AI image and video generation model called "Firefly," which has only been trained on licensed and public domain imagery. So: If tools like this could be vetted, would artists and regulators be comfortable with them? Links from this week's discussion: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2024/10/adobe-unveils-ai-video-generator-trained-on-licensed-content/ https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/16/24271338/adobe-sneaks-project-know-how-content-credentials https://www.theverge.com/c/24238422/podcast-etymology-term-history-tech-vergecast This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly every meme, YouTube video, and yes, even this very podcast, contains copyrighted work that may or may not be ... "officially" obtained. With millions of hours of audio and video uploaded to the Web every day, how can we possibly protect the intellectual property rights of creators? In short, we can't. BUT, laws and court cases dating back to the '90s have dramatically changed our perceptions of what intellectual property can be in an age where remix culture is the lifeblood of the Internet. This week on INFLUENCE, Duke University law professor Jennifer Jenkins joins Matt to unpack the differences between copyright, trademark, patents, fair use, and why Creative Commons and the public domain are so vital for online creativity. We also dig in on the ContentID algorithms that "police" copyright on large social platforms, and what the hell to do about generative AI that synthesizes new content from billions of copyrighted works. Learn more about Jennifer's work here: https://law.duke.edu/fac/jenkins And subscribe to her Public Domain Day blog! https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2024/ This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When "Thorsten A. Integrity" created a trivia challenge for his co-workers in 1997, he never dreamed it would become the Internet's most exclusive knowledge battleground. The proprietor of LearnedLeague (whose *actual* name is Shayne Bushfield) built a thoughtful trivia tournament on defense mechanics and the honor system. And when it finally got online, his core group remained small for more than a decade. But as friends referred friends, the circle of vetted, honest players grew. And in the age where you can Google or ChatGPT nearly any answer, honor remains a cornerstone of the League's values. Today, tens of thousands of players (including some [REDACTED] celebrities!) compete in seasonal, head-to-head challenges, where knowing your opponent's track record is a huge part of the strategy. The community is so dedicated and insular that it has broken off into smaller sub-tournaments during the off-season. But you actually can't join LearnedLeargue ... unless someone on the inside invites you. What ran as a passion project for Shayne has turned into his full time job. He joins Matt to discuss the humble origins of the League, what makes for a great trivia question, the punishment for cheaters (spoiler: It's death), the value of knowledge in the age of the Internet, and why he has no reason to promote the League to new players. This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamie Baldanza has always been an animal lover. When the ad agency art director started posting her photos of local New Jersey horses online, the world took notice. Then, on a trip out to the American West, she brought back more than just stunning pics for the 'Gram. A life-changing passion for documenting and protecting wild horses took root. Since then, she's built a large online community of horse enthusiasts and conservation advocates who work to raise awareness around the plight of wild horses, whose existence is constantly threatened by land development in the region. Her work has culminated in the documentary film @WildLandsWildHorses which beautifully articulates the biology and ancestry of wild horses, and the conflict between ranchers, the U.S. government, and wildlife. The film is available on YouTube. Jamie (known online as @ThisMustangLife) sits down with Matt to discuss the family dynamics of wild herds, the epic challenge of tracking and photographing stallions, the terrible fate of horses rounded up for removal, why well-meaning horse advocates often go overboard on the Internet, and what it's like to build trust and companionship with these sentient creatures. Watch "Wild Lands Wild Horses" in its entirety on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lftvyrj4PY Follow Jamie on Instagram and TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/thismustanglife https://www.tiktok.com/@thismustanglife?lang=en This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YouTube recently announced two new features. "Veo" will allow users to create AI-generated clips and backgrounds for Shorts. And "Hype" is a new way for fans to support small and medium-sized channels. The former seems like a bad but inevitable feature that will flood YouTube with synthetic, low-effort content. But the latter could be a major leap forward in audience-first content discovery. Hype gives all users 3 votes every week. When cast for small creators, they earn points (and potentially revenue) that puts them in a global leaderboard. It's a non-algorithmic, human-powered way to surface the platform's best content, and divert some of the attention economy away from YouTube's 1% of large creators who dominate the home page and suggested videos. Plus: The FTC notices that social media business models are horrible, and the MrBeast lawsuits have begun. Links referenced in this episode: https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/19/24249073/ftc-data-retention-privacy-report-facebook-meta-youtube-reddit https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/18/youtube-shorts-to-integrate-veo-google-ai-video-model/ https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/18/24247995/youtube-hype-creators https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/mrbeast-amazon-sued-beast-games-contestants-class-action-1236148181/ https://newsletter.tubefilter.com/p/roblox-youtube-add-yours-shopify This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Hobbs was a working musician and the "house band" for an improv theater in Atlanta. Then the pandemic hit in 2020. With live performance on hold and life getting boring, he looked for musical inspiration at home. Luckily, his two adorable chihuahuas, Lenny and Mar-Pup, delivered. On a whim, he began writing short and ridiculous songs from the dogs' perspective and posting them on Instagram. The creative exercise got laughs from family, friends, and a small community of pet owners looking for fun at a dark time. In an effort to improve his skills, he wrote hundreds of these "Puppy Songs" while waiting to get back on stage. Then, TikTok happened. Puppy Songs exploded across the Internet, and Matt realized he was onto something. Some of his biggest hits, like "Cheese Tax," "Air Jail," and "Where the Heck Is Mom?" have been streamed nearly 100 million times across platforms. This week, Matt Hobbs joins Matt Silverman (2 Matts!) to talk about the craft of songwriting, what inspires him to make new videos, how social media is changing music, and turning Internet virality into a sustainable music career. PLUS: Ancient puppy trivia and an EXCLUSIVE announcement about Hobbs' upcoming project. Follow Puppy Songs: https://www.youtube.com/@UCp5Ytwj_TkbbfztidjFtXrw https://www.instagram.com/PuppySongs/ https://www.tiktok.com/@puppysongs This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Internet Archive, a non-profit repository for BILLIONS of pieces of media, has been lending digital books from its library since 2011 without a hitch. But in March 2020, they made one crucial mistake that now poses an existential threat to the online "Library of Alexandria." This week, The Internet Archive lost its appeal in a lawsuit brought by the 4 major publishing conglomerates. And while the publishers are *technically* right in their copyright infringement complaint, the consequences of the suit could be catastrophic for the Archive. Plus: Your responses to the blind gamers episode, and get ready for some Puppy Songs! Links referenced in this episode: What is Happening to the Internet Archive? (All Things Lost): https://youtu.be/bp2aowF0jUw The Internet Archive Loses Its Appeal of a Major Copyright Case: https://www.wired.com/story/internet-archive-loses-hachette-books-case-appeal/ For more on the Internet Archive, check out our 2G1P episode with Jason Scott: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-archive-wayback-machine-and-discmaster/id1285444706?i=1000589825934 This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SightlessKombat is a video game streamer and reviewer, who also consults on some of the industry's biggest titles: "God of War," "Sea of Thieves," "Horizon: Forbidden West," and more. Yet he has never seen a single pixel. That's because he was born blind — completely without vision. But he was drawn to video games from a young age because ... well, they're awesome. So, how does he actually *play* them? The answer is, it depends. Game and Internet accessibility has come a long way since the '80s and '90s. But many in the blind community still rely on volunteers to mod screen readers into games. The process is tireless, collaborative, and very community driven. This week on INFLUENCE, Matt sits down with 3(!) guests to talk about video game accessibility. Aure is a German programmer who recently released a screen reading mod for the wildly popular deck-building poker-like "Balatro," allowing blind players to enjoy the game for the first time. SightlessKombat is the aforementioned streamer, game reviewer, and Accessible Gaming Officer at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in the UK. And Ohylli is a legally blind accessibility advocate (and "Balatro" enthusiast!) based in Finland. They discuss the amazing tools that make wildly complex games like "Factorio" and "Stardew Valley" accessible to blind players, how 3D action games like "Sea of Thieves" and "Star Wars: Outlaws" are played without sight, and why studios that make games more accessible can reap unexpected profits. Follow Aure's modding work: https://github.com/Aurelius7309 Subscribe to SightlessKombat: https://linktr.ee/sightlesskombat Follow Ohylli: https://x.com/ohylli Special thanks to u/matrheine on Reddit This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people can agree that protecting children from harmful online content — self-harm, disordered eating, gore, disinformation, extreme social pressure — is a good idea. Much of that falls on parents. But algorithms are disturbingly good at showing us extreme content we never searched, but can't look away from. Addiction (and thus more ads) is social media's business model. And keeping up with the Web wormholes that teenagers find themselves in is an impossible task, especially when these platforms are integral to their social lives. In response to the growing mental health crisis among teens (especially girls and young women), the U.S. Senate found bi-partisan support in two bills: COPPA 2.0 — which would expand the scope of 1998's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to block data collection on minors aged 13-17 — and KOSA (The Kids Online Safety Act), which would turn OFF algorithmic recommendations and auto-play videos, and turn ON maximum privacy settings by default for kids. This seemed like a rare bi-partisan win. But as always, the truth is much more complicated. That's why we've called on Paul Singer to return for his 3rd appearance on the show to explain WTF is going on. Paul is a partner at the law firm Kelley Drye & Warren, where he specializes in consumer protection issues. Previously, he worked in the Texas Attorney General’s office, with a particular focus on data protection. He even worked on the very first lawsuit brought through COPPA 1.0's enforcement back in 2000. He breaks down what's in these bills, why they have some good ideas, the fatal flaw that makes KOSA problematic (especially for marginalized communities), and what Congress (and courts) could do instead to protect all citizens from abusive tech platforms. Check out Paul's work here: https://www.kelleydrye.com/people/paul-l-singer And subscribe to his legal blog about these issues and much more: https://www.kelleydrye.com/viewpoints/blogs/ad-law-access This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The flood of allegations around the world's most famous influencer range from petty YouTube drama to serious (and possibly illegal) safety issues. MrBeast is very popular in our household, but the raft of controversy makes us question whether our kids should keep enjoying their favorite YouTube channel. This week, I break down why The Beast is under fire, and how the controversy snowballed in recent months, leading to a parenting moral quandary. Plus: Fake and AI-generated product reviews are officially BANNED in the U.S. But can it be enforced? And details about some fantastic upcoming guests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a busy week here in my house, so while I'm lining up fresh interviews for you, please enjoy this feed drop from my other show, where we interviewed two wonderful video game speedrunners who race through one of the chillest games ever made: "Stardew Valley." - Originally published on January 13, 2023 - Where RUSHING into marriage is a good idea! Speed running Super Mario Bros. is a straightforward endeavor. Whoever saves the princess fastest gets the record. But what about open-ended sims, where you set your own goals? This week, we were so mesmerized by Stardew Valley speedrunners on GDQ that we had to invite them on the show. Lee (@atwentysomethingloser) and Lisa (@lichatton) are Stardew-obsessed Twitch streamers who have dissected the game to find the fastest ways to marry specific villagers, complete Community Center bundles, catch every fish, and other in-game milestones, often achieving these runs in mere hours. Their strategies involve animation canceling, min/maxing gifts, and a lot of sleep! Lee and Lisa share how they got into the wild world of speeding through one of the chillest games of all time, how it has increased their love for it, and share what else they play after thousands of hours of Stardew. Follow and subscribe to Lee and Lisa! https://www.twitch.tv/atwentysomethingloser https://www.twitch.tv/lichatton For more video game community conversations, subscribe to "Colette & Matt Have Entered the Chat," wherever you get podcasts: https://haveenteredthechat.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You and everyone you love will die. There's no way around it. Yet we rarely talk or think about the topic until we have to. For the first time in human history, we are "living longer and dying slower." That's good news, but it also creates a cultural disassociation with the reality of death. But there's a growing movement - online and IRL - around death literacy. It advocates for ongoing conversation and education about this universal part of life. Just like exercise, finances, or playing piano, how can we be successful at something if we don't learn, practice, and grow? That's the mission of Bevival, an online community and resource devoted to changing the cultural conversation around death. It's the brainchild of Caren Martineau, an entrepreneur who suddenly realized she has more time behind her than ahead. Jade Adgate is a death midwife, who supports people with terminal diagnoses and the families left behind. She also empowers a large community on social media by sharing her work and insights to help grievers she can't reach in person. Together, they produce the Exit Interviews podcast, a regular conversation with leading authors and philosophers about how we can make meaning from "the final frontier." This week, Caren and Jade sit down with (a reluctant) Matt to discuss their calling around death literacy, their mission to engage the Internet on difficult topics, how death has become commercialized in the 20th and 21st centuries, and why that dehumanizes mortality. Connect with Caren at http://bevival.com Follow Jade on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.farewell.library Subscribe to the Exit Interviews podcast: https://www.bevival.com/books-podcast-death-literacy This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Watch & subscribe on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@InfluencePodcast Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The surreal machinima "Skibidi Toilet" has been viewed 65 BILLION times across platforms, attracting the attention of Hollywood explosion enthusiast Michael Bay. The mega producer (Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean) has licensed the bizarre web series to make a feature length film or TV series. The Gen Alpha meme generator is more than just a flash in the pan - it has real narrative structure, and the Skibidiverse has been rapidly expanding over the last year. Even if your kids have never seen a Skibidi video, they are definitely talking about it on the playground. I break down whether toilet heads make any cultural or financial sense in a theater near you. Meanwhile, two extraordinary online child safety bills are making their way to the U.S. Senate with bi-partisan support. If passed, they would dramatically reduce the data collected on kids, and cut off the algorithmic content that is so damaging to their mental health. What would social media actually look like if we could make it safe for minors? And could these regulations help adults, too? Plus: Would you quit your job to be an influencer? 50% of adults would if they could. Many of those are already trying.  And YouTube's biggest stars are pissed that AI is learning from the captions on their videos. Where is the philosophical line between fair use and theft when it comes to large language models? And how will we protect creators who may soon be out-matched by "synthetic" video content? This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we report a spammer, a scammer, or online harassment, where does it go? Who decides what gets removed or banned? Bots can do some of the work, but when it comes to messy online emotions, we need human expertise for context and judgement. So who are these heroes? What do they see all day? And how does content moderation work on a global scale, where the ethics, laws, and cultures of different platforms are so subjective? This week on INFLUENCE, Alice Hunsberger breaks down this complicated world. She's the VP of Trust & Safety and Content Moderation at PartnerHero, a company that staffs some of our favorite social media apps with specialized teams that weed out bad actors to ensure everyone has a safe experience online. Alice explains why this crucial work is often unnoticed or deeply misunderstood by the public, why viewing humanity's worst behavior for a job is so punishing, the impossible tasks for regulators, and why she remains optimistic about the Internet despite the constant flow of harmful content. For more on the Trust & Safety industry, subscribe to Alice's newsletter and podcast: https://alicelinks.com/ This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Watch the show on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@influencepodcast Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Catie Osborn ( @Catieosaurus ) had a medical emergency, she thought she was losing her mind — perhaps experiencing early onset dementia. But after further evaluation, she got a much different diagnosis: ADHD. Suddenly, her entire life snapped into focus: Intense fixation and extreme boredom, difficulty maintaining friendships, the crushing burden of everyday tasks, and in her own words: "I didn't know how to People." She deeply educated herself about the spectrums of ADHD, autism, and their corollaries like anxiety and depression. Then, when she lost her job as a Renaissance fair director during COVID, she began educating the Internet about the struggles and triumphs of the neurodivergent. Her deeply personal videos on TikTok and Instagram caught fire. 3 million followers later, she now works full time as a speaker, author, podcaster, and social media advocate for neurodivergence and mental health. Specifically, she observed a unique connection between ADHD and intimacy. And when no one was talking about neurodivergent sex online, she became a unique advocate for that as well. This week, Catie and Matt talk about the rapid rise in ADHD awareness, its ongoing stigma and misrepresentation, the empowering (and sometimes life-saving) impact her content has on her audience, how to make a living as a science communicator, her unique brand of adult "spicy" content, table-top RPGs, answers to your questions and voicemails, and why getting doxed by online trolls brought her closer with her mom. Follow Catie and learn more about her work: https://catieosaurus.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@catieosaurus https://www.instagram.com/catieosaurus Start your own podcast with Zencastr's 14 day free trial: zencastr.com?via=mattsilverman This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Listen & subscribe wherever you get podcasts: 🍎 https://apple.co/44FeACS 🟢 https://spoti.fi/3UGQjrN ⏯ https://amzn.to/3wCdueF Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the age of 7, Jacob Simon set out to become a world-class figure skater. He competed around the world and was training for the Olympics when a dislocated shoulder derailed his career. Devastated but not defeated, he made a conscious choice to focus on the positive. His other skills as a writer and artist came in handy when he started sharing short, personal videos on Instagram and TikTok about the climate crisis. But these were not about rising temps or dire warnings. All of Jacob's stories feature GOOD news about climate progress and hope for the future: animals bouncing back from extinction, governments passing green laws, renewable energy breakthroughs, and regular people making a huge impact on their communities. Turns out, the Internet was also exhausted from two decades of doom scrolling. Jacob's daily stories of progress have garnered him millions of views and hundreds of thousands of followers, who rely on him to cut through the darkness of our media diet. This week on INFLUENCE, Jacob and Matt discuss his new life as a science communicator, why social media (and news media) bias toward "bad" news, the rigorous research he puts into every video, the stories that most-inspire his audience, the ingenious way he makes a living, and what we all can do to help the climate, even when it seems futile. This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Start your 14-day FREE trial of Zencastr here: zencastr.com?via=mattsilverman Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm on vacation this week, but very happy to share this interview we did on another show, with Norman Caruso (The Gaming Historian) back in 2021. If you enjoy games as much as we do, check out "Colette & Matt Have Entered the Chat," wherever you get podcasts: https://haveenteredthechat.com/ -- Original Show Notes from May 28, 2021 -- Norman Caruso, aka The Gaming Historian, has been meticulously documenting the history of video games (and their weird peripherals!) on YouTube since 2008. It took him 7 years before this passion project became a full-time job. More than 90 million views later, his channel is among the most rigorous and well-respected in the world of games journalism. Norman has covered topics as ubiquitous a Tetris and Super Mario Bros. 3, all the way down to failed tech like the Sega Mega Modem and an IRL fishing module for the Game Boy. We chat with Norman about how he got his start, why primary-source historical research takes so long, how he chooses topics, why it's OK to be wrong sometimes, and why you may never see a Pokémon video on his channel. Subscribe to The Gaming Historian on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnbvPS_rXp4PC21PG2k1UVg This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Mark Malkoff was in 8th grade, he wrote a letter to Phil Hartman, one of his comedy heroes on "Saturday Night Live." He assumed Hartman was too famous and busy to look at fan mail. Except, Hartman *did* respond with a heartfelt note. For Mark, this (and many other encounters) cemented a life-long obsession with comedy and late night TV — so much so that he moved to New York City and became an audience coordinator at "The Colbert Report" and "Late Night with David Letterman." He was touching the TV biz, but he wasn't writing or performing, and the grueling hours were catching up. That's when he turned to the Internet. Mark is known for his creative and wacky challenge videos (like living in IKEA for a week, or drinking something at every Starbucks in NYC). But his encyclopedic knowledge of late night TV began to shine when he started "The Carson Podcast," a 400 episode love letter to "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson," in which he interviewed many people involved in its production - from the guy who held the curtain for 20 years, to legends like Carol Burnett, Jimmy Buffett, Brooke Shields, Mel Brooks, and Michael J. Fox. Recently, Mark launched a new podcast called "Inside Late Night," which covers the generation of comedy that came after Carson — "Saturday Night Live," David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, "The Daily Show," and more. His candid and meticulous conversations with the writers and performers who've made us laugh for decades often unearth showbiz stories that have never been told before. Mark joins Matt to discuss why viral videos don't pay the bills, getting deep and personal with podcasts, the savvy way he gets into celebrity inboxes, being mistaken for Stephen Colbert, getting Lorne Michaels' autograph, and that time Adam Sandler gave him his phone number. Subscribe to "Inside Late Night with Mark Malkoff" wherever you get podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-late-night-with-mark-malkoff/id1745253634 This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Johnston was living the dream. His band was signed to a major label. He was touring the world, playing for thousands of adoring fans, and making good money. But something was missing. He didn't know what, until a friend told him how happy he looked when he was teaching drums, rather than performing. That's when he figured out he has an "educator's soul." So he stepped back from the band and taught drums full time. It was exhausting, and this income potential was capped by the hours in the week. To make up for a lesson, he recorded a session and dumped it onto a fledgling website called "YouTube." That's where everything changed. Today, Mike's drum instruction videos reach millions of curious enthusiasts and dedicated musicians. He uses YouTube and his website to teach exponentially more people than he could possibly address with in-person lessons alone. Back in 2006/2007, he risked his entire career to build drum education the way *he* wished he could learn. The big unknown was whether others wanted it, too. (Narrator: They did.) This week, Matt sits down with Mike to discuss the fascinating evolution of online music lessons, where he gets his inspiration for new lessons, why he never watches other drum lesson videos, and why he's not afraid of AI taking his job. Check out Mike's Lessons to learn more: https://www.mikeslessons.com/ This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Fake news,” conspiracy theories, and click-bait are no stranger to all our Internet feeds. When we spot it, we my block an account or kindly refer a relative to a more reputable source. But what about the misinformation we can’t even see? Specifically, content in other languages, created for online communities we can’t possibly access? For the relatively small community of Vietnamese-speaking immigrants in the U.S., there are almost no reliable media outlets to serve news in their native language. And strange entities have sprouted up to fill the void, often mixing far-right conspiracies with legitimate news to create “information disorder,” a particularly insidious brand of propaganda. This week on INFLUENCE, investigative data journalist and journalism professor Lam Thuy Vo joins Matt to discuss the complexities of consuming a balanced news diet in the Vietnamese-American community. She has written numerous pieces for The Markup (a non-profit tech journalism site) about the “Languages of Misinformation,” and a mysterious YouTuber who produces a shocking amount of very dubious Vietnamese-language “news.” Who is she? Who is behind her channel? And what’s the goal? Lam also profiles a heroic Vietnamese-American grandmother who took it upon herself to translate reputable news sources to combat the misinformation she was seeing in her community’s social media bubbles. These forces paint a picture of a very complicated voting block that – if misinformed by the Internet – can significantly impact local and national elections. Their wide-ranging discussion goes deep on what it means to be media literate in a world of deepfakes, AI, and algorithms that care very little for languages that are not English. Read Lam’s extraordinary work here: https://themarkup.org/languages-of-misinformation/2024/05/22/the-inside-story-of-the-youtube-influencer-who-peddles-misinformation-to-vietnamese-communities https://themarkup.org/people/lam-thuy-vo And follow her here: https://x.com/lamthuyvo This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The early days of YouTube were for home movies, cat videos, and short vlogs. But in the summer of 2006, something emerged from Wisconsin that would change our perception of what Internet video was capable of. “Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager” tells the classic story of Darth Vader’s younger brother, who commands a middle-management job at the local grocery store, rather than a Death Star. But “Chad” was more than just a hilarious Star Wars parody. It had the production values of a fully-fledged sitcom: Multiple actors and plot lines, costumes, sets, a musical score, sharp writing, and legit cinematography. The Internet — and YouTube corporate — took notice. Before “Like & Subscribe” was a thing, YouTube featured Chad Vader on its homepage, which reached millions of eyeballs and generated serious heat around the series. Fans began demanding new episodes, and YouTube realized the new potential of its platform. It was starting to shift from a novelty site, to a loyalty destination. Chad is the brainchild of Aaron Yonda and Matt Sloan, improv comedians from Madison, Wisconsin, who had been making sketch comedy videos for public access TV and film festivals. After Chad Vader was canceled by Channel 101 and ignored by the Los Angeles establishment, they decided to check out this whole “YouTube thing.” The success of the series (and other emerging creators) prompted YouTube to roll out its advertising partner program. Yonda and Sloan’s channel, Blame Society Films, became one of the first ever to monetize. Chad’s popularity lead to brand partnerships, contract work, and collaborations. But despite its huge success and even an award from George Lucas himself, Hollywood never figured out how to translate a Star Wars parody sitcom to traditional TV. This week on INFLUENCE, Aaron and Matt chat with the Other Matt about their origin story, the evolution of their audience, the “lunacy” of Internet comments, why YouTube sketch comedy is dying out, voicing the REAL Darth Vader for TV and video games, and the long-running series their fans love and support today. Subscribe to Blame Society Films: https://www.youtube.com/@blamesocietyfilms Beer and Board Games: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL49WgzlbhrT0kCIoZQukx-xbwFjSQhYFQ Game Society Pimps: https://www.youtube.com/@GameSocietyPimps Junkyard Joust: https://www.youtube.com/@JunkyardJoust Welcome to the Basement: http://welcometothebasementshow.com/ This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chelsea Laufer went to a prestigious film school. She got a job in TV production, and then in animation. But it wasn't until she uploaded her *own* creations to the Internet that her life turned magical. Chelsea VFX makes inspired, short-form digital magic tricks where she disappears into hula hoops, takes a dip in her own cup of coffee, and changes the color of her sweater with a snap. Her visual effects skills rival Hollywood movies, and her flair for short-form surprises racked up millions of followers and (likely) 1 billion views. Her motto is, "If you can think of it, you can make it happen" — at least in the world of digital manipulation. But when her fans tell her she should work for Marvel or Disney, she has one huge reason she prefers to create for the Internet. This week, Chelsea shares her rules for magical short-form storytelling, why she's the worst person to watch a movie with, and the fascinating tale of her most-viewed video which went INCREDIBLY viral (500 million views!) for all the wrong reasons. Plus: Trivia is BACK! Follow Chelsea IMMEDIATELY: 📸 https://www.instagram.com/queenchelseavfx/ 🎵 https://www.tiktok.com/@queenchelsea This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I was coming up in media and learning about online video around 2010-2011, Craig Benzine (known to the Internet as @wheezywaiter ) was a big inspiration. His videos were so absurd, so fast, and so funny. I felt like he was speaking to a new kind of audience. "YouTuber" was starting to become a job, and being ridiculous on the Internet could pay the rent. Loyal subscribers and conversations from the comments section were the gold standard. But as YouTube became more algorithmic, Craig's channel started to stagnate. His core audience was remained, but the growth had stopped. He felt completely stuck, for about 5 years. Then, in 2018, he made a radical change to his content that doubled his audience — from 500,000 to 1 million subs — in just a year. I'm thrilled to talk to Craig about making Internet videos for 16+ years(!), and what drove him to "make a movie every day." We discuss how YouTube editing became a unique artform, why getting 30 views and 1 comment from an online stranger was the best feeling in the world, the years he toiled in obscurity before the Internet finally took notice, and the re-invention of his channel. Plus: Your voicemail! Subscribe to WheezyWaiter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wheezywaiter/ This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Follow me: 🐤https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman 📸 https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The mysterious Jack Rhysider talks to hackers, cyber criminals, bank robbers, crypto scammers, (real!) spies, CIA agents, and penetration testers. Because his job sends him to the darkest corners of the Internet, his true identity is not known. But that never stops him from sharing how his extraordinary podcast - Darknet Diaries - comes together. From the kernel of an idea, to sweeping stories full of twists and turns, his true crime episodes started with the InfoSec crowd, and quickly gained mass appeal. Jack joins Matt to discuss his obsession with security and privacy, his journey from IT to blogging to podcasting, how he learned from the world's best audio storytellers, the moment he knew people really loved his show, why he loves to make things that are not sustainable, and the possibility of a new podcast in the works. Check out Darknet Diaries (True stories from the dark side of the Internet): https://darknetdiaries.com/ This show is made possible by listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Watch & subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InfluencePodcast Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/influencepod Call the show and leave a message: (347)-871-6548 Email me with guest & trivia suggestions! [email protected] (NOICE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh hey there! Matt here. It's been a minute, but if you're subscribed to this feed, I have a big update for you. 2G1P is now INFLUENCE, and I'm very excited (and nervous!) to be taking the reigns of a show we are so proud of. All the details you need to know are in this ep, and down below. I hope you'll join me for this next chapter! Help me reach 1,000 subscribers (even if you don't listen on YouTube!): https://www.youtube.com/@InfluencePodcast This show is made made possible with listener support: https://www.patreon.com/influencepod Join our amazing Discord community: discord.gg/influencepod Email me with your dream guest! [email protected]  (noice!) Call me and leave a voicemail! (347) 871-6548 Connect with me: https://twitter.com/Matt_Silverman https://www.instagram.com/matt_silverman/ -Show Description- What does it really take to make a living (and an impact) on the Internet today? Join Matt Silverman (who has been covering online culture for 15+ years) in conversation with YouTubers, musicians, podcasters, streamers, journalists, TikTokers and more about turning creativity into a job, building community on ever-changing platforms, and their complex relationships with huge online audiences. INFLUENCE is the relaunch of 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, a weekly comedy/interview show about fascinating online communities, which ran for 7 years and nearly 300 episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy new year! We wanted to share an update about some truly unexpected circumstances, and explain that the show (and all Patreon contributions) will be paused while we figure things out. We hope you'll still hang with us on Discord, and please get in touch if you have any questions: discord.gg/2g1p [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're joined by an EXTREMELY special guest. You might even say ... it's a Christmas miracle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Academic researchers have typically kept to universities and book publishing. But as the Web was maturing in the mid 2000s, blogs and social media accounts devoted to history attracted significant audiences. It turns out lots of people (besides professors) wanted to learn about stuff like: The Middle Ages. Danièle Cybulskie (known as the "5 Minute Medievalist" online) is an author and historian who began pulling medieval research out of the library and onto the Web, much to the chagrin of the academic world. But she was clearly ahead of her time. These days, her mission to make medieval studies more accessible has turned into a fulltime online career. Her show "The Medieval Podcast" is a favorite of esteemed professors and long-haul truckers alike — anyone who loves knights and castles and wants to learn more about what life was really like between 500 and 1,000 CE. Alli and Lindsey speak with Danièle about how she got interested in Medieval studies, the online community that has formed around it, and why we are still so obsessed with chivalry, lords, and peasants across every form of media. Follow Danièle: https://twitter.com/5minmedievalist And check out The Medieval Podcast: https://www.medievalists.net/category/podcast/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli is away being a lady businessman, so Lindsey and Matt discuss why "Deep Space 9" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" were WAY ahead of their time, a Christmas dive bar in Seattle, and which Christmas movies are the best. We want to hear your opinions, so call the hotline, email us, or let us know in the Discord! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The Golden Girls" is a network sitcom anomaly. The hit NBC show about four single, senior women ran from 1985 to 1992, and was extremely progressive for its time. The power of reruns (and pandemic-era binge streaming) has kept it culturally relevant, and a devoted online fandom has blossomed around its beloved cast. Facebook Groups, YouTube channels, merch, and IRL conventions are powered by hilarious quotes, cosplay, drag shows, and critical analysis of what made the show so special. This week, Alli and Lindsey speak with Courtney Antonioli, the creator and host of "Stay Golden," a YouTube channel at the heart of this fascinating fandom. They discuss how the show is being passed down to the "TikTok generation" (often via mothers and grandmothers), whether or not it still holds up today, and the meme-fueled controversies that spring up in online discourse. Check out Courtney's "Stay Golden" YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@StayGoldenGirls Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We gear up for Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving, and look ahead to the chillest, most do-nothing day of all: Christmas Eve if you're Jewish. Also, where are all the Thanksgiving songs, and could we write a hit and become instant millionaires? We also ponder whether former 2G1P co-host Jen really listens to the show every week... Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden recently issued an executive order that attempts to put standards and guardrails on how AI should be used, specifically when it comes to government agencies (law enforcement, housing, etc.). It comes at a time when algorithmic and generative technologies show increasing bias and harm, while congress seems ineffective at regulating ... anything. So, what even IS an executive order? Will it be effective without legislative power behind it? And how might these new guardrails affect the private sector, especially the tech and Internet companies that determine so much of what we do online? Alli and Lindsey speak with Jon Keegan, an investigative data journalist at the non-profit technology news site The Markup. Jon breaks down the ramifications of an executive order, why the Biden administration took this kind of action, where it might inform the direction of AI, and why it's still lacking without broader bi-partisan urgency. Read Jon and his colleagues' breakdown of the order on The Markup: https://themarkup.org/news/2023/11/01/the-problems-bidens-ai-order-must-address Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli proposes a test for social media users to determine if they are qualified to post about politics online, and Lindsey explains an unhinged British reality dating show that's mostly just shots of people's genitals. Also, a Halloween costume recap and Thanksgiving plans. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like many of us, Hipyo was bored and laid off during the pandemic. When he needed to find a better keyboard to play PC games, he uncovered a rabbit hole of key cap enthusiasts, mostly on Discord and Reddit. With a bit of research into what people wanted from "keyboard content," he started a YouTube channel. Three years (and more than 500 videos) later, his reviews, modifications, and DIY challenges have garnered millions of views and a thriving community of keyboard fanatics in search of the perfect "click," "thoc," or no sound at all. Alli and Lindsey talk with Hipyo about the sudden growth of keyboard mod culture, and how he fell into a gaggle of prolific creators who push the limits of what PC keyboards can look, feel, and sound like. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli shares some news about her live show format and Lindsey updates us on her dating life. Also, a big eureka! moment, the disappointment of Ryan Lochte, and gearing up for spoopy season in our Discord! Also, Elon Musk is still a dum dum! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Large language models like ChatGPT owe their success to open knowledge platforms like Wikipedia. So, are they as "smart" as human Wikipedia editors? In many ways, they're even smarter, and orders of magnitude faster at writing clear, concise articles about straightforward facts. But as usual, the devil is in the details. Providing context around certain "facts," and arriving at a consensus about sources and notability still falls in the human domain — especially when ChatGPT is prone to "hallucinating" details it can't verify. Alli and Lindsey welcome Bill Beutler back to 2G1P. Bill is the founder and president of Beutler Ink, a digital agency with a focus on Wikipedia. They're also joined by Danny Adler, a Wikipedia strategy manager at Beutler Ink. They've been steeped in Wiki culture (and how to resolve conflicts of interest) for years, and discuss how to create reliable and accessible knowledge in the age of AI. They share their own eye-opening ChatGPT experiment, how Wikipedia editors are (cautiously) employing AI to co-write articles, and what happens when AI starts learning from itself, rather than from human knowledge bases. 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST is an independent production made possible through listener support. Find a tier that's right for you at https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since there's definitely nothing important going on in the world this week, we talk about Halloween costumes, learning sine and cosine in high school, evolutionary psychology, how to end a bad date, and...probably other things? If you're in NYC this week, you can get tickets to Lindsey's show here: https://www.frigid.nyc/event/6897:544/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes something notable? What kind of sources are needed for a thing to have a Wikipedia article about it? These philosophical issues are discussed by volunteer Wikipedia editors constantly to ensure that the non-profit encyclopedia is accurate and relevant. But a community of self-described "Road Geeks" has been at odds with Wikipedia's standards for some time. They're on a mission to catalog every road in North America, but other Wiki editors claim that this content is too granular, or has no secondary (journalistic) sources. But why would these sources exist when roads just...exist? And when should primary research — looking at a map, or even out your own window! — be considered for inclusion in the world's largest knowledge base? Tired of having their road articles deleted or modified, the Road Geeks have now "seceded" from Wikipedia to create their own Wiki on a sympathetic site called AARoads. While this may seem like a bunch of semantic nerds fighting on the Internet, it actually has fascinating implications for who gets to decide what is important, and what Wikipedia is supposed to be. Alli and Lindsey talk with Ben, a longtime Wikipedia editor and road enthusiast who is part of the movement to carve out a home for the historical and cultural value of road knowledge online. You can find the new wiki here: https://wiki.aaroads.com/ Take our quick, anonymous survey to help us make the show the best it can be! https://form.jotform.com/232267699994075 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli is spending time in the "real world" with her live show, so Lindsey and Matt catch up on her recent thrifting adventures in Portland (Oregon), watching weird birds go down a chimney, spoopy kids' books, unhinged NYC weather, and conclusive evidence of the best TV theme song ever written. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the University of Alabama, rushing for a sorority has become a cottage industry, thanks to social media. Centering on "blindingly White" college students and their influencer aspirations. "RushTok" is now a cultural phenomenon, complete with management deals, style consultants, and a massive audience of Internet onlookers who are seriously invested in whether these girls get into the house of their choice. In a way, it has become an influencer-led "reality show," distributed across the Internet, where audience perception (rather than a TV producer) decides the heroes and villains. Bama Rush fans even refer to the content as "seasons." Alli and Lindsey talk with journalist Fortesa Latifi, who covered the phenomenon for Teen Vogue. She discusses why the trend has enraptured millions, and the problematic institutions it unwittingly perpetuates. She also explains why interviewing some of the Internet's favorite rushers lead to an unhinged backlash from the fandom. Read Fortesa's piece here: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/bama-rush-tiktok-is-getting-more-relatable Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We dip into the back catalog this week with another fave from yesteryear. Don't forget to take our listener survey: https://form.jotform.com/232267699994075 -- Original Show Notes, Jan 24, 2022 -- Studying, writing, and remote work can be a lonely time. Add in a dose of global pandemic, and the endless isolation can be overwhelming. It's no surprise to see the growth of streaming communities focused on mundane things: Eating, writing, and today's topic: Studying. Alli and Linsey talk with Giulia Mazza, a study streamer who spends hours a day studying for her Master's degree while hundreds of people watch on Twitch. Her audience is also studying and working, and as Giulia explains, the community has become a place for "positive peer pressure" and accountability in an age of endless distraction and isolation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We return to the world of VRChat and the concentric circles of non-human identities with Toy Dragon (It/Its). Its long journey of self-discovery and lucid dreams confirmed that it identifies as a small, loveable red dragon. But unlike other human and gender identities, it was difficult to express this form socially -- until now. Toy Dragon shares how it found a large and welcoming community of Furries and Otherkin who are not just roleplaying for fun, but truly realizing themselves in virtual spaces. Also, Lindsey has returned from Burning Man and is mostly in one piece! She shares her not-so-harrowing tale of Burnpocalypse 2023. Please take 2 mins to help us make the show better! Your (anonymous) opinion will chart the future of 2G1P as an independent production! https://form.jotform.com/232267699994075 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have some BIG news for our listeners, but first, let's talk about the weather at Burning Man for 20 minutes! If you have 2 minutes, PLEASE take our 100% anonymous listener survey! It will help us improve the show, make it more efficient to produce, and help us focus on what's important to you, our listeners! https://form.jotform.com/232267699994075 New and improved Patreon, coming soon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're off this week, but sharing another one of our faves! -- Original Show Notes, January 9, 2023 -- Wikipedia is your one-stop shop for high level info on public figures, geography, and academic concepts. But the volunteer editors of the free and open digital reference also make copious entries about "low quality images of cats," "Blobjects," "National Moth Week," Osama bin Laden's porn stash, and that time the Dave Matthews Band tour bus dropped poop on people in Chicago. Alli and Lindsey talk with Annie Rauwerda, a writer, longtime Wikipedia editor, and creator of "Depths of Wikipedia," which has more than 1.1 million followers on Instagram alone. Annie discusses how the culture of Wikipedia generates obtuse and often hilarious articles, concepts, and photos taken out of context. She shares the funniest things she's found on the site, and how a beef with a sketchy influencer propelled her to fame. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're excited to debut the completely synthetic, AI-generated future of 2G1P, and it's....quite bad! But also, terrifying. And hilarious. Our ex-hosts react to their audio clones, and we discuss the ramifications of a fully synthetic podcast. Plus, your actual, organic voicemail. Special thanks to Evan Engel for editing help. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Years ago, Carrie Tatsu spent $300 on some virtual real estate to set up shop and sell the occasional 3D modeled cat. It wasn't long before she quit her job at an ad agency IRL to meet the overwhelming player demand for custom virtual babies and pregnancy bodies that simulate childbirth and parenthood. Today, she has a thriving "Second Life" business and multiple employees who design and program interactive virtual babies, pets, and their accessories. But the early days of selling digital infants were rocky, including encounters with baby thieves and a dark underworld of virtual baby trafficking. Carrie shares her personal story as a designer and longtime "Second Life" resident, and the diverse reasons why players want to give birth to and raise virtual kids. Learn more about Zooby Animesh Babies: https://zoobylife.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a whim (and after a few drinks), Dean Peterson thought it would be funny to rate the bathroom sink of a local bar in NYC. His Instagram followers agreed, and "Sink Reviews" was born. When he began sharing them on TikTok, the party really got going. Millions of views, followers, likes, and comments later, rabid fans of "SinkTok" came out of the woodwork, demanding more of this ridiculous content, especially as pandemic lockdowns showed no sign of letting up. Alli and Lindsey talk with Dean about his viral fame, what makes a good and bad sink, social media burnout, how the Internet got weird again in 2020, and why his huge audience never turned into a full-time job. Follow @sinkreviews on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sinkreviews Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're off this week, but here's another classic 2G1P from the archives that blew our minds. -- Original Show Notes From Jul 4, 2022 -- 219 Adult Breastfeeding & Nursing Relationships You might assume that men drinking breastmilk is yet another kink — and it can be. But Mikalah says it's often a comfort and a lifestyle for many in the community. She would know, as she's a professional lactation consultant who also found a partner who breastfeeds from her regularly. Alli and Lindsey speak with her about the extraordinary misconceptions about breastfeeding, how anyone at ANY age can induce breastmilk (including men!), the barriers to selling milk online, and the medical reasons why she found herself to be a leading voice in the ABF community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Lindsey joined Second Life and got a grand tour of its public squares, roleplay venues, night clubs, a pony farm, and of course, the sex shops. New listener and longtime Second Life creator Sasy Scarborough guided them through the avatar creation process, and customizing clothes and body types. They discuss why it was both fascinating, inspiring, and also hard to access without a tour guide, and why platforms with a certain technical "barrier to entry" are probably good for the Internet. HUGE thanks to Sasy for making this episode possible! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexis was a typical 11-year-old. She loved musical theater and Webkinz. But when she started using Instagram, her normal pre-teen curiosities triggered the social media app to flood her feed with content about anorexia and how to hide eating disorders from your parents. Over the next few years, Alexis' mental health deteriorated so much that she had to be hospitalized. Some families aren't so lucky. Teen suicide rates have skyrocketed since 2007, and some research has begun to correlate that with the rise of algorithmic, for-profit social media. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become central to teenagers social lives, and it's probably not an accident. Today, Alexis Spence has made a full recovery from her eating disorder, and with her mom Kathleen, has become an advocate for social media reform, especially through legal action. Alli and Lindsey talk with them, along with their lawyer, Matt Bergman, who co-founded the Social Media Victims Law Center. When suing Meta on behalf of families, his legal approach comes from product liability: If tech companies know their products are addictive and harmful to children and choose not to address that, they should be held accountable. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In June 2003, a new community appeared on the Internet. It wasn't a Web forum or a hot new blog. It was a fully 3D virtual world where people could create an avatar, buy a house, wear fancy clothes, fall in love, and fly. For context, this is months before the world would ever hear the word "Myspace." Twenty years later, Second Life remains one of the most vibrant online spaces ever created. While small compared to other social juggernauts, Second Life is home to thousands of fascinating subcultures and creators - many of whom make a fantastic IRL living from selling their art, clothes, and animations in-world. The financial symbiosis between the platform and the players who make everything on it remains unique to this day, even in a world of endless MMOs and live service video games. Alli and Lindsey speak with author and journalist Wagner James Au, who has been covering Second Life and other virtual worlds since their inception. They're also joined by Sparkle Skye, a Second Life creator who quit her job in finance to make virtual wedding gowns full-time. They discuss the legacy of Second Life, its unique place on the Internet, and what's next for the platform in a sea of new "metaverses." Check out James' new book, Making a Metaverse That Matters: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Metaverse-That-Matters-Fighting/dp/1394155816 See Sparkle's amazing designs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkleskye/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of major API changes and the death of beloved 3rd party apps, scores of Reddit users have flocked to Lemmy, a similar online forum and news aggregating platform with one key difference: It's decentralized, and can never be owned by a single company or person. But this has nothing to do with blockchain or crypto. Lemmy is part of the Fediverse, where self-hosted instances can interact with each other using common protocols. This is how other decentralized platforms like Mastodon work. Lemmy has been around since 2019, but as Reddit controversies continue, many instances of Lemmy have seen exponential growth in recent weeks. Alli and Lindsey chat with Ruud Schilders, who hosts and operates what has become the largest Lemmy instance: lemmy.world. Ruud shares what makes federated social media so exciting, the challenges of content moderation, and the current blockers to mainstream adoption. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we return to one of our most popular episodes: Vore! It also happens to be Jen's final episode. If you haven't heard this yet, you're in for a mind-expanding snack! -- Original Show Notes | June 14, 2021 -- We often refer to attractive people as "snacks" and talk about "eating someone up." But vore enthusiasts take those feelings to the next level. The fetish is about consuming others, or being consumed, but it's completely fantastical of course -- no one is harmed in the making of vore content or roleplay. This week, Alli and Jen talk with Carter, a moderator of the subreddit r/vore about the elaborate art created by the community, the discovery of his own feelings for the fetish, and why this kink is often misunderstood. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hate to break this to you, but human relationships aren't perfect. People disagree, have conflicting values, and in the worst cases, become dishonest or abusive. Instead, what if you could date the "perfect" person for you? A synthetic person that will never cheat or carry the emotional baggage that destroys relationships? That's the promise of Replika, a customizable AI companion with a large community of users, many of whom have developed romantic feelings for their bots. If this sounds strange to you, you're not alone. Alli and Lindsey talk with Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz, senior writer at New York Magazine and The Cut, who has covered AI dating extensively. Her recent piece begs philosophical questions about the "purpose" of human relationships, whether it really matters if both parties are human, and what happens when we entrust these connections to for-profit tech companies. Check out Sangeeta's article on The Cut: https://www.thecut.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-chatbot-replika-boyfriend.html Follow Sangeeta's work: https://www.sangeeta.space/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We thought burger-flipping, truck driving robots would take the first jobs. Turns out, its artists, writers, and podcasters who should be the most worried, thanks to large language models like ChatGPT and media synthesis from Midjourney. We get philosophical about what means to fall in love with a synthetic personality, and discuss the End Times that befell the East Coast last week. Thanks, Canada. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli's back from Asia with some tales of the Far East. Also, have you heard of D R U G S? Get at us: Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet Jubby. He fell in love with Grand Theft Auto Online for way more than just "cops and robbers" shenanigans. There's a huge roleplay scene across countless private servers, some of which have become very inclusive LGBTQ+ communities. On "No Pixel" where Jubby spends most of his day playing and streaming, he took up the mantle of organizing in-world Gay Pride events, fashion shows, and music festivals. These days, he's a Twitch partner who credits these virtual communities with empowering him to come out of the closet IRL. Alli and Lindsey talk with Jubby about virtual drag shows, the in-world and out-of-world resources required for these big events, and the future of the LGBTQ+ community inside massively popular video games like GTA. Follow Jubby: https://www.twitch.tv/jubby Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where in the world is Alli Goldberg? As she continues her adventures in Asia, we have another fan favorite encore episode for you! -- Original Show Notes from July 11, 2022 -- The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from abridging free speech and the press. And Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act prevents common carriers (like telephone companies) from being held liable for the speech of their users. But social media isn't quite either of those things, especially when a small handful of tech companies make huge profits by amplifying dangerous misinformation. So, what IS protected speech on the Internet, and what models of regulation are available to preserve open communication and a digital "public square," while curbing weaponized information? Alli and Lindsey talk with Paul Singer, a partner at the law firm Kelley Drye & Warren LLP and former Texas Associate Deputy Attorney General, who has been focused on consumer protection on the Internet since the days of MySpace. Paul explains why regulating online speech is incredibly complex, especially at the speed of tech. But he remains optimistic that the history of telecommunications — specifically radio — might guide us toward a legal balance. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By the time you hear this, Allie will be in Singapore! Before she goes, she and Lindsey discuss dating each other's exes, disappearing friends, and the benefits of boosting at CVS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hateful comments on the Internet are nothing new. But there's one special place where it's not only tolerated, but highly encouraged. r/RoastMe is a 3 million-strong subreddit where people ask to be verbally obliterated by Internet strangers. Commenters can be as hateful, racist, and misogynistic as they please, as long as they follow the golden rule: It has to be funny. So who would open themselves up to something like this, and why? Alli and Lindsey speak with Michael McElroy, arguably the most-roasted person in the subreddit's history, and Adyasha Mishra, a graduate student who is studying the social dynamics of this hilarious community. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social media emerged as a way to democratize information and amplify marginalized voices. It empowered a new creative class, and fueled social justice movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. But as social apps are designed to squeeze profit from our attention, the dark side is now well studied. We've all felt the doom scroll addiction, anxiety, and depression that comes along with our constant need to see what others are doing — not to mention the privacy concerns. Now, consider the kids. Citing massive spikes in teen suicides, bullying, and depression, some school districts are striking back at tech companies like Meta, Snap and TikTok for these abusive practices with class action lawsuits. So, do they have legs? And could any of these cases lead to stronger social media regulation? CNN senior tech writer Samantha Murphy Kelly has been covering these lawsuits, and brings Alli and Lindsey up to speed on what they might mean for the future of how kids use the Internet. Follow Sam's work here: https://twitter.com/HeySamantha Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got two fresh interviews cooking for the weeks ahead, but for now, please enjoy this inspiring encore from about a year back! -- Original Show Notes from May 16, 2022 -- Autistic children love Minecraft as much as anyone, but they're often bullied by other kids on multiplayer servers. When software developer and dad Stuart Duncan learned of this, he set out to create a private, safe Minecraft server exclusively for autistic kids and their families. The moment he shared it, he got 300 emails from parents who desperately wanted in, Today, Autcraft has a community of 15,000 kids with autism and their parents, and Stuart quit his job to run the server fulltime and meet the needs of his players. He shares how the server changed the lives of kids and parents, Autcraft's accessibility features that Minecraft has implemented into its game for all players, and why social scientists study the server for autism research. Learn more about Autcraft and support Stuart's efforts on Patreon: https://www.autcraft.com/ https://www.patreon.com/autcraft/posts Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Internet startup landscape is fraught with questionable business models, fickle users, and boatloads of misplaced venture capital. For every TikTok and Door Dash, there are thousands of spectacular failures. And most of them had the hubris to make (and sometimes sell) branded swag -- t-shirts, mugs, bags, and more. That's where collector Christina Warren comes in. For years she's been hunting for authentic swag from tech and media companies that have gone bust: Quibbi, CNN+, Gowalla, Theranos, Enron and more. Her collection has garnered international media attention and speaks to the hubris of companies who believe they're the next big thing ... until they're gone. Alli and Lindsey chat with Christina about her days covering startups as a journalist, the extremely online landscape, the swag she's most proud of, and the "white whale" that continues to elude her collection. Follow Christina: https://twitter.com/film_girl https://www.instagram.com/film_girl/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a tale as old as time: Boy meets girl, boy sends dick pic to girl, girl turns out to be a journalist writing a story about catfishing. But these days, it's not just dating apps and Craigslist where lonely men are tricked online. A "Catfishing Industrial Complex" has emerged, with all the bells and whistle of modern customer service call centers, where multiple low-wage sex workers (of any gender) pretend to be attractive women sending intimate messages that men are eager to pay for. Niamh McIntyre and Jasper Jackson went under cover at one of these operations to find out how they work and expose their abusive practices in a piece for The Bureau of Investigative Journalism entitled: "Please Acknowledge the Dick: Inside a Catfishing Factory." They chat with Alli and Lindsey about the horrors they discovered, and why this kind of sex work could be a positive force if it was more transparent and fair. Read their story: https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2023-02-14/please-acknowledge-the-dick-inside-a-catfishing-factory Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli has an interesting way to start her stand-up set, and needs YOU to make fun of her as brutally as possible. Send a text, call the voicemail line, email, or drop your most devastating roasts into the Discord and we'll share them on a future episode! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of us use Microsoft Excel to track expenses and run basic reports at work. But there are some who walk among us with super-human spreadsheet skills. The best of the best compete for cash prizes in Excel esports, an elite world that congregates online — and sometimes on ESPN. Alli and Lindsey meet Oz du Soleil, a competitive Excel commentator, YouTube creator, and educator who specializes in "cleaning messed up data." He shares how he got into the wild world of Excel esports, how the community found each other online, and the fundamentalist factions at war in the Excel ecosystem. Subscribe to Oz on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgOVykPoRbSZQfY9YysiRQ Shout out to the excellent People Make Games: https://youtu.be/N2QC6VQXo8U Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite having all media at our fingertips, there are still thousands of people who prefer to put mp3 files on their Apple iPods when they listen on the go. In fact, there's a large online community of people who love the simplicity of the retro music player. For some it's pure nostalgia. For others, there's a deeper hobby. Alli and Lindsey talk with Michi, a prominent modder in the iPod community, and Austin Lucas, the owner of Elite Obsolete Electronics, a shop that sells replacement parts and upgrades for these ancient devices. They discuss how people are resurrecting and Frankensteining their iPods, why the device has so much staying power 20+ years on, and the tale of one iPod that has traveled around the world. Follow Michi: https://twitter.com/NekoMichiNyan Check out Elite Obsolete Electronics: https://eoe.works/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Australian children's cartoon "Bluey" has become a global phenomenon in recent years. But it's not just kids racking up all the views. Parents, non-parents, would-be parents, and all kinds of grown-ups are obsessed with this wholesome show about a family of dogs. This week, Alli and Lindsey talk with Jeffery Dibble, the moderator of a Facebook group called "Adult Bluey Fans," which has ballooned from a humble 5,000 members to more than 230,000. There, they share Bluey memes, tattoos, fan art, wild (and conspiratorial) fan theories, and of course get into heaps of drama. Jeffrey, who is also a dad, shares why he and the community find this particular show (and its fandom) so special. Adult 'Bluey' Fans: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3863578243733419/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey and Matt have returned from their tropical adventures, and Alli has some big news about an upcoming project! Also, are aliens real? But seriously, ARE THEY? Plus, our new favorite game about shaking hands with Hitler. The origin of the Hitler Handshake game, by @aledornell: https://twitter.com/aledornell/status/1629969858598248448 h/t: Evan Engel Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey is off to Columbia for 3 weeks on an extremely dangerous vacation! So we look up whether "Podcast Host Insurance" is a thing, just in case she never comes back. Also, Alli's show "Love Isn't Blind" continues its smash success at new venues, and her secret crush is attending the latest performance!!!11!. Plus, Linsey recounts the pros and cons of going to REI in preparation for her adventures. We also talk about the Grammy Awards, a highly relevant topic from 400 weeks ago! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emoji have been popping up as pivotal evidence in legal proceedings ranging from real estate to drugs and sexual predation. The informal field of "emoji forensics" has lead to new caselaw about the meaning of some "non-textual" communication. But these waters are muddy due to legal interpretation, rapidly evolving Internet slang, and the many cultural meanings attributed to emoji symbols — not to mention that emoji may look completely different, depending on what software is displaying them, making it difficult to prove intent in court. Alli and Lindsey talk with Eric Goldman, a professor of law at Santa Clara University and co-director of the High Tech Law Institute, where he specializes in Internet law and intellectual property, especially as it relates to Silicon Valley. Eric has a special fascination with emoji, and shares the most popular symbols appearing in court, and how the law is adapting to disputes happening inside our text messages. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take a trip down memory lane with this encore 2G1P episode, and we'll be back with you next week! -- Original Show Notes From February 1, 2021 -- Since 1999, the website Something Awful has been an Internet culture tastemaker, and this closed community is still going strong two decades later — a rarity for online platforms. Many modern memes and web culture references have their roots on Something Awful's humor forums. For a one time fee of $10, you get full access to the site's vibrant discussion and community. That nominal barrier-to-entry is the secret to keeping the discourse quality high and shitpost ratios low, according to the site's current owner, who goes by the pseudonym Jeffrey of Yospos. Paying for high-quality content and meaningful online community has recently come back into fashion amid the chaos of free platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, which make money at incredible scale by selling user data to advertisers. It begs the question: Did we build the Internet wrong? Alli and Jen talk with Jeffrey about the early days of Something Awful, a place where you're "free to be an Internet weirdo." We also learn the origins of "Let's Play" video game culture, and ways the SA community fought hate speech long before most platforms took it seriously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If a robot can analyze mountains of caselaw in seconds, couldn't it also make the best legal arguments for a client? After all, AI already predicts markets, creates art, and writes music all the time. That's the premise put forth by the website DoNotPay, which typically uses its bots to fight traffic tickets and cancel unwanted subscriptions. But their latest marketing stunt is offering $1 million to anyone who would let their AI argue a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. To help us understand if that's even possible, Paul Singer returns to 2G1P to discuss the ethics of bringing an AI into a courtroom. He's a partner at the firm Kelley Drye & Warren LLP and a former Texas deputy attorney general, and has spent much of his career focused on consumer protection with regard to emerging technologies. Paul, Alli and Lindsey discuss the philosophical implications of employing AI tools in the practice of law, and whether lawyers are at risk of losing work to bots in the foreseeable future. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we hear about the new things you're trying in 2023, updates on Alli and Lindsey's projects, and ask the question on everyone's mind: What Renaissance painter would you most like to bone? Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We'll be back next week with some more weird Internet, but for now, enjoy this 2G1P Classic! -- Original Show Notes // January 17, 2022 -- There's an aisle at your local ALDI supermarket that contains random stuff that rotates on a weekly basis, often without rhyme or reason. So naturally, there's a Facebook group with 1 million people who are obsessed with it. This week, Alli and Lindsey talk with Stefanie Riley and Leigh Caldwell Dunning, friends who've worked in the blogging/journalism space for years until they discovered a shared love for Aldi's "Aisle of Shame." It prompted the blog and group of the same name, where they highlight and discuss the products (and people!) that pop up in the mysterious aisle, where you "go to the store for milk, and leave with a chainsaw." They share the secret bird call of fellow group members, the ALDI executives who lurk in their midst, and the surprising way this community has rallied to help members in need. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wikipedia is your one-stop shop for high level info on public figures, geography, and academic concepts. But the volunteer editors of the free and open digital reference also make copious entries about "low quality images of cats," "Blobjects," "National Moth Week," Osama bin Laden's porn stash, and that time the Dave Matthews Band tour bus dropped poop on people in Chicago. Alli and Lindsey talk with Annie Rauwerda, a writer, longtime Wikipedia editor, and creator of "Depths of Wikipedia," which has more than 1.1 million followers on Instagram alone. Annie discusses how the culture of Wikipedia generates obtuse and often hilarious articles, concepts, and photos taken out of context. She shares the funniest things she's found on the site, and how a beef with a sketchy influencer propelled her to fame. Follow Depths of Wikipedia: https://www.instagram.com/depthsofwikipedia/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much like history books and media coverage, Wikipedia reflects the bias of our society. The difference is that anyone can edit Wikipedia to change that. By day, Jess Wade is a materials scientist at Imperial College in London. But in her spare time, she noticed that many extremely accomplished female scientists (and scientists of color) did not have Wikipedia articles devoted to them. Thus she began the rigorous work of proving their notability, even when traditional media coverage is lacking. 1,800 articles later, some of the scientists she's put in the spotlight have gone on to win prestigious awards and media attention. Alli and Lindsey talk with Jess about the community of Wikipedia editors who work tirelessly to keep the free online encyclopedia diverse when it comes to STEM. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're afk for the holidays this week, and re-sharing a very wholesome episode about Santa's Little Helpers from last year. Enjoy! -- Original Show Notes from December 20, 2021 -- r/SantasLittleHelpers is the subreddit that fulfills the holiday wishes of kids in need. Alli and Lindsey talk with BackpackWayne, the creator/moderator of Santa's Little Helpers, which has been connecting generous redditors with families that have fallen on hard times for the last 10 years. Wayne recounts heartwarming stories of the kindness of Internet strangers, and shares how the charitable initiative — inspired by his mother — has turned into a yearly juggernaut of generosity. Here's a sampling of the joy from last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFcpAHxDt8M Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey has one simple task: To meet and fall in love with an astrophysicist who is also very funny. We don't think that's too much to ask! Happy holidays from 2G1P. Let us know your festive plans via voicemail (347-871-6548), email, or Discord. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We often think of content uploaded to the Internet as "forever," but companies go out of business, media becomes obsolete, and servers are shut off. But for the first time in human history, we have the ability to preserve granular cultural memory. We just need the will to do it...and the server space. That's why The Internet Archive (casually known as the "Wayback Machine") is saving 75 terabytes of information ... a day. This includes website images, tweets, podcasts, old timey radio broadcasts, phonebooks, VHS tapes, concert recordings, Twitch streams, software and much more. Most of this seems ephemeral, and a general waste of disk space. But the importance of a single tweet, video or long-forgotten blog post may not make itself known for years (or centuries?) to come. This week, Alli and Lindsey speak with the free range archivist Jason Scott, who has become an ambassador for the Internet Archive. They discuss the importance of preserving memory, the Herculean task of categorizing it, ongoing efforts to improve archive diversity, the new software archive Discmaster, and the philosophical challenges of preservation when people disagree on what's important or historical. Follow Jason and his work: https://twitter.com/textfiles Check out the Discmaster archive here: http://discmaster.textfiles.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twitter's recent chaos spiral, mass firings, and obliteration of safety standards under Elon Musk's new ownership has many extremely online people wondering if they should jump ship. But to where? Mastodon is a non-profit, open source, decentralized social platform with Twitter-like follower structures, combined with Discord-like instances around shared interests, like "Infosec" and "Climate Justice." It was launched in 2016, but has surged in popularity in the wake of Twitter's uncertainty. But how does Mastodon actually work, and could it ever supplant Twitter as a viable network for public figures, journalists, and other online communities? Alli and Lindsey speak with Amanda Silberling, senior culture writer at TechCrunch, who covers Mastodon culture and has written a beginner's guide to the platform. They discuss the pros and cons of the platform, its unique "instance" structure, its culture and politics, and whether or not Twitter even needs to be "replaced." Follow Amanda: https://twitter.com/asilbwrites Check out her Mastodon beginner's guide on TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/08/what-is-mastodon/ And her podcast, Wow If True: https://wowiftrue.com/ Plug! If you're a Harry Potter fan, check out Matt and his daughter Amelia's magical and epic recap video: https://youtu.be/6TOMz0v1ElE Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hope your Turkey Day was delicious, for all those who celebrate. This week, Alli and Lindsey catch up on a variety of important topics, like: Are humans the tastiest meat? What are the things that bring us joy? Setting up a moon colony, and of course Twitter's rapid death spiral under the heel of its new Dark Lord. And how can we save the valuable subcultures that still thrive on the platform. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Queen Elizabeth II died in September, her Wikipedia page was updated before the BBC had even broadcast the news. That's because hundreds of volunteer editors had rushed in to make sure the page was updated and accurate the moment Buckingham Palace announced her passing. But there is no single arbiter of what edits "stick" and what is updated or reverse by other editors. Yet somehow, Wikipedia remains mostly accurate and up to date when public figures die. To find out how this magic is possible on an Internet so filled with fake news and bias, Alli and Lindsey talk with Hay Kranen, a longtime Wikipedia editor and volunteer within the Wiki Media community, who coined the term "Deaditor," referring to editors who specialize in updating the pages of public figures who have passed on. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have another encore episode that we're really proud of. We'll be back next with more Internet awesomeness. -- Original Show Notes // October 11, 2021 -- If you live in a big city like New York, you know that delivery workers on bikes are vital for moving food and other resources from place to place, especially during the pandemic. But workers using apps like Door Dash and Uber Eats often have little recourse when something goes wrong, like a stolen bike or worse, a traffic accident. They're not employed by the tech companies, nor the restaurants they serve. And they're not top of mind for police, especially when many workers are undocumented and hesitant to report issues. That's where El Diario de los Deliveryboys En La Gran Manzana, a Facebook community for Spanish-speaking NYC delivery workers, comes in. That's where these daring cyclists trade tips and support one another when things go wrong. Alli and Lindsey talk with Sergio, the creator of the group, which now has thousands of members. Special thanks to Santiago Gustin for translating our interview! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grandma's secret sugar cookie recipe has been passed down through the generations. In some rare cases, this sacred family tradition ends up on her gravestone — a final gift to the world, if you can find it. One enterprising TikToker put her archival skills in motion when she began baking these gravestone recipes online — and went instantly viral. Thanks to the Internet, the secret cookies Grandma took to the grave can now be enjoyed by everyone. Alli and Lindsey chat with Rosie Grant about how a school project in library science became an instant online community, where people around the world are locating gravestone recipes for Rosie to bring back to life. Follow Rosie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ghostlyarchive And Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ghostly.archive/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1989, VHS home viewing was on the rise, and Blockbuster was dominating the movie rental business, with one caveat: They had yet to acquire many kids' movies. At the same time, a 23-year-old film director set out to create a movie musical for kids about an imaginary friend who comes to life. For a brief period of time, the very low budget "Creating Rem Lezar," was one of the only kids movies on Blockbuster shelves across the U.S. When video stores started carrying Disney and the like, the blue-haired, tights-wearing hero was largely forgotten. Or was he? The cultural memory of this strange musical B-movie persisted, with memes appearing on eBaum's World in the early 2000s, and was later covered by the Found Footage Festival, an online community that excavates VHS ephemera from the pop culture dustbin. People around the world began to remember Rem Lezar, and popular Twitch streamers and YouTubers began referencing it in their videos. The direct-to-VHS kids musical had gained a second life (and cult following) on the modern Internet. Alli and Lindsey speak with Joe Pickett, co-creator of the Found Footage Festival, Jack Mulcahy, the actor who played Rem Lezar, and Scott Zakarin, the film's writer/director, about this strange renaissance, and the future of the film. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some personal emergencies got in the way of this week's session, so we have a 2G1P classic for you about the worldwide scavenger hunt that is Geocaching! -Original Show Notes from September 27, 2021- There are little treasures hidden all over your neighborhood, and throughout the world. You just need a GPS app (and some sleuthing skills) to find them. That's the fun of geocaching, a global phenomenon where people hide containers (large and small) in public spaces and drop the coordinates on a map. Find one, and you might be the first to add your name to the log, get some free swag, or enjoy the experience of a lifetime. Alli and Lindsey chat with Scott Berks, Chad Courtney, and Jessie Brown, the hosts of The Geocaching Podcast, the long-running show about this worldwide and ever-growing IRL scavenger hunt. Check out the Geocaching Podcast: https://geocachingpodcast.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey was on TV (that's short for Tele-Vision, a box in your house that displays moving pictures) and Alli's new stage show is a raging success! The girls discuss the pros and cons of polyamory, Alex Jones having to pay a BILLION dollars for being an asshole, and Alli uses the show to workshop standup material without even paying us. Crime! Sign up for Alli's show: https://www.loveisntblind.co/ Watch Lindsey on The TeeVee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mytvgK1PpU Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Midjourney, Dall-E, Google Deep Dream, and more technologies have rapidly emerged in recent years. What were once fringe novelties have become sophisticated networks capable of turning any phrase into museum-worthy art, in seconds. Large communities of curious creators are flocking to them, as the once-elusive power of drawing or painting can now be commanded from your computer keyboard. But what does this mean for the future of art and artists? If AI can generate 1,000 iterations of your band's T-shirt or podcast logo, then our relationship to art itself is about to radically change. Journalist and CEO of 330.ai Adam B. Levine returns to the show to explain how these technologies work, the communities forming around them, and what to expect in the near-future. We then speak with author and musician K Allado-McDowell, who established the Artists + Machine Intelligence program at Google AI to study the relationship between AI tools and the creators who use them. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Etsy — the online marketplace for bespoke, handmade goods — has a labor problem. Despite robust profits during the pandemic, the platform has made recent changes that are angering its seller community. Most complaints revolve around increased fees, forced advertising programs, middleware payment systems (with additional fees), and the algorithmic prioritization of cheap, mass-produced goods — arguably the antithesis of Etsy's "mom and pop" roots. Kristi Cassidy, a longtime Etsy seller, voiced her concern on Reddit, and many agreed. Now, a variety of shops have gone on strike in an effort to raise awareness of the squeeze. This reignites the age-old Internet question of who has more power: The platforms that create the ecosystem, or the individuals who create all the stuff on the platform? Alli and Lindsey talk with Kristi about this budding freelance labor movement, and its implications for other Internet gig workers. Get more info about the Indie Sellers Guild: https://indiesellersguild.org/ Check out Kristi's steampunk clothing designs! https://auralynne.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have two amazing episodes coming up, but they're not ready yet! In the meantime, enjoy this encore episode with our favorite comments troll/Internet performance artist Ken M! -Original Show Notes // April 26, 2021 - Dumb comments at the bottom of news articles and Facebook posts are a dime a dozen. But for the last 10 years, Ken M has turned misinformed Internet commentary into a masterful comedic art. His brand of earnest, oblivious comment trolling (and the angry reactions of people who think it's real) earned him hundreds of thousands of fans, who screenshot his comment threads across the Web and laugh hysterically on Reddit and Tumblr. While Ken M has become the stuff of Internet legend, the real man behind the troll accounts — Ken McCarthy — is a friendly guy whose day job is writing for Comedy Central. Alli and Jen chat with McCarthy about his creative process, why his brand of humor is still so relatable after a decade, Ken M imposters, and what happens when troll comments go too far. Follow Ken M on Twitter: https://twitter.com/horseysurprise Enjoy the Ken M subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/KenM/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking at a painting or sculpture on the Internet doesn't inspire the same awe as seeing the real thing in a museum. But standing INSIDE a painting in virtual reality is a mind-blowing experience you can enjoy from home, and socially with others online. Alli and Lindsey talk with Robin Stethem, the founder and CEO of The Museum of Other Realities, a VR space that contains a rotating collection of exhibits from artists working in 3D virtual space. These range from sculptures you can shrink down and walk inside of, infinite paintings you can fly into, art that's activated by sound and body languages, and other experiences that are only possible with emerging tech. Learn more about the Museum and how to visit it on the VR platform of your choice: https://www.museumor.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In keeping with our recent coverage of VR communities, we're sharing this encore episode about deaf users of VRchat and the volunteer translators making a big impact in social VR. Enjoy! -- Original Show Notes // February 3, 2020 -- Deaf users of immersive social platforms like VRchat can face a tough time communicating. Unlike other social media, VR spaces rely on verbal and physical communication rather than text. And sign language with current-gen VR controllers is limiting and clunky at best. But groups of volunteer interpreters inside VR worlds are hard at work making sure these spaces are more welcoming and accessible for deaf users. The result is an empowering community of "Helping Hands." This week, Alli and Jen speak with Quentin, a 19-year-old volunteer translator and VR enthusiast, who is bridging the communications gap between deaf and hearing people in VRchat. Quentin (a hearing person) shares how and why he learned American Sign Language, the tech limitations of signing in VR, and how sign language is evolving in VR to accommodate differences between headsets and motion tracking. A transcript of this episode was provided by @Zazzy_chan! You can read it here: http://bit.ly/2UJ1Qcz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli's on her way to Burning Man and Lindsey is enroute to the East Coast, so we catch up on life, world events, learn about Alli's guided tour of VR Kmart! Get tickets for Alli's show in LA, "Love Isn't Blind": https://www.loveisntblind.co/ And get tickets for Lindsey's show in NYC, "Letters to the Boys I've Never Kissed" https://www.frigid.nyc/event/6897:209/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

VR is used to create immersive video games, fantastical social worlds, and surreal art. Or you can make a Kmart from 1992. An enterprising community of VRChat players have built just that, and manage it every day, complete with employees, managers, cash registers, and products on the shelves, like Surge soda and Super Nintendo. It's one part role-play, one part time machine — a way to virtually visit what '90s American big box stores were like. And people from all over the virtual world are flocking to it. Carbon Blossom, the communications manager for this virtual store, explains its origins, global appeal, and take Alli and Lindsey on a whirlwind tour through the history of retail. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When filmmaker Jonathan Stack started to burn out on making documentaries about prisons and drug addiction, he decided to turn his attention toward building a positive movement. He noted that misconceptions about family planning are rampant, especially in developing countries and of course, on the Internet. So he co-founded World Vasectomy Day, a global movement for public health and destigmatizing family planning. And when he began interviewing men all over the world about why they had gotten their vasectomies, the overwhelming answer was: "Love." Jonathan shares how the organization got started, and the online community of activists and doctors working to evolve the narrative around vasectomies. Visit World Vasectomy Day: https://wvd.org/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Online grifters who peddle misinformation for influence and profit are a tale as old as the Web itself. But the more recent phenomenon of credentialed medical doctors decrying Covid a hoax and spreading anti-vax rhetoric has more serious ramifications. So who holds doctors (and other medical professionals) accountable when they spread misinformation online? The medical boards that license them should be investigating, but shocker: They're not. That's where Dr. Nick Sawyer comes in. By day, he's an ER doctor, but in his limited spare time, he's the executive director of "No License for Disinformation," a non-profit coalition of doctors who created a way to report and de-license bad actors. Dr. Nick explains the difference between disinfo grift and the alarmingly coordinated political efforts to discredit science and damage public health. He also discusses the early momentum of this online medical community, and why it can be hard for them to organize (even on the Internet) amid backlash from corporate medical institutions. Learn more (and support the cause) here: https://www.nolicensefordisinformation.org/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever buy breadmaking ingredients, crochet hooks, or a papier-mâché kit, only to spend a bunch of money and then get bored with your new hobby? You're not alone, especially during the pandemic. And those with neurodiversity, especially ADHD, can become hyper fixated on something, only to completely abandon it later. The ADHD Hobby Swap Facebook group is a place where best intentions can be re-sold to like-minded hobbyists. It saves people money, reduces waste, and helps folks discover new projects they never dreamed of. Alli and Lindsey talk with the group's creator, Sarah Henley, about its explosion in popularity over the last few years. Check out the Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/446133216790646 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Web was created, it was open, inter-operable, and structured for everyone to participate. Today, most people consume online content through 5 mega-corps that make billions from our data and warp our social discourse. This has had profound effects on privacy and security. But how did we get here? And can we ever get back? Alli and Lindsey talk with Cindy Cohn, the executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Since 1990, the non-profit EFF has been working to protect the civil liberties of Internet users. This ranges from government surveillance to corporate abuse of privacy. As a civil rights attorney, Cindy has fought and won numerous legal battles that protect online speech, privacy, and access. She discusses the origins of the EFF, why law enforcement didn't understand the Internet at first, and the battles ahead regarding decentralization, tech anti-trust, and even abortion access. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are afk this week, but re-sharing an amazing episode about the virtual cemetery in the space MMO EVE Online, which started as a memorial to dead characters and quickly became a shrine to IRL friends, family, pets, and lost loved ones who have died. -- Original Show Notes, Episode 143 | August 17, 2020 -- Alli and Jen speak with Jason Marshall, a veteran player of the MMO 'EVE Online' about the game's 15-year-old player-run space graveyard. The Molea cemetery has been operating since 2004, and not only contains the frozen corpses of killed space pilots, but graves that mark the deaths of lost loved ones in real life — friends, family members, pets, and other players. In June of this year, the developers of 'EVE' formally recognized this player accomplishment by adding a massive, permanent memorial to the system. Marshall explains how the cemetery got started, why players care so much about transporting their clone corpses to virtual graves, how the team fended off attacks from the notorious Goonswarm Alliance, and the first time a player requested a grave for a real person. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mushrooms, psychedelics, micro-dosing and more have recently come into fashion, but online communities and scientists have been studying their effects on mental health for decades. The social stigma on mind-altering substances still prevents many people from safely exploring them. That's where Plant Parenthood comes in. It's an online community that connects and educates parents on how psychedelics can reduce the stress of raising kids, and tap into the playful and creative mindsets that make families joyful. Alli and Lindsey talk with Rebecca Kronman and Andrew Rose from Plant Parenthood, who explain the intersection of family and psychedelics, and how this community allows people to talk about things they can't address with IRL friends and family. Check out Plant Parenthood: https://www.plantph.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from abridging free speech and the press. And Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act prevents common carriers (like telephone companies) from being held liable for the speech of their users. But social media isn't quite either of those things, especially when a small handful of tech companies make huge profits by amplifying dangerous misinformation. So, what IS protected speech on the Internet, and what models of regulation are available to preserve open communication and a digital "public square," while curbing weaponized information? Alli and Lindsey talk with Paul Singer, a partner at the law firm Kelley Drye & Warren LLP and former Texas Associate Deputy Attorney General, who has been focused on consumer protection on the Internet since the days of MySpace. Paul explains why regulating online speech is incredibly complex, especially at the speed of tech. But he remains optimistic that the history of telecommunications — specifically radio — might guide us toward a legal balance. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You might assume that men drinking breastmilk is yet another kink — and it can be. But Mikalah says it's often a comfort and a lifestyle for many in the community. She would know, as she's a professional lactation consultant who also found a partner who breastfeeds from her regularly. Alli and Lindsey speak with her about the extraordinary misconceptions about breastfeeding, how anyone at ANY age can induce breastmilk (including men!), the barriers to selling milk online, and the medical reasons why she found herself to be a leading voice in the ABF community. For more info, check out Mikalah's podcast "Lactation Station": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lactation-station/id1485681584 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're off this week, but sharing another one of our favorite episodes about turning fandom into something amazing on the Internet. -Original Show Notes // December 6, 2021 - The only thing bigger than "Bachelor Nation" is "Bachelor Instagram." That's usually where the contestants, stars, villains, and conversations around the Bachelor and Bachelorette franchises go during each season. But educator Suzana Somers had a fresh idea. When she had to start learning Excel for her job, she got bored crunching pivot tables, so she inserted data from The Bachelor instead: How much screen time did each contestant get? Age ranges? Race and ethnic backgrounds? Roses awarded? Instagram followers? The results, which she visualized on Instagram, have been intriguing thousands of fans ever since. @BachelorData has become a big voice in the reality show conversation, and Suzana has turned it into an educational resource for those who want to improve their spreadsheets skills in a non-boring way. Alli and Lindsey chat with Suzana about the origin of the account, the online Bachelor community, and the fascinating conclusions she's drawn from analyzing the franchise over many seasons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fandom is the essential glue that holds most online communities together. But Kaitlyn Tiffany says the One Direction fandom ⁠— particularly fangirls ⁠— have a lot to do with with how modern social media culture is structured today. The author and journalist returns for her second appearance on 2G1P to discuss how the Internet fervor around 1D has influenced everything from commerce to politics to activism online. Her new book, "Everything I Need I Get from You: How Fangirls Created the Internet as We Know It," digs into the obsessive fan culture that could only be fully realized through the power of the Internet. Check out her book: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Need-Get-You-Fangirls/dp/0374539189 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TikTok might seem like a bastion of youth, fun dance moves, and fun challenges. But like most social media, it's rampant with misinformation and weaponized disinformation, especially about the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, joined TikTok for the same reasons we all did: We were bored during the lockdowns. What she found on the platform was so horrifying, she had to step up and fight it. Alli and Lindsey talk with Dr. Kat about her rise to social media fame as a newly minted science communicator. Her TikTok videos debunk persistent myths about the pandemic, explain how viruses and vaccines work, and call out other medical professionals who insist on spreading dangerous content. She maps why human bias, poor educational standards, and algorithms that only serve sensationalism created a perfect storm of misinformation on TikTok, and what scientists (and regular people) are doing to fight back. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you need a break from the world crumbling around us, this episode is for you. Alli and Lindsey try as HARD AS THEY CAN to only talk about good things, and they almost manage to do it! UFOs are getting a rebrand, hummingbirds are dope, Katy Perry concerts are fun, Zac Efron continues to be attractive, and Ukrainians made an original song about U.S. missiles. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have another one of our favorite classic episodes for you this week, so kick back, relax, and enjoy this wholly unnecessary diversion. --Original Show Notes: September 28, 2020-- Matty Benedetto is a product designer by training, but his sense of humor led him to a life of hilarious content creation instead. Benedetto builds Unnecessary Inventions, ingenious products that solve urgent problems you don’t actually have — like a drink holder for your shoe, or an alarm clock that snoozes itself so you won’t be bothered in the morning. His fake products (and their crisp photos and videos) are so popular that he’s garnered 4 million followers across social media, and a vast community of invention enthusiasts who either really want to buy these ridiculous items, or can’t stop suggesting bad inventions. Alli and Jen talk to Benedetto about where his weekly inspiration comes from, why it’s so hard to think of a problem that doesn’t exist, and what happens when real brands get involved in the fake product business. https://www.unnecessaryinventions.com/ https://www.instagram.com/unnecessaryinventions/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bible can be pretty dense and outdated by today's storytelling standards. But what if you could hear the story of Lot, or Judah, or Abraham, expertly recounted by a cool dude at the barstool next to you, with all the hot goss about incest, murder, and rape? What started as award-winning Reddit comments on politics articles has morphed into The Woke Bible, an entire subreddit devoted to getting high and retelling Bible stories with modern vernacular, reality TV show references, and hip-hop lyrics. Jason Washington grew up in a fundamentalist family with a strict religious education. But despite leaving the church later in life, he continues to find messed-up Bible stories fascinating ⁠— and so do tens of thousands of Redditors. Alli and Lindsey talk with Jason about his growing community, and how he's educating thousands about what the Bible really says. Subscribe to The Woke Bible on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWokeBible/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Autistic children love Minecraft as much as anyone, but they're often bullied by other kids on multiplayer servers. When software developer and dad Stuart Duncan learned of this, he set out to create a private, safe Minecraft server exclusively for autistic kids and their families. The moment he shared it, he got 300 emails from parents who desperately wanted in, Today, Autcraft has a community of 15,000 kids with autism and their parents, and Stuart quit his job to run the server fulltime and meet the needs of his players. He shares how the server changed the lives of kids and parents, Autcraft's accessibility features that Minecraft has implemented into its game for all players, and why social scientists study the server for autism research. Learn more about Autcraft and support Stuart's efforts on Patreon: https://www.autcraft.com/ https://www.patreon.com/autcraft/posts Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey is on vacation this week, so Alli and Matt check the newspaper to see if there's anything going on in the good ol' USA this past week (Spoiler alert: There was!). We also discuss the philosophical pros and cons of a more "decentralized" Web, and Alli pooped in a hole somewhere in Utah (good luck, Geocachers!). Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

r/Place is a blank canvas on Reddit. Every five minutes, you can add one pixel of any color. The result is thousands of Redditors working together (or against each other!) to carve out a visual space for their community, country, sports team, favorite video game, or a co-operative pixelated Mona Lisa. This fascinating social experiment has been conducted twice on Reddit, but also has roots in a similar gambit from 2005 called "The Million Dollar Homepage," where pixels were sold to any person (or brand) with enough cash to make a statement on this early Web billboard. Alli and Lindsey speak with Jay Hoffman, who documents this and many other Internet phenomena in his "History of the Web" newsletter. They discuss the extraordinary artwork created on this collaborative free-for-all, and why it never devolved into madness, thanks to a variety of self-policing communities. Read Jay's issue and subscribe to his fantastic newsletter here: https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/the-power-of-the-pixel/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli reports in from a Furry convention and Lindsey caught a bad case of "Ass Pee" from Mexico, so all-told a pretty average episode of 2G1P. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Stephen Wilhite, the creator of the .GIF image, died last month at the age of 74, millions on the Internet shared their favorite (and earliest-known) looping animations in honor of the influential computer scientist. But how did this highly compressed CompuServe image format from 1987 become the ubiquitous communication method bursting from all of our smartphone keyboards? Nearly all the coverage of Wilhite's death links back to one interview from 2012. Fernando Alfonso, III, a reporter at The Daily Dot (fine publisher of this very podcast!) tracked down the reclusive Wilhite to discuss the legacy of the .GIF, and why it became so pivotal in the maturation of the Web. Alfonso (now a supervising editor at NPR) explains why .GIFs were invented, why they blossomed with artists of the early Web, how hard it was to make them in the early aughts, and whether we should expect the .GIF to survive the next 10 years. Read Fernando's piece from 2012: https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/gif-history-steve-wilhite-olia-lialina-interview/ Follow Fernando: https://twitter.com/fernalfonso Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we learn more about Alli's TikTok strategy, dissect the Oscars' "Slap Heard 'Round the World," and the civilian Ukrainian hackers fighting back from Cyberspace. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Secret spy messages are "hiding" in the airwaves all around us. It may sound like another Internet conspiracy theory, but this one is the real deal. Shortwave radio transmissions are among the most reliable ways for military, government, and intelligence agencies to exchange information. And every day for the last 40 years, one shortwave radio station called UVB-76 has been broadcasting static, beeping patterns, and cryptic Russian messages to ... someone. The contents of the messages are unknown — they are re-encrypted regularly. Anyone can listen, but only the intended recipient(s) can decode them. But that doesn't stop a thriving community of online listeners who stream these stations for the entire Internet to hear, in the hopes of finding patterns or clues. Alli and Lindsey speak with ZapdoZ, a YouTube streamer who also moderates a large Discord server devoted to cataloging the cryptic messages of this Russian military shortwave transmission. He explains the difference between Numbers Stations (for spies) and Military Stations (for armed forces), why streamers use spectral analysis to "look" at the sound, and how chatter on these stations may have hinted at the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, remember Tumblr? It was the most popular blogging platform on the Internet...until it wasn't. But the communities that formed there have had a lasting impact on social media, notably the passionate fandoms that exploded in the mid-2010s Alli and Lindsey speak with Elena Cavender, culture fellow at Mashable, who recently wrote the piece "Remembering Tumblr's strangest, most formative communities." It's a nostalgic look back at the single-serve "Fuckyeah" culture that celebrated everything from movie posters to history crushes, and everything in-between: Fanfiction, study communities, Supernatural, Doctor Who, Sherlock, One Direction, serial killers, and even the legacy of destructive content like pro-anorexia blogs. Elena walks us through the heyday of Tumblr (and its rapid demise), and how those communities inform today's Internet. Read her piece: https://mashable.com/article/tumblr-best-communities-nostalgia Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is one of our favorite 2G1Ps of all time! We'll be back next week with some very cool new episodes. --Original Show Notes: March 15, 2021-- The cult steampunk adventure book series "Ships of the Northern Fleet" has inspired a TV show, graphic novels, and even a breakfast cereal. But the influential show has fallen off the pop culture radar in recent years. That is until a TikToker named Mister Nickel brought a flood of nostalgia back to the Internet to reunite the rabid fan community. Alli and Jen talk with Mister Nickel and the one and only Catie Osborn, the actor best known for playing Annie on "Ships" for multiple seasons (before the character's controversial death!). Nickel and Osborn share why "Ships" fandom is so special, and everything that's gone down since its viral resurgence on TikTok. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Ellen DeGeneres came out of the closet publicly on her hit TV show in 1997, it rocked the media. Her popular sitcom received parental warnings and ratings declined until it was cancelled the following year. Many wondered if Ellen, who was at the peak of her comedy game, would ever work again. We all know how that story played out. But for the LGBTQ+ community at the time, Ellen's "I'm gay" moment was monumental, and open the floodgates for representation in mainstream media. Meanwhile, as the World Wide Web was taking shape, many in the gay and lesbian community began to find each other online. AfterEllen.com became a hugely important Web forum and review site for people coming to terms with their sexuality in a media landscape that was still hostile to them. Alli and Lindsey speak with Sarah Warn, the founder of After Ellen, about how the LGBTQ+ community found a voice online before the days of Google and modern social media. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and "Lil' Santa" attempt to record a podcast without Matt and it quickly goes off the rails. Also, why TikTok is like a toxic relationship, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEN! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Making a living on the Internet is hard enough. But when you finally make something popular (a YouTube video, a TikTok) it's almost certain that someone will steal it and re-upload it somewhere else. It's not always malicious, but it can harm content creators' bottom line. Some platforms have the tools to find pirated content automatically, but it can be difficult to reclaim lost revenue. That's where SuperBam comes in. It's a one-of-a-kind company that helps creators identify stolen or misused content and gain control of its monetization and other intellectual property rights, putting the tools once reserved for record labels and movie studios into the hands of online influencers. Alli and Lindsey speak with Chris Landa, President and Co-Founder of SuperBam, about how the company got started, and how they've reclaimed $10 million in pirated revenue for creators. Hat Tip, Tubefilter: https://www.tubefilter.com/2022/01/21/superbam-10-million-rights-management-digital-content-creators-youtube-tiktok/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Matt chat about why TikTok is so amazing and terrifying, and that time Alli went to the "Reptile Super Show" in LA, because why not? Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When life-saving medication costs more than rent, you know there's a problem with the system. The cost of insulin — the blood sugar regulator relied on by diabetic patients around the world — has skyrocketed in recent years. Pharmaceutical patents and the lack of competition are usually the culprit. But one group of volunteers from around the world has been working to reverse-engineer insulin and get the "recipe" into production in order to bring down the cost exponentially. Think of it as an "open source" biohacking project, the results of which can benefit everyone — not just Big Pharma. Alli and Lindsey talk with Anthony Di Franco, the founder of the Open Insulin Foundation, about how this all works, how volunteers collaborate online, and the future of the diabetic community on the Web. Check out the Open Insulin Foundation: https://openinsulin.org/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We already know that Disney theme parks aren't just for kids, and there are communities of grown-ups who take having fun a Disney Land very seriously! Disney Bounders are all about dressing up as their favorite characters without looking exactly like them, which would be a violation of park rules. To avoid confusing other guests (and getting kicked out of the park), Disney Bounders use regular clothes and household items to evoke the style of princesses, famous animals, and Marvel heroes without crossing that line. Think: Cosplay for the rest of us. And there's a huge community on social media swapping tips and sharing experiences. Leslie Kay is the creator of Disney Bound, a Tumblr blog and social media presence that grew to define the "Disney Bounding" community. She shares the origins of the site, the extraordinary devotion of the fandom, and the remarkable creativity that goes into dressing for a day at the park. Also: Some amazing stories from Alli's time as a Disney World performer in Orlando. Disney Bound Tumblr: https://disneybound.co/ Disney Bound Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thedisneybound/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community:http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Studying, writing, and remote work can be a lonely time. Add in a dose of global pandemic, and the endless isolation can be overwhelming. It's no surprise to see the growth of streaming communities focused on mundane things: Eating, writing, and today's topic: Studying. Alli and Linsey talk with Giulia Mazza, a study streamer who spends hours a day studying for her Master's degree while hundreds of people watch on Twitch. Her audience is also studying and working, and as Giulia explains, the community has become a place for "positive peer pressure" and accountability in an age of endless distraction and isolation. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's an aisle at your local ALDI supermarket that contains random stuff that rotates on a weekly basis, often without rhyme or reason. So naturally, there's a Facebook group with 1 million people who are obsessed with it. This week, Alli and Lindsey talk with Stefanie Riley and Leigh Caldwell Dunning, friends who've worked in the blogging/journalism space for years until they discovered a shared love for Aldi's "Aisle of Shame." It prompted the blog and group of the same name, where they highlight and discuss the products (and people!) that pop up in the mysterious aisle, where you "go to the store for milk, and leave with a chainsaw." They share the secret bird call of fellow group members, the ALDI executives who lurk in their midst, and the surprising way this community has rallied to help members in need. Visit: https://www.aisleofshame.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It should come as no surprise that LEGO is big on the Internet, but one LEGO filmmaking community has been thriving online since 2000, long before YouTube was even a thing. This week, Alli and Lindsey talk with Sean Willis and Chris Wynn, two admins from Bricks in Motion, a forum and Discord community that emerged from the ashes of Brickfilms, which was instrumental in bringing amateur stop-motion LEGO animation online for the world to share. Willis and Wynn explain how link directories brought LEGO filmmakers together on the early Web, and how the official LEGO movies can trace their lineage back to this online creativity. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Internet and the World Wide Web began as an open, inter-operable commons with limitless potential and creativity. So how did everything get so corporate? Author and media theorist Douglas Rushkoff believes the next chapter(s) of the Internet could take a cue from Wikipedia or the communal kibbutz, rather than a for-profit metaverse ... if we want it. Alli and Lindsey talk with Rushkoff about the aspirational origins of the Web, what we can do to program a better future, and why millions of digital cottage industries are probably better than 5 insatiable tech conglomerates. Rushkoff will be teaching a university course on this topic in New York: https://rushkoff.medium.com/re-designing-the-internet-2593fe7dae8d And you'll enjoy his podcast, Team Human: https://www.teamhuman.fm/ Follow Douglas: https://twitter.com/rushkoff Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community:http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all who celebrate! We're taking some time off this week for travel and family fun, but looking forward to sharing new episodes soon. For now, a watershed moment for our community: The Macrophilia episode, #93 from July 22, 2019. Enjoy! -Original Show Notes- Macrophilia is a surprisingly popular fetish involving sexual fantasies about giants — specifically, giant women. Being at the mercy of giants, or being coddled or crushed by them are staples of the community, but size change motifs also are common. Stories and media about giants (like the 1958 horror B-movie Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) or size change (1989's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) have become touch points for the macrophilia community, though many have also taken to making their own media and pornography using visual effects. Alli and Jen talk with Pete, the webmaster of Giantess City, one of the largest online content and community hubs for macrophiles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

r/SantasLittleHelpers is the subreddit that fulfills the holiday wishes of kids in need. Alli and Lindsey talk with BackpackWayne, the creator/moderator of Santa's Little Helpers, which has been connecting generous redditors with families that have fallen on hard times for the last 10 years. Wayne recounts heartwarming stories of the kindness of Internet strangers, and shares how the charitable initiative — inspired by his mother — has turned into a yearly juggernaut of generosity. Here's a sampling of the joy from last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFcpAHxDt8M Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Internet is a place for everyone to have a voice, but we often take the tools and apps we use to access it for granted. Software engineer Ather Sharif became acutely aware of this about 8 years ago when a car accident left him with a spinal cord injury. Even basic things like typing on a keyboard are now an enormous challenge for him and thousands of others with various disabilities. Lindsey and Alli talk with Ather about how this changed the trajectory of his career. He is now an advocate for accessible and inclusive technologies and a PhD student at the University of Washington where he studies what we can all do to ensure the Internet is for everyone. View the transcript for this episode: https://bit.ly/3HfhP7t Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only thing bigger than "Bachelor Nation" is "Bachelor Instagram." That's usually where the contestants, stars, villains, and conversations around the Bachelor and Bachelorette franchises go during each season. But educator Suzana Somers had a fresh idea. When she had to start learning Excel for her job, she got bored crunching pivot tables, so she inserted data from The Bachelor instead: How much screen time did each contestant get? Age ranges? Race and ethnic backgrounds? Roses awarded? Instagram followers? The results, which she visualized on Instagram, have been intriguing thousands of fans ever since. @BachelorData has become a big voice in the reality show conversation, and Suzana has turned it into an educational resource for those who want to improve their spreadsheets skills in a non-boring way. Alli and Lindsey chat with Suzana about the origin of the account, the online Bachelor community, and the fascinating conclusions she's drawn from analyzing the franchise over many seasons. Follow the account here: https://www.instagram.com/bachelordata/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hope you're having a fantastic Thanksgiving! We are thankful for YOU, our listeners. Lots of great interviews to come, but for now, please enjoy this hilarious conversation with the genius creator of We Rate Dogs, from June 2020. -Original Show Notes- With more than 14 million followers across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, WeRateDogs is on a mission that everyone on planet Earth can get behind: Rating cute doggos from the internet on a (dubious!) 10-point scale. This blend of adorable dog pics, comedic captions, and obsessive fan-submitted content has catapulted the novelty account (and its creator, Matt Nelson) into a massive online brand, which uses its influence to entertain millions, sell merch, and help dogs in need. Alli and Jen talk with Nelson about the inspiration for the account, how its explosive popularity changed his life, the serious inflation problem in the Dog Rating Economy, that time J.K. Rowling and Lin-Manuel Miranda followed him, why everything's political on Twitter, and his perfect response when Arnold Schwarzenegger asked him to rate his donkeys. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National Novel Writing Month has been operating online since 1999! Alli and Lindsey talk with program director Tim Kim about NaNoWriMo's non-profit mission to help writers collaborate and overcome the enormous challenge of getting 50,000 words on the page in a single month. Goal setting and online social accountability are a huge part of it, and the community flourishes across Twitter, Reddit, and Twitch. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community:http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we learned that Lindsey went to summer camp with Lando Calrissian. Also, Alli went to Panama to take anal photos and swim in trash water. How are you? Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The finance world can seem buttoned-up, even intimidating. But journalist Omar Gallaga found an unlikely (but entirely logical) place for armchair stock market tycoons to share tips and make big plays: Discord. But this community dispenses with the "finance bro" trappings of other day trading services. Xtrades is about learning, teaching, and dare we say it: having fun with the stock market. In the wake of Gamestop, crypto crashes, and the NFT boom, Xtrades is a chill place for legit financial exploration. Omar wrote a compelling piece about his journey to becoming a compensated moderator of this paywalled community, and explains to Alli and Lindsey that while the learning curve is steep, it's entirely worth it. How I Got Sucked Into a Discord Stock-Trading Group and Made Thousands: https://marker.medium.com/how-i-got-sucked-into-a-discord-stock-trading-group-and-made-thousands-59dcb3df6ef6 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You'd think a social network only for professional doctors would be a bastion of reason and scientific discussion. Unfortunately as Dr. Paul Malarik points out, doctors are human, too: Full of bias, assumptions, and sometimes bad intent. Dr. Malarik is a semi-retired psychiatrist who spends part of his time helping people get vaccinated against COVID-19, and the other part debunking vaccine misinformation on Doximity, a "LinkedIn" or "Facebook" only for doctors. Alli and Lindsey speak with Dr. Malarik about why this professional community can't escape the social media creep of mis- and disinformation. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which witch should you follow on WitchTok? Georgina Rose is a prolific creator of occult and witchcraft content, deeply informed by historical research. Despite how witches are depicted in popular culture, wicca (and other spiritual schools) are deeply naturalistic and tend to fill spiritual gaps where "traditional" religions fall short. Through her YouTube channel, Instagram, and podcast, Georgina explains the tenets of occult spirituality, while also drawing firm lines between science and spirituality: "Crystals won't cure cancer!" As with all online subcultures, thinking critically about where you get your information is key. Alli and Lindsey have a fun and informative chat about the online world of the occult. Follow and subscribe to Georgina (@daatdarling) on all the things: https://linktr.ee/daatdarling Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got the week off, but wanted to re-share one of our favorite episodes from back in the day. Enjoy, and we'll see you next week! -Original Show Notes from August 12, 2019- There's plenty of sexy fan art for any movie, show, or game imaginable, thanks to Rule 34. But there's something about Sonic the Hedgehog that lends the character to very specific and often extreme fetish art, in limitless quantities. Why Sonic? Writer and weird Internet excavator  K. Thor Jensen walks Alli and Jen through the invention of the Internet's favorite blue speed demon, and the unique way he was positioned by his creators that set him up as a conduit for porn of all stripes. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you live in a big city like New York, you know that delivery workers on bikes are vital for moving food and other resources from place to place, especially during the pandemic. But workers using apps like Door Dash and Uber Eats often have little recourse when something goes wrong, like a stolen bike or worse, a traffic accident. They're not employed by the tech companies, nor the restaurants they serve. And they're not top of mind for police, especially when many workers are undocumented and hesitant to report issues. That's where El Diario de los Deliveryboys En La Gran Manzana, a Facebook community for Spanish-speaking NYC delivery workers, comes in. That's where these daring cyclists trade tips and support one another when things go wrong. Alli and Lindsey talk with Sergio, the creator of the group, which now has thousands of members. Special thanks to Santiago Gustin for translating our interview! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most things in the online world are meant to scale big, and reach as many people as possible all over the world. But for locally-grown food, not so much. So when the pandemic accelerated the need for local farms to get online, companies like Fresh Harvest stepped up. This week, Alli and Lindsey talk with Zac Harrison, the founder of Fresh Harvest, and Nicholas and Jeni of Crystal Organic Farm, a local farm in Georgia that distributes through the site. They discuss the importance of locally-grown food, and how the Internet can get it to people more effectively. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are little treasures hidden all over your neighborhood, and throughout the world. You just need a GPS app (and some sleuthing skills) to find them. That's the fun of geocaching, a global phenomenon where people hide containers (large and small) in public spaces and drop the coordinates on a map. Find one, and you might be the first to add your name to the log, get some free swag, or enjoy the experience of a lifetime. Alli and Lindsey chat with Scott Berks, Chad Courtney, and Jessie Brown, the hosts of The Geocaching Podcast, the long-running show about this worldwide and ever-growing IRL scavenger hunt. Check out the Geocaching Podcast: https://geocachingpodcast.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After noting cyclical patterns in the news and online discourse, combined with the rise of bots and overwhelming presence of advertising, some skeptical thinkers have proposed the "Dead Internet Theory," an idea that most (if not all?) online content is created by highly sophisticated bots. Where this interesting conspiracy goes awry is that — you guessed it — it's all a government coverup designed to keep us (the remaining human sheeple) in line. Alli and Lindsey talk with Kaitlyn Tiffany, a writer at The Atlantic who reports on Internet culture, about how this compelling thought experiment quickly went off the rails into absurd existential solipsism. Read Kaitlyn's reporting here: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/08/dead-internet-theory-wrong-but-feels-true/619937/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's a look back at one of our favorite episodes about sex work inside the still-thriving virtual world of Second Life. We hope you enjoy this one as much as we did, and we'll talk with you next week! -- Original Show Notes | June 22, 2020 -- Cybersex is as old as the Internet itself. But as virtual spaces become more sophisticated, so too has sex work. Second Life is more of a "technology playground" than a video game -- a place where your digital skills can be traded for real money. Many players make a healthy living by providing custom goods or services, including sex work. This week, Alli and Jen speak with Meela Vanderbuilt, the creator and owner of The Mondarchy, the most expensive brothel in Second Life. She's also joined by Reyna, the club's general staff manager. Together, they explain the culture of Second Life (which began way back in 2003), why Meela's brown-skinned avatar was rejected by other clubs. the inspiration for starting her own, and how sex work...works in a virtual world. Special thanks to Quintin Smith for help with this episode. His outstanding video about The Monarchy and Meela's story can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR94zlsHFdc Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We shouldn't be surprised to find huge, passionate online communities about something as mundane as breakfast cereal. Dan Goubert has been sharing his love of cereal and tapping into the fandom for years with his blog Cerealously.net. There, he muses about cereal culture, delicious (and horrifying!) new products, posts meticulous reviews, and occasionally breaks breakfast news. The blog became so popular it caught the attention of podcast maven and cereal eater Justin McElroy. The two teamed up to create the soothing, meditative podcast The Empty Bowl. Alli and Lindsey chat with Goubert about why cereal has such a rich mythos in American culture, what decades-old collectable cereal tastes like, Lin-Manuel Miranda's cereal preferences, and why his podcast is a great sleep aid. Shout out to StreetlampKid in our Discord community for suggesting this topic! Check out http://www.cerealously.net/ The Empty Blow: https://www.themcelroy.family/emptybowl Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How's your summer going? We're checking in and sharing some of your amazing emails and voicemails. Join our new "Do Nothing" group, and get a sneak peek of what's to come on 2G1P. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all read sexy fanfiction from time to time, but a huge community of collaborative writers (and TikTokers) have taken it to a new level over the last decade. Enter: The Omegaverse, a complex, hierarchical world of sexual politics and impregnation, based on the mating habits of pack animals. And despite its fantastical nature, it's now striving to address real-world issues as well. Alli and Lindsey speak with Morgan Sung, Internet culture reporter at Mashable, about her quest to unravel the complex social fabric of fanfiction built on other fanfiction. Morgan explains how Alphas, Betas, and Omegas interact when it comes to sex in the Omegaverse, why the strict hierarchical rules are made to be broken, the looming lawsuit that could change fanfic ownership forever, and why memes about breeding are blowing up on TikTok, Follow Morgan Sung: https://twitter.com/morgan_sung Read her Omegaverse explainer on Mashable: https://mashable.com/article/what-is-the-omegaverse-tiktok-tumblr-fanfiction Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're working out some scheduling snafus this week, but we'll be back again with fresh tales from the depths of the Internet. For now, we have an encore episode about a really fascinating topic we covered back in January. We hope you enjoy, and we'll see you again next week! Original notes: If you're concerned that LOLspeak and text messages are ruining language, fear not, grammar nerds! This week, Alli and Jen speak with linguist, author, and fellow podcaster Gretchen McCulloch, who says we are living in a special time for informal written language. McCulloch explains why the Internet is changing language and culture in unprecedented ways, how regular people solved the 500-year-long quest for written sarcasm, and why post cards from George Harrison look like your dad's text messages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

IKEA furniture is cheap, modular, and everywhere. So it's no surprise that thousands of people on the Internet love to show off their Frankenfurniture on social media. Whether it's upgrading to fancier knobs on your dresser or turning a kitchen counter into a guitar (??), IKEA hackers walk among us all. Alli and Lindsey speak with Jules Yap, creator of ikeahackers.net, a gathering place for superfans of the Swedish furniture brand. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone loves a good pair of sneakers. But some people *REALLY* love a good pair of sneakers. And when they meet online, a lot can pop off. This week, Lindsey and Alli talk with Josh Luber, the co-founder of StockX, the largest marketplace for collectibles like sneakers, streetwear and trading cards. Luber discusses the explosion of the online sneaker community, and which pair in your closet might fetch the highest price. Follow Josh: https://twitter.com/joshluber Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Internet has removed gatekeepers for most forms of media, porn certainly among them. The rise of Only Fans and direct-to-consumer sex work has empowered millions of adult creators (mostly women) to take back control of their NSFW products. But as we've seen across influencer culture, the psychological tradeoffs can be high. Alli and Lindsey talk with Dr. Rebecca Sullivan, a professor of gender and sexuality studies at the University of Calgary, who has researched (and written books) about pornography and sex work for many years. Dr. Sullivan explores the double-edged sword when it comes to online sex work, and why our culture of objectification still poses serious threats to women, even when they're in control. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are recording some excellent episodes this week and figuring out summer schedules.. In the meantime, we thought it would be useful to revisit the #FreeBritney movement and community, as Britney Spears' conservatorship trial has ramped up in the news recently. If you're not exactly sure what's at stake, this episode is an excellent rundown of the history. - Original Show Notes: April 12, 2021) - In 2007, Britney Spears was placed under a conservatorship, relinquishing control of her finances to her father. This legal arrangement is typically constructed for elderly people with significant assets and declining faculties. In Spears' case, the pop star continues to perform and generate income regularly, yet cannot prove to the probate court that she has overcome whatever mental health challenges might have lead to the conservatorship in the first place. The result has been increased public scrutiny and a large online community of activists, crystalized in the recent New York Times / Hulu documentary "Framing Britney Spears." The #FreeBritney movement, once dismissed as a vocal pocket of obsessive fandom, is now fighting to reform the abusive laws that bound Britney, and likely thousands more. Alli and Jen speak with Leanne Simmons and Kevin Wu, two activists who moderate the @FreeBritneyLA communities, and were featured in the New York Times documentary. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science and society have established that gender and sexuality are fluid. And fetishes can certainly cross into some furry territory. But what about species? A large community of people identify not as human, but as other animals: foxes, wolves, etc. And in some cases, even as humanoid races from folklore, like elves and fairies. So where does biological humanness end and spiritual identity begin? This week, Alli and Lindsey explore the fascinating communities of Otherkin. They speak with identities journalist Ana Valens, who covers Otherkin extensively for The Daily Dot. Then they speak with Kasi Frost, a member of the Otherkin community, who explains their journey of self-discovery and online engagement. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's common knowledge that pornography pushes technology forward, so it's no surprise that the future of cybersex is being hacked together today by VR enthusiasts. Tactile wearables and teledildonics are paving the way for intimate exchanges between all manner of digital creature, including — and especially — furries! This week, Alli and her brand new co-host Lindsey talk with writer and podcaster Matt Baume, who has covered the furry community extensively. Baume explains why furries are leading the way in sex tech, and how experiments in VR could unlock the next phase of online intimacy. Check out Alli's OnlyFans? https://onlyfans.com/haveyourcakeandfeetittoo Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have some big news from the 2G1P Cinematic Universe... Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We often refer to attractive people as "snacks" and talk about "eating someone up." But vore enthusiasts take those feelings to the next level. The fetish is about consuming others, or being consumed, but it's completely fantastical of course -- no one is harmed in the making of vore content or roleplay. This week, Alli and Jen talk with Carter, a moderator of the subreddit r/vore about the elaborate art created by the community, the discovery of his own feelings for the fetish, and why this kink is often misunderstood. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking the week off, but we're excited to share another fantastic show on the Podglomerate network called Green Eggs & Dan, where comedian/writer/restaurateur Dan Ahdoot talks to some fascinating (and often famous!) people about what's in their fridge. The conversation that starts with food always ends up somewhere else. Enjoy this episode of Green Eggs & Dan featuring Top Chef host and author Padma Lakshmi, and listen to Green Eggs & Dan wherever you're listing to this podcast. And we'll see you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People have been role-playing on the Internet since...the very birth of the Internet itself. And out of the tabletop and digital versions sprang LARP: Live Action Role-Playing. Social media like Facebook and Discord have given rise to thriving and diverse groups of in-person adventurers who dress up and meet up for sprawling campaigns, intrigue, battles, romances, and mugs of imaginary(?) ale. This week, Alli and Jen chat with Rachael Cofield, the director at Garden of Destinies LARP, who also works with the organization LARPing In Color, which strives for more inclusion and diversity in the role-playing community. Cofield discusses their passion for role-playing, the community effort that goes into non-profit LARP, why some prefer "big box" LARP, how LARP survived the pandemic, and ways the community is reckoning with this historically male-dominated hobby. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Any mention of "Satan" is sure to elicit pearl-clutching from the religious right. But The Satanic Temple, a purely secular and non-theistic organization has been using the dogmatic baggage of that word to its advantage since 2012. This week, Alli and Jen talk with the Temple's co-founder Lucien Greaves about the origins of The Satanic Temple as a way to protest the evangelical agenda, its journey to becoming an officially recognized religion, and the secular people who find community among its ranks, both online and IRL. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Due to scheduling conflicts, we've got an encore for you this week, and it's one of our most popular episodes of all time! Enjoy, or re-enjoy! Original Notes Nearly 400,000 listeners subscribe to r/GoneWildAudio, a community for high quality, audio-only erotic vignettes. Creators there use high-end microphones to create specific, explicit, and often elaborate fantasies for listeners. The visuals are left entirely to the imagination, and the intimacy level is off the charts. This week, Alli and Jen speak with Belle_in_the_woods, one of the most popular and prolific erotic audio creators on the subreddit. She explains how she comes up with her sexy scenarios, how creators and listeners collaborate, what a "ramblefap" is, and how she's turned her talents into a thriving side hustle of both erotic, and SFW audio production. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, 4 minutes and 55 seconds was the fastest a human being could beat "Super Mario Bros." for the NES. After every technique, glitch, and warp had been analyzed for decades, the "55 barrier" was long thought to be unbreakable. That is, until early April, when speedrunner and Twitch streamer Niftski incorporated a specific flagpole glitch into his technique. The results were historic: 4:54:948, the fastest SMB run ever, making him a new world record holder. This week, Alli and Jen talk with Niftski about his extraordinary accomplishment and the community of speedrunners who have worked together for years in search of :54. Niftski explains how runners exploit glitches, subpixels, wrong wraps, and other techniques to shave milliseconds and frames off extraordinarily precise runs. He also discusses the friendly competition among top runners that keeps them motivated. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dumb comments at the bottom of news articles and Facebook posts are a dime a dozen. But for the last 10 years, Ken M has turned misinformed Internet commentary into a masterful comedic art. His brand of earnest, oblivious comment trolling (and the angry reactions of people who think it's real) earned him hundreds of thousands of fans, who screenshot his comment threads across the Web and laugh hysterically on Reddit and Tumblr. While Ken M has become the stuff of Internet legend, the real man behind the troll accounts — Ken McCarthy — is a friendly guy whose day job is writing for Comedy Central. Alli and Jen chat with McCarthy about his creative process, why his brand of humor is still so relatable after a decade, Ken M imposters, and what happens when troll comments go too far. Follow Ken M on Twitter: https://twitter.com/horseysurprise Enjoy the Ken M subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/KenM/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our show is about Internet communities, but it's also a community of its own! Our listeners help us make the show, and we're expanding the discussion to an official 2G1P Facebook Group, where you can hang out with us, suggest episode topics, ask questions for our guests, or just share some spicy hot memes. We hope you'll join us! https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2007, Britney Spears was placed under a conservatorship, relinquishing control of her finances to her father. This legal arrangement is typically constructed for elderly people with significant assets and declining faculties. In Spears' case, the pop star continues to perform and generate income regularly, yet cannot prove to the probate court that she has overcome whatever mental health challenges might have lead to the conservatorship in the first place. The result has been increased public scrutiny and a large online community of activists, crystalized in the recent New York Times / Hulu documentary "Framing Britney Spears." The #FreeBritney movement, once dismissed as a vocal pocket of obsessive fandom, is now fighting to reform the abusive laws that bound Britney, and likely thousands more. Alli and Jen speak with Leanne Simmons and Kevin Wu, two activists who moderate the @FreeBritneyLA communities, and were featured in the New York Times documentary. Free Britney LA: https://www.instagram.com/freebritneyla/ https://twitter.com/freebritneyla Additional editing by Phoenix Williams Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking this week off, but we wanted to check in and share an episode of another great podcast on our network called Table Flipping. Table Flipping shamelessly celebrates “guilty pleasure” TV and praises the women of reality who boldly bare it all. Previous episodes of Table Flipping features guests such as Dayna Kathan of Vanderpump rules, Sean Clements host of Hollywood Handbook, comedian Ryan O’Flanagan, the writer of 500 Days of Summer Michael H. Weber and more.  Table Flipping is brought to you by The Podglomerate. New episodes run every Friday, and you can listen by subscribing on Apple Podcasts or wherever you’re listening to this show.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2011, Chris Torres drew a pixelated cat with a Pop Tart body and a rainbow shooting out of its butt. It raised $100 for a charity in Texas. 10 years later, it's not only one of the Internet's most iconic images (representing the silliness of the social media age), but has sold at auction as a non-fungible token (NFT) for 300 Ether -- currently, the equivalent of $590,000. So how can you own an Internet meme, which is by definition a digital file that has been shared and remixed millions of times across the Web? Alli and Jen talk with Torres about the cultural impact of Nyan Cat, his strange online journey over the last 10 years, how he could have made millions from licensing deals and toys (but didn't), and the pros and cons of NFTs and blockchain art. Follow Chris: https://twitter.com/prguitarman Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 2013, The Doge meme has made us laugh, cry, and stare longingly into the beautiful eyes of a Shiba Inu. Like most memes, it’s an image put into new contexts again and again. And in late 2013, it was turned into a cryptocurrency. Dogecoin began as a joke — a way to poke fun at the rise of blockchain and crypto trends. But today, it's incredibly popular as a commodity and digital currency, with an estimated market cap of $5 billion (as of this writing). Gary Lachance, an open source and decentralization advocate, has embraced The Way of the Doge. He explains that if a philosophy of fun and openness underpinned our monetary system, perhaps the world would be a better place. And Lachance feels we're at the start of a global transformation, if we use the internet right. This week, Alli and Jen speak with Lachance about his creation of Decentralized Dance Parties which unify thousands across the internet through music. Lachance also takes us into the Dogecoin community, and illustrates how the internet can be used as a weapon of peace, rather than control. Find Gary: http://garylachance.com/ The Decentralized Dance Party: http://www.theddp.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The cult steampunk adventure book series "Ships of the Northern Fleet" has inspired a TV show, graphic novels, and even a breakfast cereal. But the influential show has fallen off the pop culture radar in recent years. That is until a TikToker named Mister Nickel brought a flood of nostalgia back to the Internet to reunite the rabid fan community. Alli and Jen talk with Mister Nickel and the one and only Catie Osborn, the actor best known for playing Annie on "Ships" for multiple seasons (before the character's controversial death!). Nickel and Osborn share why "Ships" fandom is so special, and everything that's gone down since its viral resurgence on TikTok. Follow Mister Nickel: https://www.tiktok.com/@misternickel Follow Catie Osborn: https://www.tiktok.com/@catieosaurus Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bored during the pandemic? Maybe you should try betting fake money on a league of simulated baseball teams where imaginary players like Jessica Telephone and Jaylen Hotdogfingers are regularly incinerated, undergo life-altering surgeries, and become ... encased in giant peanut shells? Welcome to "Blaseball," the absurdist browser-based game that has captured thousands of imaginations and spawned an obsessive fandom that creates art, backstories, podcasts, multi-verse wikis, and even music about the events that transpire on the simulated field — which is then incorporated into the game itself. Alli and Jen talk with Felix Kramer, a member of the "Blaseball" development team, as well as Elliot Trinidad and Bria Davis, two volunteer "groundskeepers" who manage the game's rocketing community. They discuss what makes "Blaseball" so special, why the fandom is radically different than those around scripted entertainment, and their plans for the new season in 2021. Additional music in this episode courtesy of The Garages: "mike townsend (is a disappointment):" https://thegarages.bandcamp.com/album/the-garages-101 Follow Felix: https://twitter.com/legobutts Follow Elliot: https://twitter.com/nameoftheyear Follow Bria: https://twitter.com/thevoidencore Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When people talk about Bitcoin and blockchain tech, the conversation typically moves to the price of commodities and the hype around trading them. But the actual blockchain movement is about so much more. Alli and Jen talk with Adam B. Levine, the podcast editor at CoinDesk, who breaks down how our trust in banks, governments, and monetary policy has failed us in the 20th century, and why cryptocurrencies re-assign that trust to math and a "consensus-based reality" — that is, a majority of people agreeing what is true, and making better policy decisions based on accountability. Levine also discusses why some cryptocurrencies are poised to radically change the world, while others are just about the memes...until they're not. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While we love Internet communities, it's clear that some can seed and spread weaponized information at breakneck speeds. Platforms facilitate this, but social dynamics are also at work here. And if there's any hope of squashing disinformation, it's time to take a hard look at the communities that are incentivized to manufacture it. Alli and Jen talk with Bridget Todd, an activist and host of the podcast "There Are No Girls on the Internet," whose recent series "Disinformed" is about making sense of how dangerous online information culminated in an insurrection at the Capitol. Bridget explains why social media algorithms are biased toward disinformation, what you can do to stop the spread (even if you're not an "influencer"), why "Pinterest Moms" aren't helping, and why you don't need to have a take on EVERYTHING that happens in the news. Follow Bridget: https://twitter.com/BridgetMarie There Are No Girls on the Internet: https://www.tangoti.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here on 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, we typically cover online communities that make a positive impact on the internet through their creativity or inclusivity. But not all digital watercoolers are a force for good. The_Donald is a now-banned subreddit that was home to some of the former president's most passionate supporters. That, in itself, is barely interesting. What boggles the mind is how this community rocketed disinformation into mainstream discourse, helped organize the January 6 insurrection, and tore gaping vulnerabilities into the U.S. administration. This week, Alli and Jen talk with Alex Thomas, a journalist who has studied The_Donald for years (in its various incarnations) and written extensively about the unprecedented ways the president's own staff leveraged this fringe group to legitimize propaganda and sow the seeds of insurrection — moves which inadvertently left the administration vulnerable to Russian and Iranian trolls. Read Thomas's outstanding reporting as part of The Daily Dot's Trump Disinformation Project: https://www.dailydot.com/debug/dan-scavino-reddit-donald-trump-disinformation/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got some great new episodes in the pipeline for you, but while we wait, here's an encore of one of our favorites, originally published on December 8, 2019. -Original Notes- The Instagram account turned multi-million dollar media company @FuckJerry is notorious for stealing funny tweets, memes, and other content from creators, and posting them — without credit or compensation — to their own social accounts. Fuck Jerry's following has exploded in recent years (14.5 million Instagram followers at the time of publication), but so has the backlash. The #FuckFuckJerry movement became an anti-piracy rallying cry across the Internet. Two comedians (Davram Stiefler and Jason Selvig) known as The Good Liars, have taken the movement a step further by creating @MugJerry, an Instagram account that steals back the stolen content from Fuck Jerry, then contacts the original creators to pay them for their tweet, joke, or photo. Alli and Jen chat with The Good Liars about their mission of social media justice, the time they walked into Fuck Jerry's NYC offices and stole an actual mug, and the other ways they've created social commentary through comedy. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 1999, the website Something Awful has been an Internet culture tastemaker, and this closed community is still going strong two decades later — a rarity for online platforms. Many modern memes and web culture references have their roots on Something Awful's humor forums. For a one time fee of $10, you get full access to the site's vibrant discussion and community. That nominal barrier-to-entry is the secret to keeping the discourse quality high and shitpost ratios low, according to the site's current owner, who goes by the pseudonym Jeffrey of Yospos. Paying for high-quality content and meaningful online community has recently come back into fashion amid the chaos of free platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, which make money at incredible scale by selling user data to advertisers. It begs the question: Did we build the Internet wrong? Alli and Jen talk with Jeffrey about the early days of Something Awful, a place where you're "free to be an Internet weirdo." We also learn the origins of "Let's Play" video game culture, and ways the SA community fought hate speech long before most platforms took it seriously. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to save money, help your neighbors, and create less waste all at the same time? The Internet can help. Specifically, the "Buy Nothing" communities that have sprouted up in thousands of cities and towns around the world. Usually, they operate within Facebook groups, where people post things they want to get rid of, and neighbors can claim them. Alli and Jen speak with Marina Milosevic, the admin of the Santa Monica, CA Buy Nothing group, about the origins of the movement, managing a community that occasionally gets too large, the weirdest stuff people give away, and why it's easier than you think to stop buying things from Amazon. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're concerned that LOLspeak and text messages are ruining language, fear not, grammar nerds! This week, Alli and Jen speak with linguist, author, and fellow podcaster Gretchen McCulloch, who says we are living in a special time for informal written language. McCulloch explains why the Internet is changing language and culture in unprecedented ways, how regular people solved the 500-year-long quest for written sarcasm, and why post cards from George Harrison look like your dad's text messages. Follow Gretchen: https://twitter.com/GretchenAMcC Read her book, "Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language" https://www.amazon.com/Because-Internet-Understanding-Rules-Language-ebook/dp/B076GNS3J4 Listen to the Lingthusiasm podcast: https://lingthusiasm.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It won't shock most psychologists (armchair or professional) that figures of authority and oppression in early childhood can lead to kinks in adulthood. Look no further than blasphemy porn to bear out that theory. This week, Alli and Jen talk with Sabrina Bea, a blasphemy fetish cam model who specializes in tearing up bibles and dressing as nuns. Sabrina tells us why her clientele are searching for this highly specific content, and why they'll pay big bucks for it. Also, the most common (and strangest) requests she gets online. Follow Sabrina and all her Blasphemous content here: https://twitter.com/sabrinaxmfc Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The media tends to present 2 kinds of COVID-19 patients: Those who make a full recovery, and those who die. But there's a massive group of people who suffer long term symptoms like months-long fevers, hair loss, and respiratory issues. And when they asked their doctors what was wrong, they got no answers. So these COVID "Long Haulers" have turned to Facebook groups to share their experiences, get advice, and pool the wisdom that medicine is only beginning to understand. Alli and Jen talk with Michele, the admin of a COVID-19 Long Haulers Facebook group, about the massive community that's grown around the long term symptoms of the pandemic. She shares important stories that are often overlooked, the best ways to support and protect others, and the medical breakthroughs that have come out of this online community. COVID-19 Long Haulers Awareness and Education Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/covidrecoverystories/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our interview about 4chan culture elicited the most listener response in the shortest period of time, so we want to share a lot of it. Alli, Jen and Matt discuss the 2G1P approach to primary source interviews, bias, and where we failed in covering this very complicated platform. Happy New Year from 2G1P! See you in 2021. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you'd like the brighten the day of an Internet stranger, look no further than Reddit Gifts, the yearly online celebration where more than 100,000 Secret Santas swap gifts around the world. Alli and Jen talk with Janet, a Redditor who has swapped 19 gifts with strangers over the course of her secret Santa sleuthing. Janet shares the excitement of shopping for (and online stalking!) strangers, the fun of receiving great gifts, some life-changing stories from the community, and what happens when you get matched with Bill Gates or Best Buy as your Secret Santa. You can participate in Reddit Gifts all-year round: https://www.reddit.com/r/secretsanta/ https://www.redditgifts.com/exchanges/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a busy week, so we're sharing one of our favorites to get you in the holiday spirit. We'll be back next week with more fun! -Originally Published December 22, 2019- Portraying Santa Claus in the modern era takes a village. What's the best way to whiten your eyebrows? Growing a beard, or applying one? How jolly is too jolly? That's where ClausNet comes in. It's a social network, online forum, marketplace, and community where Santa performers can trade tips, tell stories, and learn the best ways to communicate with excited kids. Michael Rielly has been portraying Santa Claus since he was 12 years old, and founded ClausNet in 2007 after identifying a strong need for online Santa resources and camaraderie. Rielly shares his personal tales of playing Santa, the evolution of ClausNet, and we're visited by a VERY special additional guest... Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4chan is often maligned by the media and mainstream culture as a hive of hate speech and hackers, but it's far more complex. 4chan culture is unique for its anonymity, ephemeral content, and un-challenged free speech, which often birth viral memes and hilarious crusades weeks before they reach Reddit or Facebook. 4chan's ability to mobilize real-world action against injustices like animal and child cruelty is also well documented. So how does this massively popular message board tick in a world where so much of the Internet has moved on to slick apps and personal profiles? Alli and Jen talk with Brendan, an avid 4chan user who has been part of the site's culture since 2012. He explains why free speech is its most important value, its users' various social justice crusades, irony in a world of anonymity, why supporting Trump was mostly for the lulz, and why gender doesn't matter when you're an anonymous wall of text. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Thanksgiving! We're taking a breather this week and re-sharing another one of our favorites, this one originally published in July of 2019. We hope you enjoy! -Original Notes- Tom has been to the Super Bowl multiple times. He goes on free cruises yearly, has ridden on the Daytona 500 track at 200 miles per hour, traveled with the U.S. soccer team, and devoted a room of his house to store all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and big screen TVs he's won over the years. That's because he enters more than 100 sweepstakes every single day, and thanks to a constant supply of free gift cards, he rarely pays for gas, cable, or his cell phone out of pocket. But he's not a wizard or a scammer. He's a Sweeper, and he's built a community of like-minded folks who share sweepstakes knowledge from around the country to beat the odds and get free stuff. Alli and Jen get his tips on how to win, and learn about his journey from free fries at Burger King in the '80s to running a sweeper newsletter at iwincontests.com.  Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21st century families come in all shapes and sizes. And while dating apps have helped people from all different backgrounds and locations get together, there hasn't been an online system in place for non-romantic coupling, specifically for the surrogacy, platonic co-parenting, and other family structures. That's where Modamily joined the "matching app" ecosystem. As the CEO Ivan Fatovic explains, it came out of a dinner conversation among single women who hadn't found their life partner yet, but were worried about the ticking biological clock. Fatovic tells Alli and Jen how Modamily works, the complexities of non-traditional family strucutres, and the success stories that have come out of his "non-dating app." Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professional dominatrix and cam model Allie Eve Knox returns to discuss her particular area of expertise, Financial Domination (aka FinDom), the fetish where clients want to be told what to do with their money. But contrary to popular belief, it's not all about wasting your client's cash. In fact, Knox explains why a more sustainable approach to financial domination works out best for everyone involved. Think of it more as financial planning — with a lot more nudity. Knox shares how she got started in FinDom, why it's one of the most profitable fetishes, and why it takes so much work to be an adult content creator. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adult video entertainment used to involve film crews and distribution companies. These days, performers can log in, create personalized videos for their fans, and get paid well for their wares. OnlyFans has risen to prominence as the destination for custom cams and fetish content to suit every need, and many adult performers are making bank. But like all Internet content creation, it's very hard work. Alli and Jen talk with Allie Eve Knox, a cam model who makes her entire living from fetish content. Knox shares her journey as a performer, the culture of online sex work and fandom, and what it takes to get a thriving, sexy-time business off the ground. Follow Allie Eve Knox: https://twitter.com/allieeveknox http://AllieEveKnox.com Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Domination and humiliation aren't new in the world of fetishes, but one online sex worker has found a particularly compelling niche: Shaming and belittling Trump supporters to change their votes to Biden. Empress Delfina has a multitude of clients who get off on being told how wrong they are to support the current administration — and she thinks the trend is growing. Alli and Jen chat with the Empress about how she's "sex banking" for Biden, one orgasm at a time. https://www.thedailybeast.com/meet-the-dominatrix-forcing-trump-supporters-to-vote-biden Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in the day, if your computer or an appliance broke down, you could pop open the case, unscrew the faulty part, and order a replacement from the manufacturer for a few dollars. But increasingly, companies are more secretive about their proprietary tech. They keep their parts and schematics hidden, and when your iPhone or tractor breaks down, you’re forced to pay exorbitant repair costs, or worse — throw it away and buy the latest model. It’s bad for the consumer, and it’s bad for the environment. But it’s big business for tech companies and manufacturers. But for years, advocates of the Right to Repair movement have been sharing knowledge about the devices we use every day, and creating a wealth of online content to help people fix their own stuff for free or cheap. Alli and Jen talk with Steve Porter, a lifelong “fixer” who has built a professional repair business and a thriving YouTube channel where he teaches his 700,000 subscribers how to repair video game consoles, phones, and retro tech. Porter shares the inspiration for TronicsFix, how he makes money buying broken tech, and his involvement in the Right to Repair movement, which is pushing to change repair laws to protect consumers. Subscribe to TronicsFix on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Tronicsfix/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grief is never easy, but it's especially hard if you can't be with your loved ones in person. COVID-19 has made funerals incredibly complicated in recent months, but the online service Gathering Us has been planning for this for a while. Its founder, Noha Waibsnaider, explains why virtual memorials are the next-best thing (and in some cases, even better than in-person events). Waibsnaider chats with Alli and Jen about the origins of Gathering Us, and the complexities of grieving over Zoom. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Internet empowers everyone to find a like-minded community online. It also facilitates misinformation and conspiracy thinking at breakneck speeds. QAnon, the belief that government insiders have foretold the Biblical cleansing of liberals, has morphed from a handful of conspiracy theories on 8chan to a full-blown cult that is tearing families apart. In response, the Internet has birthed support groups like r/QAnonCasualties, where people can share their stories and get advice on how to help family members obsessed with Q. It also contains the cautionary tales of former Q believers who found a way out. In this special 4-part episode, Alli and Jen learn about the QAnon phenomenon, and what people can do to help loved ones unplug and escape from cult behavior. Mike Rothschild, a journalist with The Daily Dot who has covered QAnon extensively. Mike explains its origins, evolution, and just how deep the Q rabbit hole goes (yes, aliens). Mia, a woman who rebooted her life after her ex-husband became obsessed with Q. Jitarth Jadeja, a former QAnon believer who left the cult after a lot of reflection and mental health support. Rick Alan Ross, a cult deprogrammer, anti-cult activist, and author who has been helping families with cult intervention for decades. Read more about QAnon Casualties: https://www.dailydot.com/debug/reddit-qanon-casualties/ The Cult Education Institute: https://www.culteducation.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're working on something big for next week, so here's another one of our favorite encore episodes from back in the day. Original Notes: If you've ever sought a soundtrack for your home movies that wouldn't get removed by YouTube, chances are you've come across Kevin MacLeod's music. He's composed thousands of original tracks, in every imaginable genre, that he gives away under a Creative Commons license, on a variety of platforms, absolutely free. His music has been used in commercials, films, video games, and an uncountable number of YouTube videos and podcasts without any compensation. So, how does Kevin feed himself? Alli and Jen untangle the livelihood of the internet's most prolific composer and Creative Commons pioneer. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matty Benedetto is a product designer by training, but his sense of humor led him to a life of hilarious content creation instead. Benedetto builds Unnecessary Inventions, ingenious products that solve urgent problems you don’t actually have — like a drink holder for your shoe, or an alarm clock that snoozes itself so you won’t be bothered in the morning. His fake products (and their crisp photos and videos) are so popular that he’s garnered 4 million followers across social media, and a vast community of invention enthusiasts who either really want to buy these ridiculous items, or can’t stop suggesting bad inventions. Alli and Jen talk to Benedetto about where his weekly inspiration comes from, why it’s so hard to think of a problem that doesn’t exist, and what happens when real brands get involved in the fake product business. https://www.unnecessaryinventions.com/ https://www.instagram.com/unnecessaryinventions/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Global K-pop music sensation BTS’ charity efforts with Unicef and other foundations has empowered fans to make positive change in the world. The BTS fandom is known as an “ARMY,” and the global volunteer collective One In an ARMY has become an engine of charitable giving, cause awareness, and social change. When One In an ARMY mobilizes for a cause, K-pop stans flood social media with micro-donations and hashtags, raising thousands of dollars for the Syrian refugee crisis, Iraqi civilians, coral reef preservation, and the Black Lives Matter movement. In all, they’ve raised more than $2 million for “actionable causes” — organizations that turn donations into tangible results. The fandom is so powerful that it often overwhelms charitable organizations, breaks non-profit websites (in a good way!), and swoops in to solve problems even governments are unable (or unwilling) to address. This week, Alli and Jen talk with Erika, an admin from One In an ARMY, about how a fan community became a massive non-profit operation, and why the BTS singers themselves are key in turning their fandom toward important causes. One In An ARMY: https://www.oneinanarmy.org/ upport 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While traveling alone in Mexico, Amanda Black was robbed. She felt violated, scared, and didn't know where to turn in a foreign county with no friends or family. That's when she realized the need for an online support network -- a place where women traveling alone can get advice, and in some cases, urgent help. She founded the Solo Female Traveler Network in 2016, and thousands of women joined immediately, sharing similar stories of vulnerability. Today, the Facebook group and website count more than 420,000 members, and it's become a place of empowerment for women traveling the globe. Alli and Jen talk to Black about the unique challenges women face when traveling, the discouraging responses from friends and family when women decide to travel, and some amazing stories of how this online community saved the day in an IRL crisis. https://thesolofemaletravelernetwork.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Email, texting, and social media have made our world smaller. But have we lost something in the age of instant messages? Maksim Jovovic created the website Get A Pen Pal, a place to match with someone interesting from anywhere in the world and engage in slow, deliberate letter-writing. Sure, the communication is still digital, but these "letters" take days to go back and forth, use collectible stamps, and encourage rich communication, rather than just, "sup?" Alli and Jen ask Jovovic about his inspiration for the site, the community that's growing there, and why now is the perfect time to rekindle the magic of corresponding with pen pals. https://www.getapenpal.net/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Online communities (sometimes the only communities we have during a pandemic) can be magical places. Friendships forged, insights shared, and fun had by all. They can also become toxic, shouty cesspools. Why do some succeed while others devolve into chaos? Alli and Jen talk with Anika Gupta, a journalist who studied online community structures for her book How to Handle a Crowd: The Art of Creating Healthy and Dynamic Online Communities. Gupta shares the key to healthy moderation, the social norms of different platforms, why scale makes things complicated, and what online platforms can do to help communities thrive and protect vulnerable members. Follow Anika: https://twitter.com/digitalanika Get the Book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Handle-Crowd-Creating-Communities/dp/1982132310 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was originally published on August 20, 2018 (2 years ago, whoa!) For countless historical and social reasons, most of the people editing Wikipedia are white men. This has led to broad bias across the world's de facto repository of online knowledge. But a loose affiliation of women are making up the ground by writing and editing the biographies of historically significant women and minorities who might otherwise be overlooked by academic or popular culture. Alli and Jen speak with Rosie Stephenson Goodknight, a lauded Wikipedian with more than 4000 articles to her credit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Jen speak with Jason Marshall, a veteran player of the MMO 'EVE Online' about the game's 15-year-old player-run space graveyard. The Molea cemetery has been operating since 2004, and not only contains the frozen corpses of killed space pilots, but graves that mark the deaths of lost loved ones in real life — friends, family members, pets, and other players. In June of this year, the developers of 'EVE' formally recognized this player accomplishment by adding a massive, permanent memorial to the system. Marshall explains how the cemetery got started, why players care so much about transporting their clone corpses to virtual graves, how the team fended off attacks from the notorious Goonswarm Alliance, and the first time a player requested a grave for a real person. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all use Wikipedia on a daily basis, but do you really know how humanity’s largest organized body of knowledge gets made? Alli and Jen talk with Bill Beutler, a longtime Wikipedia editor and the author of The Wikipedian, a blog about Wikipedia culture. He’s also the CEO of Beutler Ink, a consultancy which advises clients and public figures on the ethical way to address inaccuracies on Wikipedia. Beutler explains the dynamic and rigorous process that happens behind the scenes of controversial Wikipedia articles, how Wikipedians are handling information about COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter, the ever-present specter of bias, and how the entire Internet would be different if Wikipedia operated as a for-profit company. The Wikipedian: http://thewikipedian.net/ Beutler Ink: https://www.beutlerink.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Jen speak with Tim Jacobs, the founding minister of The Church of Universal Suffrage, a legally recognized religion that hosts “weekly meditation on the nature of voter suppression,” and observes every voting day in the U.S. as a religious holiday, which — legally speaking — affords church members some handy privileges, like the right to take the day off from work. Jacobs explains how the church was inspired by a Reddit discussion about several states stifling vote-by-mail efforts. Since then, the non-profit organization has spread to all 50 states and many countries around the world, with all of its holy worship done online through community and voter advocacy efforts. We also discuss how easy it is to create a real religion in the U.S., why we don’t celebrate voting enough, and how you can get involved to ensure your friends, neighbors and community have access to the vote. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, Craigslist ... there's no shortage of apps to buy and sell random stuff. But if you live and breathe these marketplaces, you can identify opportunities to buy low and sell high. What starts as an exhilarating hobby can turn into a full-time job if you know what you're doing. That's how Rob and Melissa Stephenson make their living. By leveraging their knowledge of certain product categories (home exercise equipment, heavy machinery) and tapping into the internet's 24/7 global marketpalce, they've been able to "flip" a wide variety of items, often for 10-20x profit. Rob and Melissa join Alli and Jen to discuss their journey from a work-a-day family to full-time flippers making six figures from the comfort of their smartphones. They share practical advice on how to get started, the rise of the flipping community, and the explosive market demand while everyone's stuck at home during a pandemic. Follow Rob & Melissa: https://fleamarketflipper.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Jen talk with Jack Rhysider, the creator and host of the hit podcast Darknet Diaries which tells “true stories from the dark side of the Internet.” Or as Matt likes to call it, This American Life for hackers. Rhysider worked in information security (infosec) and was searching for a podcast that tells the stories of hackers and digital heists. It didn’t exist, so he made his own. These days, thousands of listeners love his meticulously crafted stories about penetration testers, video game hacks gone very wrong, and how digital activists take down the corporations and politicians they despise. Rhysider tells us about the fascinating worlds of botnet rentals, discount internet pizza, ’90s Web art, and drone warfare over Chinese pig farms. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Screenwriter and games journalist Gary Whitta joins Alli and Jen to talk about his experimental late night celebrity talk show "Animal Talking," which is live-streamed entirely inside of Nintendo's "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," and why a world in quarantine can't stop watching. Whitta discusses the show's impromptu beginnings, its technical complexity, what it's like sitting on a virtual couch with Elijah Wood and Danny Trejo, and what happens when Sting wants to be on your "Animal Crossing" show, but doesn't own a Nintendo Switch. Follow or subscribe to "Animal Talking!" https://www.twitch.tv/garywhitta https://www.youtube.com/c/GaryWhitta Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt is still on vacation, but we have a great encore episode for you. How Tay Zonday survived being 'Patient Zero' of viral YouTube. Originally Published: October 15, 2018 Way back in 2007 Tay Zonday uploaded the original song "Chocolate Rain" to YouTube, and nothing happened. Then Digg and 4chan found it. And then Zonday was on CNN and Jimmy Kimmel trying to explain his music on national television. His meteoric rise led to a 10-year journey of identity confusion, and eventually self-actualization. Alli and Jen have a long, deep talk with Tay about coping with viral fame and his new podcast about that very topic, called "Chocolate Pains." Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt is on vacation this week, so we're re-sharing one of our favorites from last year. Enjoy! Bird watching probably conjures images of an old, retired guy sporting binoculars behind his country home. But Jason Ward is rapidly dispelling that stereotype. He's been an avid birder since his childhood growing up in The Bronx, NY, and has brought his passion to social media. His #TrickyBirdID Twitter threads challenge people to snap photos of unknown neighborhood birds so the global community of birders can identify them. His enthusiasm led him to make the popular webseries Birds of North America with Topic, where viewers can follow Ward on his adventures in urban birding. The beautiful and informative show proves that cities are in fact a great place for bird watchers, and that the hobby is an accessible way for everyone to reconnect with nature, regardless of class, color, or location. Alli and Jen talk to Ward about his love of birds, his journey from enthusiast to science communicator, his trepidation about making a show, and the modern tech that makes bird watching in 2019 so much fun. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cybersex is as old as the Internet itself. But as virtual spaces become more sophisticated, so too has sex work. Second Life is more of a "technology playground" than a video game -- a place where your digital skills can be traded for real money. Many players make a healthy living by providing custom goods or services, including sex work. This week, Alli and Jen speak with Meela Vanderbuilt, the creator and owner of The Mondarchy, the most expensive brothel in Second Life. She's also joined by Reyna, the club's general staff manager. Together, they explain the culture of Second Life (which began way back in 2003), why Meela's brown-skinned avatar was rejected by other clubs. the inspiration for starting her own, and how sex work...works in a virtual world. Special thanks to Quintin Smith for help with this episode. His outstanding video about The Monarchy and Meela's story can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR94zlsHFdc Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two bad people play a joke on one good and beautiful person. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Talk to the hosts (and each other!) in our secret Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Jen talk with Elizabeth Finkelstein, a preservation expert and the creator of Cheap Old Houses, a wildly popular Instagram account that shows the dream of home ownership may not be as hard as we think, depending on your priorities. Finkelstein explains the inspiration for the account, her love of DIY home repair, the history carried in old houses (and why we should preserve them), the passionate community around Cheap Old Houses, and whether internet-powered jobs can save the middle class from the real estate squeeze. Follow Cheap Old Houses: https://www.instagram.com/cheapoldhouses/ Editor's Note: This episode was recorded on April 24, 2020, some weeks before the additional COVID-19 and political developments of May and June. 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST (its hosts, producers, and collaborators) supports Black Lives Matter and the protests for racial justice in the U.S., and we have made personal contributions to the following organizations. We hope you will consider doing the same: The ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/issues/racial-justice/race-and-criminal-justice/blacklivesmatter The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/ NAACP Legal Defense Fund :https://www.naacpldf.org/ Reclaim the Block: https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/home ----------- Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With more than 14 million followers across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, WeRateDogs is on a mission that everyone on planet Earth can get behind: Rating cute doggos from the internet on a (dubious!) 10-point scale. This blend of adorable dog pics, comedic captions, and obsessive fan-submitted content has catapulted the novelty account (and its creator, Matt Nelson) into a massive online brand, which uses its influence to entertain millions, sell merch, and help dogs in need. Alli and Jen talk with Nelson about the inspiration for the account, how its explosive popularity changed his life, the serious inflation problem in the Dog Rating Economy, that time J.K. Rowling and Lin-Manuel Miranda followed him, why everything's political on Twitter, and his perfect response when Arnold Schwarzenegger asked him to rate his donkeys. You're already following WeRateDogs, so what's the point of even linking? https://twitter.com/dog_rates Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Internet, nobody knows if you're a dog. Or, an ant for that matter. And there are nearly 2 million people, all working together, pretending to be ants in a giant ant colony, in one special Facebook group. "A group where we all pretend to be ants in an ant colony" has exploded in popularity thanks to its imaginative premise, and because honestly what else are you going to do in quarantine? Also: Ants are cool AF. Alli and Jen talk with Sydney Malloy, one of the group's top "Ant-mins," about what it takes to keep 2 million "ants" in line on Facebook, why ants are awesome, and the joy of collaborative pretending online. The group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1416375691836223/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a lot to laugh at on the Internet, but standup comedy — a distinctly in-person art form — is facing challenges in a time of self-isolation. But "virtual" comedy clubs, powered by Zoom, Twitch, and YouTube, are increasingly popping up in quarantine. But as expected, the tight 5 that kills on stage may need adjustments for an audience that can only laugh in emojis. This week, Alli and Jen talk to standup comedian and writer/producer Josh Gondelman about how the standup world is adapting to the Internet, what makes a set work online, and the difference between IRL and virtual heckling. Follow Josh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/joshgondelman And check out his new game show podcast, Make My Day: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-my-day-with-josh-gondelman/id1507871978 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has taken over the world in self-isolation, and become a virtual place of normalcy, even for non-gamers. But what if you’re single and dating, but can’t leave the house due to lockdowns? Tom Nook, in his infinite wisdom, has a solution for that. Alli and Jen talk with Lady Brittany, a Twitch streamer who has converted her entire Animal Crossing domain into a Love Island, optimized for romance and photo ops around every corner. There, she hosts real dates and even wedding ceremonies, which can’t take place IRL due to COVID-19. And while she typically livestreams her island activities, she also takes the privacy of visiting couples very seriously. Brittany shares the inspiration for her mermaid-themed getaway, the special events she holds for her community, and why Animal Crossing is such a special and important game — especially now. Lady Brittany on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lady_brittany Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College classes and graduations around the world are being canceled or administered remotely, but many enterprising students have taken to the virtual spaces of Minecraft to painstakingly recreate their campuses in amazing detail. While you can't walk down the main streets of Boston University and UPenn in real life, you can visit them virtually inside the blocky servers built by their students and faculty. Alli and Jen talk with students and volunteer builders Pearse Anderson, Nick Marchuk, and Makarios Chung about why the Minecraft community is so powerful in a time of social distance, why video game worlds are better than Zoom calls, and their virtual graduation plans. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 600,000 people (mostly college students) are using a Facebook group to come together and bond over how bad taking classes on Zoom is. This week, Alli and Jen talk to Zana Rashid, a moderator from Zoom Memes for Self Quaranteens, a place for humor in a time of isolation. Rashid shares how disruptive COVID-19 has been for university students, the power of funny memes during this difficult time, and the Boomer vs. Zoomer wars that constantly erupt within this growing community. https://www.facebook.com/groups/zoommemes/about/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amid worldwide shortages of personal protective equipment (medical PPE), someone at the UK's National Health Service reached out to the medical fetish retailer MedFetUK, hoping to find a stock of masks or scrubs. MedFetUK immediately delivered, donating their entire supply (usually sold for sex play) to a hospital. While Justin, the co-founder of the company, says it was obviously "the right thing to do," thousands on Twitter quickly gathered round to cheer the small fetish company, and also collectively wonder: What *is* a medical fetish, anyway? This week, Alli and Jen talk to Justin about the diverse world of MedFet, its roots in BDSM, the variety of equipment used in role play (including needles!), and whether the current pandemic is affecting the community. Check out MedFetUK for all your MedFet needs! https://medfetuk.com/ Read Justin's tweet, and the hilarious replies: https://twitter.com/MedFet_UK/status/1243590308878848002 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1995, at the height of cultural mania around 90210, Melrose Place, and MTV's The Real World, the Internet as we know it today was just getting started. But if you had a connection and thirsted for more beautiful people trapped in a house with drama, there was The Spot. Created by producer Scott Zakarin, it was a first-of-its kind interactive webseries that imagined a cast of young, attractive characters writing journal entries about their lives inside a shared beach house in California. Diaries, pictures, and short video clips kept the audience up to date, and devoted fans (some who assumed it was real) could write in by email to influence the characters and plot. Today, we take this kind of interactive media for granted.The Spot was incredibly innovative for its time, and engaged a rabid fanbase while simultaneously baffling mainstream media. Alli and Jen chat with Zakarin about his inspiration for the show, what kind of plot points create the best drama, and why dogs are always able to write journal entries in his projects. He also shares details of his current obsession, a new podcast called Digital Sky, available on all podcast platforms, and YouTube. Subscribe to Digital Sky: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-sky/id1491254282 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So...how's everybody holding up? Please call us: (347) 871-6548 Follow Alli on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/alligold Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2008, database engineer Chris Dancy weighed 320 pounds, smoked two packs and drank 36 cans of Diet Coke every day. He was being paid a lot of money to be — in his words — “a real pile of shit.” But as modern social media began taking shape, Dancy noticed how the things he posted online correlated with how he felt — and therefore, how he acted. He began to track everything he did: foods he ate, shows he binge-watched, and people he interacted with online. He wrote programs that automatically uploaded these habits to a Google Calendar. In time, he drew correlations between his actions and the resulting behavior. This lead to automated systems, powered by 700 sensors and applications, that reinforced good habits (like exercise and gratitude) instead of bad ones. The results were dramatic. He lost 120 lbs., kicked the smoking and soda habits, and left his regimen of anti-depressants behind. Dancy is now an author and public speaker who inspires people to take control of the data that corporations are using to track and advertise bad habits to you, and put it to work to improve your life. In this week’s episode of 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, Alli and Jen talk to Dancy about his latest project to help communities cope with COVID-19, the simple systems he created to build gratitude into his daily life, how he earned the title of “Most Connected Man on Earth,” why limiting screen time is bullshit, and the lessons from his book Don’t Unplug: How Technology Saved My Life and Can Save Yours Too. Dancy's COVID-19 Neighborhood Resource: https://www.chrisdancy.com/employment/2020/3/17/covid-19-neighborhood-volunteer-and-support-system Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are two types of "biohackers" in this world: People who are optimizing their bodies for peak performance, and...cyborgs. The cyborgs are putting microchips, magnets, and even full, working computers inside their bodies. Why? Because it's the future. And these brave pioneers are willing to cut themselves open to see where humanity is headed. Alli and Jen talk to Quinn Mooney, a biohacker with NFC chips in his hands and plans to install a Raspberry Pi in his leg. Mooney moderates the forums at biohacking.me and the r/biohackers subreddit, and explains the community's fascination with human augmentation, the open-source movement behind it all, and the medical and regulatory challenges that stand in the way of this personal experimentation. Visit the forums: https://biohack.me/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Biohackers/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An entire generation has grown up in a world where uploading hours of 4K video to the Internet is not only common, but expected. But, what if the legal and technological barriers that killed Napster and other file-sharing sites had also crushed YouTube? In 2006, despite its growing popularity, YouTube could easily have been wiped off the map by copyright battles and the skyrocketing cost of hosting humanity's video. So, what would the Internet, its culture, and the world look like today if YouTube had failed? Adi Robertson, senior reporter at The Verge, has imagined just that in her alternate history of the Web. While mostly an entertaining thought experiment, Robertson's theories are rooted in "Web 1.5's" corporate landscape, and what was technologically possible at a time when putting video onto the Internet was no easy task. Alli and Jen talk to Robertson about the inspiration for her piece, why education and politics would be different, the miracle that YouTube exists at all, and WTF a "mesh net" is. Read Robertson's full piece: https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/28/21145506/youtube-without-internet-fiction-alternate-history Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're proud to share this encore episode of #2G1P featuring Gary Kremen, the inventor of online dating. Learn how a fateful purchase order in the '90s lead to the creation of Match.com, and ultimately all the swiping you enjoy today. We'll be back next week with a fresh one! Originally published: September 24, 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sid Meier’s Civilization is a storied video game franchise built on an epic premise: Build a civilization to stand the test of time. Typically, a player will control a historic civ — like China, France, India, or Rome — and manage every aspect of its culture, beginning in 4,000 BCE. Food, trade, technology, government civics, religion, population growth, colonial expansion, and of course the military, all become granular decisions with far-reaching effects on history. The game is played like a turn-based tabletop experience, often against AI-controlled opponents. But what if the game was played only by AI? Years ago, members of the Civ community set up that exact experiment. 60 AI civilizations on a world map shaped like Earth, with one goal: to destroy each other at all costs. What would play out with no human intervention? Which civ would win, and why? These questions kept fans glued to the game as it slowly unfolded across Reddit, Twitch, and YouTube. Today, Civ Battle Royale has become a strategy game institution, and evolved into a seasonal “TV show” of sorts. This week on 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, Alli and Jen speak with Steve Yanosky, who runs the current iteration of the Civ Battle Royale game on his home computer, and captures hours of video, screenshots, and data to update the community on what has unfolded in this epic, war-torn world of battling AI. Yanosky explains the evolution of CBR across its three seasons, the community of fans and modders who make the experiment technically possible, and the fan art and data analysis that keep thousands of people rooting for their favorite historical leader. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Porn on Reddit should come as no surprise. But nearly 400,000 listeners subscribe to r/GoneWildAudio, a community for high quality, audio-only erotic vignettes. Creators there use high-end microphones to create specific, explicit, and often elaborate fantasies for listeners. The visuals are left entirely to the imagination, and the intimacy level is off the charts. This week, Alli and Jen speak with Belle_in_the_woods, one of the most popular and prolific erotic audio creators on the subreddit. She explains how she comes up with her sexy scenarios, how creators and listeners collaborate, what a "ramblefap" is, and how she's turned her talents into a thriving side hustle of both erotic, and SFW audio production. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caleb Rixon was a 24-year-old musical theater actor in his prime, who had just landed a major role in a production of Chicago. He hit the gym to prepare for a long tour of song and dance, when he felt something explode behind his eye during a workout class. He remembers being taken away in an ambulance and not much else. He woke up a month later, unable to walk, talk, or swallow. But he was alive. A rare brain abnormality had caused a massive stroke, and Rixon was on a slow road to recovery. He wanted to meet other young stroke survivors like himself, but all the support groups were rife with medical jargon. So Rixon created his own support space on the internet — Genyus Network — where survivors could share their stories, not their symptoms. This week on 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, Alli and Jen talk with Rixon about this life-altering condition, recovery, and how he turned his experience into a global network of powerful stories. The Genyus Network: https://genyusnetwork.com Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quantitative futurist Amy Webb was fed up with online dating in 2005. The questionnaires and algorithms on sites like Match and OKcupid that were supposed to connect like-minded people and form lasting relationships yielded nothing but duds and disastrous dates. Despite advice from family and friends to cast a wider net, Webb did the opposite: she became even more picky. She created a long list of dating criteria and narrowed the pool of singles down using a complex scoring system. Then, she used competitive data sets from other female profiles to optimize her own. Through this “market research,” she inadvertently became the site’s most popular dating profile. Now, highly desirable and extremely picky, her data zeroed in on a single man from Baltimore. Spoiler Alert: They are happily married with children to this day. Alli and Jen talk with Webb about how she hacked dating algorithms to find the man of her dreams, the TED Talk and book about her experience that divided the internet, and the adorable (and nerve-wracking!) story of her final first date. Follow Amy Webb: https://twitter.com/amywebb DATA: A Love Story: https://amzn.to/386hXVC How I Hacked Online Dating (TED Talk): https://youtu.be/d6wG_sAdP0U ... If you're in Los Angeles on February 13th, come see Alli perform live in HOW TO BREAK UP BY TEXT. You can also submit screenshots of your own text breakups to be included in the show! Go here for tickets and submission info: https://www.howtobreakupbytext.com, or text your break-ups to: 818-392-4759 ... This week on 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, Alli and Jen talk with Webb about how she hacked dating algorithms to find the man of her dreams, the TED Talk and book about her experience that divided the internet, and the adorable (and nerve-wracking!) story of her final first date. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deaf users of immersive social platforms like VRchat can face a tough time communicating. Unlike other social media, VR spaces rely on verbal and physical communication rather than text. And sign language with current-gen VR controllers is limiting and clunky at best. But groups of volunteer interpreters inside VR worlds are hard at work making sure these spaces are more welcoming and accessible for deaf users. The result is an empowering community of "Helping Hands." This week, Alli and Jen speak with Quentin, a 19-year-old volunteer translator and VR enthusiast, who is bridging the communications gap between deaf and hearing people in VRchat. Quentin (a hearing person) shares how and why he learned American Sign Language, the tech limitations of signing in VR, and how sign language is evolving in VR to accommodate differences between headsets and motion tracking. A transcript of this episode was provided by @Zazzy_chan! You can read it here: http://bit.ly/2UJ1Qcz .... If you're in Los Angeles on February 13th, come see Alli perform live in HOW TO BREAK UP BY TEXT. You can also submit screenshots of your own text breakups to be included in the show! Go here for tickets and submission info: https://www.howtobreakupbytext.com, or text your break-ups to: 818-392-4759 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sneaking into abandoned buildings and filming urban decay may not be the newest trend, but obsession with so-called “urban exploring” and “abandon porn” has skyrocketed alongside the widespread accessibility of social media. Today, millions of viewers eagerly await the videos of intrepid explorers like Bob Thissen, who travel the world in search of abandoned power plants, coal mines, theme parks, hotels, and shopping malls. Thissen’s mission is archaeological: to document places where no one has set foot in years (or decades), and tell the story of their abandonment through found objects. Often, Thissen’s videos show meals half-eaten, clothes hanging in closets, and machinery in working order, left to rot for a variety of reasons: business failures, safety concerns, and even political revolutions. Visit Bob's site: https://www.bobthissen.com/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC73dVtWf9mpjiWYkXyIlm7A And check out his beautiful books: https://www.mijnwebwinkel.nl/winkel/exploringtheunbeatenpath ******** If you're in Los Angeles on February 13th, come see Alli perform live in HOW TO BREAK UP BY TEXT. You can also submit screenshots of your own text breakups to be included in the show! Go here for tickets and submission info: https://www.howtobreakupbytext.com, or text your break-ups to: 818-392-4759 Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2008, Mike Merrill divided himself into 100,000 shares and offered them to the Internet for $1 a pop. After the initial wave of friends and family bought in, online strangers began to acquire shares of Mike⁠ — a regular person, not a company. With those shares come voting rights. Shareholders were allowed to decide Merrill's diet, his romantic decisions, even whether or not to get a vasectomy. Any personal life decision for which Merrill would seek advice from a friend, he instead posed to shareholders, who would vote on legally binding decisions. The experiment led him to global news coverage and an appearance on the Today Show, which raised the price of his shares significantly. These days, shares of Mike trade at around $5. Alli and Jen talk to Merrill about the origins of the experiment, how crowdsourced decision making has shaped his life, and what he might do differently in the wake of newer online commodity trading models like Bitcoin. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1997, an 11-year-old girl set up a website with HTML tutorials and guides for Neopets. Within a few years, "Lissa Explains it All" was serving 500,000 monthly visitors, its forums hosted 75.,000 users, and Google was sending her big fat ad revenue checks. Alyssa Daniels, a kid from Orlando, was teaching the world how to make websites long before YouTube tutorials and Squarespace — and making legit money in the process. Alli and Jen talk to Daniels about her childhood entrepreneurial spirit, early Web culture, what her parents and friends thought of her startup business, '90s Nickelodeon shows, and what she's up to these days. Lissa Explains it All still exists: http://www.lissaexplains.com And Daniels now streams on Twitch! https://www.twitch.tv/Lyssatee Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Romance novels get a bad rap, probably due to a history of stereotypical characters, plots, gender roles, and an all-around "trashy" look on supermarket and drug store shelves. But the genre has changed radically, and romance fiction now spans a wide variety of sub genres and writing styles. If you love romance, but not sure where to find the best authors and titles, start with Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, a community co-founded by Sarah Wendell nearly 15 years ago. The site (and podcast) is a social gathering hub that connects voracious romance readers with literature they love, and provides a safe space to gush with other fans. Wendell talks with Alli and Jen about busting romance stereotypes, the power of the Smart Bitches community, and recommends great books for everyone's tastes. https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year from 2G1P! We're taking a break this week, but wanted to re-share another one of our favorite episodes: Bronies! Enjoy and we'll see you in 2020. Original publish date: July 23, 2018 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Portraying Santa Claus in the modern era takes a village. What's the best way to whiten your eyebrows? Growing a beard, or applying one? How jolly is too jolly? That's where ClausNet comes in. It's a social network, online forum, marketplace, and community where Santa performers can trade tips, tell stories, and learn the best ways to communicate with excited kids. Michael Rielly has been portraying Santa Claus since he was 12 years old, and founded ClausNet in 2007 after identifying a strong need for online Santa resources and camaraderie. Rielly shares his personal tales of playing Santa, the evolution of ClausNet, and we're visited by a VERY special additional guest... Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rise of powerful, free 3D modeling software has emboldened a cottage industry of VR enthusiasts to create custom sex avatars for virtual porn. But what happens when members of this community start requesting models that look like celebrities, ex-girlfriends, classmates, and co-workers? Samantha Cole covers VR and online sex for Vice, and her recent piece titled "They Can't Stop Us," chronicles the sometimes well-meaning but often seedy underbelly of a marketplace that trades in virtual belly buttons, boobs, and bespoke faces that VR pornographers can't get enough of. Read Samantha's piece here: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/j5yzpk/they-cant-stop-us-people-are-having-sex-with-3d-avatars-of-their-exes-and-celebrities Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Instagram account turned multi-million dollar media company @FuckJerry is notorious for stealing funny tweets, memes, and other content from creators, and posting them — without credit or compensation — to their own social accounts. Fuck Jerry's following has exploded in recent years (14.5 million Instagram followers at the time of publication), but so has the backlash. The #FuckFuckJerry movement became an anti-piracy rallying cry across the Internet. Two comedians (Davram Stiefler and Jason Selvig) known as The Good Liars, have taken the movement a step further by creating @MugJerry, an Instagram account that steals back the stolen content from Fuck Jerry, then contacts the original creators to pay them for their tweet, joke, or photo. Alli and Jen chat with The Good Liars about their mission of social media justice, the time they walked into Fuck Jerry's NYC offices and stole an actual mug, and the other ways they've created social commentary through comedy. Mug Jerry: https://www.instagram.com/mugjerry/ The Good Liars: https://goodliars.com/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking the week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, but we hope you enjoy one of our favorite episodes. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a conversation with a very popular social media influencer: God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we prank Jen, when her boyfriend Adam pretends to be an adult baby who knows a little too much about her personal life. Get ready for some epic 2G1P hi-jinks. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TikTok came on the social media scene relatively recently (2016), and teens have flocked to it. The Chinese-made lip-syncing video app boasts 500 million users, most of them young. TikTok has developed its own culture and communities within, and Rolling Stone writer EJ Dickson has been observing and reporting on them in detail. As a non-teen herself, she's fascinated by the empowerment and deep social awareness that appears baked-in to Gen-Z, thanks to their constant connectivity. Alli and Jen talk to Dickson about her coverage of TikTok, the teen communities that form there, the trends of self-empowerment that run through the network, and the social media cesspools we can't seem to escape. Read Dickson's piece in Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tik-tok-toxic-exes-voicemails-901631/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The anonymity of the Internet has long made it a place for confessions and bonding with strangers you'll never meet IRL. Virtual reality kicks it up a notch. Social spaces like VRchat allow strangers to inhabit the same "room" and communicate vocally and with body language, two aspects that differentiate it from the chat rooms of yore. One VRchat user, Syrmor, has found the platform to be an extremely compelling place for soul-baring, therapeutic conversations. So much so, that people around the world now seek out his adorable cat avatar to have deep conversations about death, love, purpose, and abuse. Syrmor shares these incredibly intimate VR conversations on his YouTube channel, where millions watch and react to this phenomenon of "VR therapy." Alli and Jen talk to Symror about how he became the "Dr. Phil" of VRchat, why VR is so conducive to intimacy, the conversations that never made it to his channel, and the future of social VR. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When World of Warcraft came on the scene in 2004, it redefined the potential for massively multiplayer online (MMO) games. Players not only spent daily hours grinding for loot and gear, but socializing in a deep and organic way. Lifelong friendships and IRL marriages were forged in the flames of Azeroth. As WoW and MMOs evolved, some players yearned for that simpler time. And with the recent release of World of Warcraft Classic, guild-mates and raiding parties who haven't played together in a decade are reconnecting. Longtime WoW fan Chris Price created a Discord server for players searching for old comrades. Little did he know it would become a hub for warriors and paladins around the world to reconnect with long lost in-game friends. For any WoW players interested in joining the server or locating Price's guild: WoW Reunion Discord: https://discord.gg/EyedZV Price's In-Game Name: Valandil (Alliance) Wow Server: Grobbulus: (RP, PvP) Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deep fakes, a process that uses AI and machine learning to place someone’s face on another’s body with Hollywood-level results, have been entertaining and terrifying the Internet for the last few years. And the technology is advancing exponentially, according to Sham00k, a programmer and popular deep fake artist who recently transformed impressionist Jim Meskimen into the 20 different celebrities he’s impersonating. But with this great power comes great responsibility. What do deep fakes mean for the future of entertainment, media literacy, politics, and porn? Alli and Jen talk to Sham00k about his process, the rapidly improving tech, and where he sees the trend heading in 5-10 years. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're taking the week off due to unforeseen scheduling mishaps, but wanted to share one of our favorite classic episodes that longtime listeners and new fans may not have heard. It's our very first published episode about the Furry community, which came to define the mission of the show, and set the tone for future episodes. We hope you enjoy, and we'll talk at you next week! Original Description: Alli and Jen speak with Dominic Rodriguez, director of the documentary Fursonas, about life (and sex) as an anthropomorphic animal. Also: Why are overall hooks only sold in large quantities? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Virtual reality might still be for early adopters, but as headsets get smaller and social norms evolve, more people are meeting, hanging out, having sex, and even getting married in virtual spaces. Peter Rubin is a VR expert, author, and senior correspondent at Wired, where he covers VR social spaces. And while people have been socializing and getting kinky online for decades, Rubin believes that "embodied presence" (truly feeling that your body is physically next to another person in VR) is a breakthrough that differentiates VR spaces like Rec Room and VRchat, and will change interpersonal communication as the technology gets better and cheaper. Alli and Jen talk to Rubin about VR platform culture, a couple that got married in VR, emerging tech that will soon let us touch and smell in VR, and the future of virtual sex. Follow Peter Rubin: https://twitter.com/provenself Read his book: http://ptrrbn.com/book Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2005, Canadian blogger Kyle MacDonald traded a red paperclip for a fish-shaped pen. From there, he wanted to see how many times he could "trade up" for something bigger and better. After one year and 14 trades (facilitated by the Internet, of course), he acquired a two-story farmhouse in Saskatchewan. No money changed hands. The barter-only experiment became a viral sensation and presents deep thoughts about the nature of value. Alli and Jen talk to MacDonald about his inspiration for the project, the amazing and strange people he met along the way, how the fame has affected his life, and the businesses who are still trying to cash in on Red Paperclip mania. Also, here's the Phallus Palace: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/08/tour-phallus-palace/312255/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stand-up comedian Mekki Leeper wanted to see if he could convince the Internet to buy a fake wellness product. With some slick branding, fake Instagram followers, and the perfect media outrage hook, Leeper turned a Squarespace website and $1,000 into global demand for $80 used tissues. Vaev tissues claimed to get you sick today, so you'd be inoculated later. And people were willing to pay big bucks for these chic snot rags. The viral success of this fake health product (akin to Goop and Raw Water) lead to a Comedy Central digital show called Control Room, where Leeper plans to devise future commentary on why we're so gullible online. Alli and Jen talk to Leeper about the experiment, the new show, media literacy, fake news, and why reputable journalistic outlets were fooled into covering a company that doesn't exist. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reborns are baby dolls with hyper-realistic features. So real, in fact, that bringing them out in public will often fool strangers into thinking they're flesh and blood, even upon close examination. There's a passionate online community of artists and collectors who fawn over these dolls, which tread right through the Uncanny Valley. Why? Alli and Jen talk with Reborn artist and YouTuber Stephanie Ortiz about the appeal of realistic dolls, her meticulous crafting process, their therapeutic uses, and why the Internet is obsessed with her videos of the dolls in public, one of which has reached nearly 30 million views. Read more about Reborns on The Daily Dot. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon's Mechanical Turk service has a mixed reputation. Some see it as a way to turn found time into easy spending money. Others view it as crowd-sourced slave labor.   While the majority of Mechanical Turk workers make very little money doing repetitive tasks like identifying images or taking surveys (and often give up on the platform entirely), there are some who have optimized the process to actually generate decent incomes. By studying the time-to-pay ratios of certain tasks and using basic tech tools to filter through millions of tiny jobs constantly posted to mTurk, so-called "Alpha Turkers" can turn small pockets of spare time into $200-$500 a week, which isn't bad if you also have a full-time income.   Alli and Jen talk to Mike Naab, a longtime mTurker who makes decent money from the platform, and wrote the ebook Side Hustle From Home: How To Make Money Online With Amazon Mechanical Turk to help others do the same. Naab shares his tips, tricks, tools, and philosophies about mTurk, how he's leveraged it to his advantage, and why it's probably not for everyone. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you believe we've been podcasting for a CENTURY? Thanks for sticking with us on this journey of discovery and Internet magic. Here's a look back at our favorite moments. Your comments, calls, suggestions, emails, and tweets mean the world to us, so please keep them coming. See you in the next 100 years! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone in a long distance relationship will tell you how hard it can be. And dating or marrying across countries comes with a huge list of expenses and immigration headaches. While people from different countries meet and fall in love all the time, why would anyone seek out a relationship with these complications from the start? The "mail order bride" concept has been around for centuries, and the modern equivalent are dating apps that facilitate specific international relationships: ColumbianCupid, JamaicanDating, ChinaLoveCupid.  There's even a hit reality TV show called 90 Day Fiancé that has brought these apps into the zeitgeist. But as journalist Paul Schrodt discovered, while people sign up for these apps under a variety of circumstances, there is a prevailing theme: white American men of means connecting with attractive women from economically disadvantaged countries. So, are these apps about fetishizing ethnicity and forming transnational relationships? Or is there something deeper to be gleaned from the successful marriages born of international dating apps? Alli and Jen talk to Schrodt about his experience using the apps and connecting with single men and women from around the globe. Read Schrodt's piece in GQ here: https://www.gq.com/story/90-day-fiance-international-dating-apps Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a new episode format we like to call: ASK YOU ANYTHING, where we ask Internet-famous people awkward questions in a sad attempt to embarrass them for your entertainment! (Don't worry, we'll have a regular episode for you next week.) This week we're joined by Gibi ASMR, a YouTuber and Internet content creator who specializes in ASMR — autonomous sensory meridian response.  Millions of people watch Gibi's videos and use the sounds of her voice and various materials to relax and feel those "tingles" on the back of their neck. Gibi was a 2G1P guest back on episode 10, and has since grown her channel to more than 2 million subscribers. She is among the most popular ASMRtists on the Internet. So, can we make her blush by prying into her Google search history? Follow and subscribe to Gibi ASMR: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE6acMV3m35znLcf0JGNn7Q Twitter: https://twitter.com/GibiOfficial Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/gggibi Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 300,000 volunteers are standing by right now, 24/7, ready to listen if you need to talk to about depression, anxiety, self-harm, or just need to vent about a rough day. Texting with a listener who cares has meaningful therapeutic value, according to 7 Cups, a crowdsourced platform for mental health. But how are these listeners trained, and how should these anonymous conversations about serious topics be moderated? The Internet is full of trolls, after all. And can anonymous texting ever replace face-to-face psychotherapy? Alli and Jen talk with Laura Small, director of community development, about the vision for 7 Cups as a global mental health community for those who may not have access to professionals. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's plenty of sexy fan art for any movie, show, or game imaginable, thanks to Rule 34. But there's something about Sonic the Hedgehog that lends the character to very specific and often extreme fetish art, in limitless quantities. Why Sonic? Writer and weird Internet excavator  K. Thor Jensen walks Alli and Jen through the invention of the Internet's favorite blue speed demon, and the unique way he was positioned by his creators that set him up as a conduit for porn of all stripes. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's become clear that nearly all information you come across on Facebook (or any social media for that matter) should be consumed with skepticism. But there's something about the trouble of organizing a physical event and inviting real people to a real place, that seems beyond the realm of forgery. Turns out, it's the hottest new form of online/IRL trolling. And Facebook users fall for it hook, line, and sinker. When photographer and artist Eric Pickersgill discovered that folks were tricking users into showing up for fake Limp Bizkit concerts, he had to go to the IRL scene of the prank. There he found confused business owners and a bizarre confluence of meme culture and disappointed fans. Alli and Jen talk to Pickersgill about his photography project entitled No Show, and why we continue to be duped by online information when it comes to us in news feed form. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom has been to the Super Bowl multiple times. He goes on free cruises yearly, has ridden on the Daytona 500 track at 200 miles per hour, traveled with the U.S. soccer team, and devoted a room of his house to store all the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and big screen TVs he's won over the years. That's because he enters more than 100 sweepstakes every single day, and thanks to a constant supply of free gift cards, he rarely pays for gas, cable, or his cell phone out of pocket. But he's not a wizard or a scammer. He's a Sweeper, and he's built a community of like-minded folks who share sweepstakes knowledge from around the country to beat the odds and get free stuff. Alli and Jen get his tips on how to win, and learn about his journey from free fries at Burger King in the '80s to running a sweeper newsletter at iwincontests.com. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Macrophilia is a surprisingly popular fetish involving sexual fantasies about giants — specifically, giant women. Being at the mercy of giants, or being coddled or crushed by them are staples of the community, but size change motifs also are common. Stories and media about giants (like the 1958 horror B-movie Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) or size change (1989's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) have become touch points for the macrophilia community, though many have also taken to making their own media and pornography using visual effects. Alli and Jen talk with Pete, the webmaster of Giantess City, one of the largest online content and community hubs for macrophiles. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perfect moms and unicorns have one thing in common: They don't exist. That mantra has brought together a huge community of women who are sick of the judgmental bickering that plagues typical "mommy groups" on social platforms like Facebook. Alli and Jen speak with Maria Hunt, the founder of Unicorn Moms, about her inspiration for starting a completely new kind of online support community for mothers. Spoiler alert: It involves a lot of drinking. Hunt explains the rules of her invite-only group (which is 34,000 strong), and how it's become a worldwide support system for women struggling to live up to the unrealistic standards of motherhood imposed online. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The true crime explosion ignited by podcasts like Serial and Netflix series Making a Murderer has spawned a massive ecosystem of murdery content. One of the biggest and most passionate fandoms on the Internet today centers on two funny women and their obsession with real murder headlines, both new and historical. Their podcast, My Favorite Murder, has 19 million monthly downloads by conservative estimates. And the enormous community that gathers around it (whose members refer to themselves as "Murderinos") has a storied past full of in-fighting, fractured Facebook groups, merch gone wrong, and subreddit drama. Alli and Jen talk with u/TinaBelcher4Prez, the moderator of r/MyFavoriteMurder, the un-official (but largest) subreddit for fans of the show. She explains the broad appeal of the hosts, the grizzly subject matter, and its fascinating connection to mental health awareness. She also explains the fandom's many factions and controversies which have made listening to the show a roller coaster ride in recent years. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's no shortage of dating horror stories on social media. But dating in your later years — after a divorce, death, or other major life change — can be especially daunting. And while apps and services can take the friction out of finding a match, they can also be incredibly overwhelming, and often don't cater to those 60 and older. That's where Peggy Wolman steps in. She's a professional matchmaker with a focus on helping people find love later in life. She and her husband Richard work with clients to navigate the social media norms they may not be used to, and set the right expectations and goals for modern dating among the older set. Alli and Jen talk with Peggy and Richard about the challenges and surprises older singles encounter when it's time to make a Tinder profile, why ghosting isn't always horrible, and navigating gender stereotypes on a first date. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adult content in video games is nothing new. Big budget franchises like Mass Effect and The Witcher series are noted for their character romances and sexy scenes. But in those games, sex is not the main attraction. It’s about gameplay and story. On the other side of the coin, Steam is awash in adult games featuring anime-inspired characters in various sexual situations. The gameplay is presumably nothing to write home about, but merely a vehicle for porn. Enter: Subverse. This sci-fi/RPG/porn ’em up has raised more than $2 million on Kickstarter, ranking it among the 20 most-funded video games ever on the platform. Subverse is a rare breed that its developers tout as a true gameplay experience with very explicit sexual content. And 58,000 backers might indicate a very under-served market. Alli and Jen talk with Kristoff, the game’s senior producer, about the vision for Subverse and the studio’s journey from dabbling in Machinima porn to developing a full-fledged game. We also go back in time to learn about some of the sexually explicit video games made for the Atari 2600 in the early ’80s. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Murray is known to millions of fans as "The 8-Bit Guy." His YouTube channel covers the gamut of computers, consumer electronics, and gaming consoles from the golden age of pixel art and command line operating systems: the '70s, '80s, and early '90s. His detailed tear-downs, restorations, and explanations of vintage technology have drawn a huge community of enthusiasts — and not just the stereotypical "middle aged geek." People of all ages and backgrounds flock to Murray's convention booths (and even his home!) to snag an autograph from the retro guru. Alli and Jen chat with Murray about his roots in computer repair, the evolution of tech, the excitement of restoring a Commodore 64, the design challenges of old-school programming, and the community that's formed around his channel. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bird watching probably conjures images of an old, retired guy sporting binoculars behind his country home. But Jason Ward is rapidly dispelling that stereotype. He's been an avid birder since his childhood growing up in The Bronx, NY, and has brought his passion to social media. His #TrickyBirdID Twitter threads challenge people to snap photos of unknown neighborhood birds so the global community of birders can identify them. His enthusiasm led him to make the popular webseries Birds of North America with Topic, where viewers can follow Ward on his adventures in urban birding. The beautiful and informative show proves that cities are in fact a great place for bird watchers, and that the hobby is an accessible way for everyone to reconnect with nature, regardless of class, color, or location. Alli and Jen talk to Ward about his love of birds, his journey from enthusiast to science communicator, his trepidation about making a show, and the modern tech that makes bird watching in 2019 so much fun. Birds of North America has returned for a second season (June 9), and Ward will also be speaking and sharing bird songs at Topic Talks at the Skirball Center in New York City on June 22. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Death is a difficult topic no matter how you slice it, but cultivating a healthier outlook on end-of-life issues can have profound effects on families when they encounter loss. That's the mission of Death Cafe. It's a self-described "social franchise" — a set of ideals that can be replicated in small groups around the world. It's not a support group, but a way to get people talking about death in a productive manner. After all, it's a social and personal issue that everyone will face at some point in their lives. The IRL groups have spread far and wide thanks to the power of the Internet. Alli and Jen speak with Megan Mooney, an end-of-life and hospice care specialist who has hosted Death Cafes for more than 6 years. Mooney discusses the personal journey that led her to this work, and the power of online and offline communities when it comes to coping with mortality. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an age where nearly all information is a Google or Wiki search away, it's easy to forget that real, first-hand experiences of what the world used to be like are right in our own families and communities. That's the mission of the subreddit r/AskOldPeople. It's a place for members of one generation to get perspective from those who came before. The result has been some deep conversations about politics, personal finance, technology, and the timeless personal wisdom you just can't get from the news or a textbook. Alli and Jen speak to GetOffMyLawn, a moderator who curated some of the best conversations the subreddit has to offer. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nextdoor is the social network that connects people based on neighborhoods, rather than friend networks or common interests. Getting to know your IRL neighbors sure seems like a good idea. But at times, it combines the two worst things about social media: relative anonymity and real-world consequences. The platform is home to countless petty squabbles and strange behavior that reveal the absurdity of modern life, and the insanity of the people who live two houses down. The most ridiculous posts are lovingly collected by @BestOfNextdoor, a Twitter and Facebook account run by Jenn Takahashi. It features hilarious neighborhood drama, bizarre phenomena ("Did any of you leave a potato in my garden?"), and misguided souls who insist on using Nextdoor to score hookups. Alli and Jen talk with Takahashi about her favorite Nextdoor posts of all time, why people are so weird, and what the company thinks of her social commentary. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a box of treasure worth millions somewhere in the Rocky Mountains, and a global online (and IRL) community is devoted to the search. The treasure was hidden by Forrest Fenn, a collector of antiquities and nature lover, who — after cancer threatened his life in the '80s — decided to have some fun with the wealth he'd accumulated. He wrote a poem full of cryptic, geographic clues that are now a worldwide obsession. And while Fenn says seekers have gotten close, no one has uncovered the real fortune ... yet. Entire families have uprooted their lives to join the hunt, and a fervent online community deciphers clues and poses new theories daily. Alli and Jen talk with Dal Neitzel, who documents the treasure hunt extensively online, and has become a key resource for all things Fenn. Neitzel shares his stories about meeting Fenn, the most plausible cartographic theories, the risks of treasure hunting (some seekers have died), and the scammers who try to trick Fenn out of his hidden fortunes. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For thousands of years, God has communicated with humanity via dusty tomes, prophets, and the occasional miracle. But it's 2019, and the Internet is way more efficient for reaching the flock. That's why God has spent the last few years amassing followers on Facebook and Twitter, and smiting hypocrites and blasphemers (aka trolls) with his digital wrath. And if you've noticed that He's a little less about fire and brimstone, and more about calling bullshit on modern religion, you're not wrong. Alli and Jen have an intimate and exclusive conversation with The Almighty about His new social media strategy, His role in American politics, Jesus, the conservatives who keep putting words in His mouth, dick pics, and his new podcast, The God Show. Follow The Lord Thy God: https://twitter.com/thegoodgodabove https://www.facebook.com/TheGoodLordAbove https://www.patreon.com/thegodshow Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When fantasy TV shows need an alien or elf to speak a fictional language, most writers make up a few foreign-sounding words to pad the script and move on. But that won't cut it when it comes to Game of Thrones, a show with details as deep as its fandom. So when George R. R. Martin and the show's producers needed to build complete, functional languages for Dothraki riders and Valyrian-speaking slavers, they turned to real-life linguist and "conlanger" David J. Peterson. He transformed a handful of phrases from Martin's books into the grammatically complete languages we hear on HBO today. Alli and Jen chat with Peterson (mostly in English!) about his love of languages, the process of building them from scratch, infusing fictional languages with fictional culture, his email correspondence with George R. R. Martin, and how the complexities of producing TV's most ambitious show affected his phonetic and linguistic choices — including a little-known error in season 8! Alli and Jen also speak with a Game of Thrones super fan who is currently learning High Valyrian from the language app Duolingo, which has more than 800,000 users actively learning the fictional language. Minor spoiler warning: While mostly focused on linguistics, this episode contains general discussions of characters, cultures, and events in Game of Thrones. Special thanks to Michelle Jaworski. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We don't always think of Internet memes as a force for serious social change. But the humor behind image macros and mashup content can be leveraged in the fight against toxic masculinity — with the right talent, of course. Julia Hava has amassed a huge following on Instagram (@binchcity) by turning sexist advertising into hilarious commentary on feminism and mental illness. Alli and Jen talk to Hava about the modern feminist conversation happening online, and how memes and humor play an increasingly important role. Follow Binch City: https://www.instagram.com/binchcity Here's the video from the Clayman Institute for Gender Research about unconscious bias, which Alli references in the episode: https://womensleadership.stanford.edu/level This episode was co-produced and edited by Sophie Bridges. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A growing number of people believe that world governments and other shadow organizations are hiding the truth: that the Earth is not a globe, but a flat disc with a dome of stars above it. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, this "mother of all conspiracy theories" is flourishing on the Internet, giving rise to vast networks of YouTubers, podcasters, and social media communities that spread misinformation. This phenomenon led three filmmakers to ask: Why is this happening now, and how could any rational person actually believe the Earth is flat? They found the answer by making Behind the Curve, a sympathetic and open-minded documentary which chronicles a number of influential flat Earthers as they defend their theories, conduct experiments, and gear up for the first Flat Earth convention. Alli and Jen speak with Caroline Clark (producer), Daniel J. Clark (director/producer), and Nick Andert (editor/producer), about the psychology of conspiratorial thinking, the algorithms that serve us bad information, and the social pressures that hook marginalized people with the promise of finding a like-minded community that they can never leave. Behind the Curve is available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, iTunes, and Google Play: https://www.behindthecurvefilm.com Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While it may feel like books face an existential crisis in the shadow of digital media, reading communities are alive and well in an unlikely social media sphere: Instagram. Showing off what you're reading with a fancy cup of coffee is only a small part of the #bookstagram trend. Insta has become a powerful tool for author discovery (especially for female writers of color), community, accountability, and marketing the wares of independent book stores. Alli and Jen talk with Tammy Gordon, who challenged herself to read 100 books in one year, and Katie Orphan, manager of The Last Bookstore, the most Instagrammed bookstore in Los Angeles, about the future of reading in a social media world. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the list of "Things The Internet Is Useful For," lulz rank pretty highly (second only to porn, of course). Online pranks are as old as the ARPANET itself. This April Fools' Day, 2G1P is celebrating internet jokesters by chatting with three developers who can turn your web browser (or a co-worker's, if you're sneaky enough) into a veritable fun house of chortles, guffaws, and confusion. Alli and Jen talk with Eric Bailey, Clayburn Griffin, and Steven Frank, about their devious Chrome extensions which will transform Millennials to "Snake People," "The Cloud" into "My Butt," and plaster Nicolas Cage all over Wikipedia. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Worldwide and obsessive fandom is nothing new, but it's usually reserved for pop stars, actors, YouTubers, and video games. It's rare for tech CEOs to command such loyalty, but Elon Musk's journey from sickly, bullied child, to stumbling entrepreneur, to rocket-launching world changer is a story that's impossible to ignore. Musk has engendered a global community of superfans who hang on his every word, and who will defend him at any cost. Alli and Jen chat with Paula Mellon, the creator of a massive Musk fan club on LinkedIn, about the appeal of Musk and why his fans are so obsessed. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When TV and radio brought the voices and images of public figures into our very homes, we began to feel kinship with people we've never actually met. But these one-sided "parasocial" relationships have kicked into overdrive with the advent of social media. Now we subscribe to the daily minutia of YouTubers and Instagram influencers under the guise that this format is more honest — more "real" — than the scripted world of mass media. The bonds we feel across the Internet can be powerful and life-changing, but occasionally, unhealthy. Alli and Jen talk with Dr. Leslie Rasmussen, a professor of communications at Xavier University, who studies the intense psyschological phenomenon of parasocial relationships at a time where we are more connected and disconnected than ever. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we become ever more physically entwined with our technology, and medicine extends our lives beyond anything our ancestors could imagine, we may not be too far away from implanting or genetically manipulating superhuman powers, or even escaping death entirely. If that sounds pretty cool and pretty terrifying at the same time, you're not alone. Alli and Jen talk transhumanist future shock with Dr. Natasha Vita-More, the executive director of Humanity+, an organization devoted to enhancing the quality of human life through technology. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some people are great at taking flattering selfies and writing witty Tinder taglines. Others, not so much. That's where Meredith Golden comes in. For a fee, she'll take over your profile, learn your voice, and optimize your flirting so you don't screw it up. Then she'll hand the reigns back to you for the IRL date. The system works, and Golden has the record to prove it. But what are the ethics of outsourcing your love life to a consultant? Jen and Alli go deep with Golden and get the skinny on the foolish ways people shoot themselves in the foot on dating apps (headless selfies, anyone?). Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2005, Bobby Henderson wrote a letter to the Kansas board of education suggesting that if Christian creationism is taught in schools, so should his theistic view: that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe. And so, Pastafarianism was born. The Internet-based social movement spread rapidly as a critique of anti-science fundamentalism, but in some corners of the world like New Zealand, Pastafarianism became recognized by the government as a religious order, with all the rights and privileges afforded. Alli and Jen talk with Prime Minesteroni Karen Martyn, an ordained minister of the Church, who has officiated numerous pasta-themed weddings within the legal borders of New Zealand. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If data-driven matchmaking platforms like Tinder have you down, consider an "old school" online dating method where your friends auction you off in a Facebook group with 300,000 singles who are ready to meme...I mean, mingle. That's how it goes down in "Subtle Asian Dating," a thriving Facebook community where Asian Americans can comfortably dish about their cultural identity and perhaps even meet "the one" with enough likes and comments. It grew out of a predecessor Facebook group called "Subtle Asian Traits," where members of the Asian American community would not so subtly thrust their friends onto the dating meat market in a defiantly anti-Tinder way. Alli and Jen talk with Hella Chen who created this romance ecosystem. Chen shares the meme-worthy stories that have sprung from it. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Tinder, Grindr, J-Date and Christian Mingle, most of us just had a MySpace page and the dream of finding true love in a sea of extremely emo profile pics. Megan (from the U.S.) and Whitney (from the UK) started a long-distance relationship there, which blossomed against all odds into a international marriage, a TV appearance on Say Yes to the Dress, and a media empire focused on empowering LGBT couples. Their story is a beacon of hope that yes, long distance relationships can have a happy ending, thanks to the power of the Internet. Alli and Jen chat with Megan and Whitney (collectively known as "WEGAN") about their journey, their vision for the future of Internet-first love, and their disgustingly cute plans for Valentine's Day. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] Talk to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of the tales that come out of Facebook these days are about the attention sucking qualities that make it terrible for mental health and democracy. But there are shining beacons of hope where the platform has empowered communities that could not exist IRL or elsewhere on the Internet. Ashley Eakin is a filmmaker with an extremely rare bone disease that caused her great insecurity when posting online. That all changed when a powerful video about her story went viral across Facebook. The Facebook groups that since formed around coping with these "physical differences" have profoundly changed her life, and the lives of others in this new online community. Alli and Jen talk with Eakin about her inspiring story of personal struggle and empowerment. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you do enough math, you can generate every combination of letters and numbers possible. Most of the results will be gibberish, but they will also contain Shakespeare, Harry Potter, the unpublished final Game of Thrones book, your 6th grade diary, the actual cure for cancer, and every email and text message anyone has ever sent — or will ever send — ever. Even the words I'm typing right now already exist somewhere in the Library of Babel, an algorithm conceived by evil genius/literature student Jonathan Basile. This is the digital equivalent of "infinite monkeys on infinite typewriters" eventually writing Hamlet. But when you see it in action, live on the Internet, you will question your own free will and doubt the very concept of original thought. Alli and Jen speak to Basile about the inspiration for this terrifying project and the deep existential panic it causes. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apps like Tinder know a lot about you, but why should they horde all your dating data? In order to settle an argument, one man conducted an exhaustive experiment on the platform to determine if he was more attractive with a beard or without. He shared the results on the subreddit r/dataisbeautiful. He woke up the next morning to thousands of comments about this methodology, graphs, and why his chin was ugly. The discussion about attractiveness, cultural biases, data, and controlling variables in an online dating environment went viral. But did he actually get a date? Alli and Jen speak to "The Scientist" about his process, expectations, and why beards are so polarizing. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The History of the Web is a weekly newsletter that began as a place for coders to reminisce about CSS and Bulletin Board software.  But it quickly evolved into a definitive timeline of our shared online history. The story of the Web (the public-facing network of pages that everyone has access to) is arguably the most important sociological endeavor of our time. Alli and Jen chat with Jay Hoffmann, author of The History of the Web, about the proto-communities that formed online in the '90s around weblogs, browser wars, grief, and virtual pets. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has the internet made things easier for the transgender community? That may depend on which corners of the web you hang out in. For Luna Baker (who transitioned from male-at-birth to female), a variety of digital havens for trans people came and went: Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Facebook groups, etc. Harassment and bullying followed in all of them. She finally arrived at Discord, where strict permissions and moderation carved out a place where members of the trans community could talk about anything, free from the pressures of typical online discussion. This week on 2 Girls 1 Podcast, Alli and Jen talk with Baker about her transition, the digital trans community, portrayals of trans people in media, and the complicated laws and norms that can hinder trans people from seeking the treatment they need. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Craig Benzine (better known as WheezyWaiter on YouTube) has been making online videos for a living since 2007.  That's a long time to be living and working on the Internet, and when he felt social media was sucking up all his time, he challenged himself to quit for an entire month. His wife Chyna, feeling similar stress, joined the cause. The couple went dark(ish) for 30 days, then resurfaced with a hilarious video about what they learned from being disconnected for so long in a 2018 world. Alli and Jen talk to Craig and Chyna about their life-altering experiment, and what it might mean for your digital habits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As media has shifted from broadcast to social, so too have our perceptions of beauty and self-confidence. Plastic surgeons are seeing their patients get younger, and who aspire to look more like their own highly curated selfies, rather than a celebrity or model. What does this say about a culture that is increasingly focused on documenting self image? Alli and Jen speak to Marla Frezza, who modified her nose to match her own selfie filters. They're also joined by producer Maria Chiu, who documented Marla's journey in a video for Broadly/VICE, entitled "I Got Surgery to Look Like My Snapchat and Facetune Selfies." This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Esperanto is a language invented 130 years ago with the goal of uniting the world under a simplified common tongue and creating everlasting peace. Spoiler alert: That never happened. But the Internet is rekindling the passion of the global Esperanto community, and millions of people are speaking and learning it through the power of language courses like Duolingo and online communities. Alli and Jen talk with Stela Besenyei-Merger, one of only 350 native Esperanto speakers in the world, and Chuck Smith, who is credited for bringing Esperanto onto the mainstream web and developing a Wikipedia in the language. What does it mean to speak Esperanto in 2018, and how is the "DNA" of this language bridging communication gaps in the 21st century? This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if you could 3D print that new lamp, designed by an Internet stranger for free, rather than ordering it from Amazon? When 3D printing tech goes mainstream, it will almost certainly revolutionize ecommerce (and create a whole new kind of online piracy). But until then, we're observing a microcosm of that play out in the tabletop gaming space, where designers are modeling pieces and creating entirely new games that players can download, print, or play virtually. Alli and Jen talk to Arian Croft (aka dutchmogul) of Ill Gotten Games, one of the most prolific and well-followed designers on Thingiverse, about this passionate community. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Oobah Butler was hard-up for cash, he found a gig writing fake reviews for London restaurants he'd never been to. He fell into an abyss of forgeries on TripAdvisor that gave him an idea. What if he invented a fake restaurant, powered by more fake reviews, to fool everyone? The performance art stunt took on a life of its own, and compelled him to have a fake grand opening of "The Shed," London's #1 restaurant on the Internet -- which served microwave meals in Butler's backyard. The ultimate "Emperor Has No Clothes" story propelled Butler to worldwide fame, where he continued to trick the media by hiring actors to portray him in interviews. Alli and Jen have a long talk with Butler about why the anonymity of the Internet makes people so gullible. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ghost stories around the campfire are as old as humanity itself, but spooky tales became memes unto themselves as the Web matured. Creepypasta (a derivative of "copypasta" which is derivative of "copy/paste") is the catch-all term and dominant wiki for the spooky stories that circulate and mutate on the Internet. Alli and Jen talk to Andrew Movitz (aka ClericOfMadness), the founder of the Creepypasta wiki, about why these stories tap our deepest fears, and the transformation of Creepypasta culture into an author-centric community. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Bryan Denny, a retired 26-year U.S. army veteran, started getting marriage proposals from strangers on Facebook, he knew something was up. Thousands of scammers were using stolen pictures of him in uniform to trick well-meaning Facebook users into sending money, iPhones, and gift cards overseas to a military hero with an honest face. Kathy Waters' family friend was among the victims. Denny and Waters now spend their free time busting fake accounts and pleading with lawmakers and Facebook for a solution. Alli and Jen talk to the dynamic duo about their crusade to stem the Facebook romance scam epidemic. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sex dolls have been around since at least the 17th century, but advances in AI and robotics are bringing them ever closer to meaningful companionship. Alli and Jen speak with Susan Pirzchalski, the chief robotics engineer of Realbotix, who is working to make the popular Real Doll sex toys come to life with sophisticated personalities. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you leave a toddler alone with an iPad long enough, YouTube's algorithms will guide her down a deep, dark rabbit hole of strange, low-quality, and often disturbing videos manufactured for kid consumption. These channels use recognizable characters (Mickey Mouse, Paw Patrol) to draw kids into horrifying click-bait narratives they can't resist. Who is making these videos, and what is YouTube doing about it? Alli and Jen talk to K.G. Orphanides who has written extensively about YouTube's strange kid content underbelly. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever sought a soundtrack for your home movies that wouldn't get removed by YouTube, chances are you've come across Kevin MacLeod's music. He's composed thousands of original tracks, in every imaginable genre, that he gives away under a Creative Commons license, on a variety of platforms, absolutely free. His music has been used in commercials, films, video games, and an uncountable number of YouTube videos and podcasts without any compensation. So, how does Kevin feed himself? Alli and Jen untangle the livelihood of the internet's most prolific composer and Creative Commons pioneer. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Way back in 2007 Tay Zonday uploaded the original song "Chocolate Rain" to YouTube, and nothing happened. Then Digg and 4chan found it. And then Zonday was on CNN and Jimmy Kimmel trying to explain his music on national television. His meteoric rise led to a 10-year journey of identity confusion, and eventually self-actualization. Alli and Jen have a long, deep talk with Tay about coping with viral fame and his new podcast about that very topic, called "Chocolate Pains." This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robots have a long way to go before they replace artists and writers...but they're getting closer. A collective known as Botnik is using algorithms, predictive text, and machine learning to challenge our traditional notions of art, and create some hilarious TV Guide show synopses in the process. Alli and Jen speak with Jamie Brew, the creator of Botnik, about his ambitions to build new creativity tools for the digital age. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rule 34 is alive and well on the Internet, but the enterprising sex toy company Bad Dragon has taken it even further with their epic dildo designs that imagine what kind of heat our favorite high fantasy creatures might be packing: dragons, aliens, elves, and even a demogorgon. Turns out there's a huge market for fulfilling sexual fantasies, Tolkien-style. Alli and Jen speak with Derek "Tsukaza" Young, a representative of the toy company, about the evolution of these products, what customers keep asking for, and the online communities that have formed around them. This week's episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including your sci-fi and fantasy favorites like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Hank Green's novels. Download Penguin Random House Audio books wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out http://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/2Girls1Podcast to browse their latest selection. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kids today have it easy, with their "swiping right" and their "J-dates." Back in the early '90s, you could barely send a profile pic to your crush. Gary Kremen wanted to change that. He co-founded Match.com, disrupted the personal ads industry, and forever changed how humans fall in love. Alli and Jen ask Kremen about the tumultuous early startup days, the data behind lasting relationships, and why they're still single after countless Tinder matches. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1PJoin us on Discord: discord.gg/2g1p Email us: [email protected] to Alli and Jen: https://twitter.com/alligold https://twitter.com/joonbugger Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Porn is typically made by men for men, but women have needs, too -- and traditional porn doesn't always meet them. Alli and Jen talk with Michelle Shnaidman, founder of Bellesa.co, which creates porn videos, erotic fiction, erotic audio, and sex toys with a focus on female empowerment. Shnaidman also addresses the site's rocky beginnings and the common misconceptions about the porn industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Move over, food porn. Competitive eating is about slamming as many calories as possible, and there's a massive YouTube community around it. Erik the Electric's food challenge videos have been viewed 80 million times. Alli and Jen talk to him about approaching this extreme lifestyle in a healthy way, and his personal battle with anorexia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people think of emoji as trivial text message pictures. But creating them is a complex process debated by a consortium of tech giants. And as emoji become more widespread, so too does their cultural and linguistic importance. Alli and Jen talk to Jennifer 8. Lee about her campaign for multi-racial emoji, and whether emoji might evolve into a true language with grammar and identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of "Preppers" are amassing food, water, tools, batteries, and other essentials in their basements and bunkers. But for what? Alli and Jen speak with Todd Reynolds, AKA The Dynamic Prepper, about survivalist culture, YouTube, knives, aliens, and why a "Go Bag" is a smart idea, whether you think the apocalypse is coming or not. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For countless historical and social reasons, most of the people editing Wikipedia are white men. This has led to broad bias across the world's de facto repository of online knowledge. But a loose affiliation of women are making up the ground by writing and editing the biographies of historically significant women and minorities who might otherwise be overlooked by academic or popular culture. Alli and Jen speak with Rosie Stephenson Goodknight, a lauded Wikipedian with more than 4000 articles to her credit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have firm restrictions on nudity. Twitter is much more lax, making it a digital haven for the nudist community. Taylor Lorenz, a journalist for the Atlantic, breaks down the difference between sexual and non-sexual nudity, and the double standards many tech companies have when it comes to the human body. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The multiplayer RPG "Ultima Online" came on the scene in 1997, and it remains a thriving, persistent world to this day, two decades later. Those who prefer the "classic" version host private servers (shards) where longtime players congregate. Alli and Jen speak with Alyssa Schnugg, a grandmother in real life, and a veteran guildmaster in "Ulima Online Forever." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airbnb has completely revolutionized tourism, but the legal and regulatory battles around whom you can rent your room to rage on. Alli and Jen speak with Evelyn Badia, an Airbnb "Superhost" who makes her living by renting her home to strangers -- often while she's still in it. She shares what makes a great host, and how the rise of Trump changed New York tourism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The reboot of "My Little Pony" has reached fans far beyond the "little girls" demographic. Thousands of adult men self-identify as Bronies: Dudes who love the stories, characters and themes of the whimsical cartoon. Alli and Jen speak with Charlie Worthley, a Brony convention organizer, about this far-reaching community built on acceptance and gender empowerment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are Facebook groups for everything -- even jumping spiders. Alli and Jen talk with bug enthusiast and writer Melissa McEwan about the passionate communities that form around insects, insect rights, and cute/terrifying pics of creepy crawlies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people love the Earth. But some people really LOVE the Earth. You know, in *that* way. Alli and Jen speak with Jennifer Reed, a PhD studying the rise of ecosexuality -- from performance art to sex with trees, and everything in between. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erotic author and online sensation Chuck Tingle joins us for a candid conversation about his inspiration for "Pounded In the Butt by My Own Butt" and "Space Raptor Butt Invasion," the idiocy of the Alt-Right, and how the internet transformed his passion for "bud on bud kissing" into a sprawling Tingleverse: Hugo Award-nominated science fiction, a celebrity-powered podcast, and perhaps a feature film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even while you're sleeping, your social media persona is engaging with the world. This "always on" mentality is shaping the psychology of a generation. Alli and Jen talk to Dr. Leora Trub, a psychology professor at Pace University, who has authored numerous studies about the power our phones have on mental wellness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Small collectives of Star Wars fans all over the world follow the spiritual path of the Jedi. But this isn't about fandom or cosplay. They live, train, and work by the Jedi Code. And while this philosophy is rooted in modern science fantasy, the tenets are not much different from the core of Buddhism or Christianity. Alli and Jen speak with the organizer of California Jedi, Katie Mock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt cancels this week's guest and challenges Alli and Jen to the ultimate fan-requested trivia showdown. The stakes could not be higher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Procedural generation is no stranger to media like video games, but it's especially compelling (and creepy) in podcast form. Alli and Jen talk to PhD programmer James Ryan, the creator of Sheldon County, a generative podcast hosted by a synthetic voice that's different for every listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Snopes.com has been debunking urban legends and internet rumors since the mid '90s. But in an age of unprecedented disinformation coming from the highest authorities and most ubiquitous online platforms, how does a professional fact checker stay relevant and sane? Alli and Jen talk to Brooke Binkowski, managing editor of Snopes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carpets for Airports is a website and community devoted to critiquing the largest art form ever devised -- the sprawling fabric underfoot when you're rushing to catch a flight. Do airport carpets have artistic and political meaning? Or are they merely functional? Alli and Jen talk to the "benevolent dictator" of the site, George Pendle, about which airport carpets stand the test of time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Freelancing is on the rise, thanks in large part to technology. The modern internet allows people to work from anywhere, and access short-term gigs on the regular. Silicon Valley is saving us all from boring desk jobs, and traditional full-time employment is fading. Turns out, making a living as a contractor depends a lot on your socioeconomic background. Alli and Jen speak to Sarah Kessler, the author of "Gigged: The End of the Job and the Future of Work." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A terrifying number of people have told us they listen to 2G1P to learn English. Please. THIS IS NOT AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Memes can be as trivial as a waffle falling over or as powerful as a social movement. But defining them, tracking their origins, mutations, and meanings is a tough job. Fortunately, the brave souls at Know Your Meme have been at it for more than a decade so we can rest easy knowing Slender Man and Ugandan Knuckles will be preserved for future generations. Alli and Jen interview Brad Kim, editor-in-chief of Know Your Meme, who started his online odyssey as an immigrant and humble intern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From its humble beginnings on "Ask Reddit" to the day Obama dropped by, r/IAmA has been the place where anyone on the internet can talk directly to public figures, celebrities, and people with interesting jobs or experiences. Alli and Jen speak with the subreddit's top moderator Brian Lynch about the evolution of "Ask Me Anything," and some its craziest moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is It Normal? is a website where people anonymously share their uncertain proclivities about behavior, feelings, sex, and more, so strangers can vote on them. But what started as an experimental message board in 2004 has become an existential question about the definition of normalcy on the internet. Alli and Jen interview Udi Falkson, the creator of isitnormal.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Telephone party hotlines are a relic of pre-internet teenage shenanigans. But if you post a phone number on the web and ask a lovable grandma to record the outgoing voicemail ... lots of people will call it. And they'll leave strange messages. Alli and Jen interview the mysterious creator of Grandma Party Hotline, where prank calls meet coping with mortality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you believe 9/11 was an inside job, or that the cure for cancer is hidden by drug companies, it might be hard to broach these topics with a new date -- let alone reconcile these deep ideological differences with a long term partner. That's where Awake Dating comes in. It's a network for "truthers" and conspiracy theorists to find like-minded love. Alli and Jen interview its founder, Jarod Fiddon. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for your tweets, emails, and voicemails! We love hearing from you, and wanted to respond to a few of our favorite electronic mail messages. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young, attractive women dating older men with means is nothing new, but there is an online cottage industry that connects "Sugar Babies" with their prospective "Sugar Daddies." Alli and Jen interview "John," a man who's had ups and downs on sugar dating networks. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fight for gender equality must never rest, but there's one important thing women have that men will never experience: the joy (and excruciating pain!) of childbirth. But there are thousands of men online who are hoping it will one day be possible. In the meantime, they're simulating baby bumps, labor pains, and drawing LOTS of fan art. Alli and Jen interview Justin Tobias, the admin of MPREG Central, the largest forum for male pregnancy enthusiasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Women are exposed to fashion media at an early age, for better or worse. But where should men turn to refine their style for a new job or a first date? Alli and Jen talk to Brad Webster, a moderator at r/MaleFashionAdvice, a place where men advise other men about putting together the right ensemble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're tired of swiping on looks and clever pickup lines, why not go a niche as possible? The Passions Network connects singles based on extremely focused interests, like driving trucks, The Walking Dead, SCUBA, and...herpes? Alli and Jen talk to Michael Carter about the evolution of online love, and how he grew his dating directory in the early days of Google search. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Age play (role playing as a child or baby) can be about comfort, re-connecting with your own childhood, or a fetish. Alli and Jen interview "Todd," the founder of Tykables, an online retailer and community that transformed the market and conversation around diapers and baby clothes made for adults. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are subreddits for all sorts of important issues and online communities. And then there's r/BirdsWithArms, where the Internet's most talented Photoshoppers replace bird wings with human arms just for the lulz. Jen and Alli interview Konstantine, one of the community's most talented and prolific bird 'shoppers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writing fanfic about your favorite fictional characters kissing goes back long before the internet. Alli and Jen interview Amanda Brennan, a meme librarian whose expertise in "shipping" (writing about fictional relationships) takes us back to the 1800s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The extreme makeup, fashion, and body modification of the Living Doll community is a sight to behold. Alli and Jen interview Vixie, who moderates numerous living doll forums where members swap pics and tricks on how to look as doe-eyed and plastic as humanly possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we spend more and more time inside digital worlds, documenting human behavior in virtual spaces has become an exciting new field of research. Alli and Jen talk to gaming archaeologist Andrew Reinhard about his expeditions inside the universe of No Man's Sky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seth Stephens-Davidowitz studied data from Google, Pornhub, and other online platforms. He found that overt racism is alive and well in America, porn preferences are not what you'd expect, and many women are asking Google if their husbands are gay. Alli and Jen talk to Seth about the bizarre trends in his data analysis book Everybody Lies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turns out attorneys are humans, too. Alli and Jen talk to Keith Lee, who created Lawyer Slack -- a private, lawyers-only chat room where attorneys can speak freely about ongoing cases, modern legal issues, ridiculous lawsuits, Game of Thrones, and cute doggos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Facebook group with 50,000 members is all about posting pictures of British breakfast food so people can curse at you. Alli and Jen get the scoop behind one of the most hilarious and bizarre Facebook communities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the era of fake news, climate deniers, and anti-vaxxers, productive discussion about peer-reviewed science can be hard to come by on the internet. Fortunately, the subreddit r/science (with 17 million subscribers) has some ingenious ways to connect the curious masses with real scientists, root out trolls, and present controversial topics some readers might not be ready for. Alli and Jen get sciency with head moderator Dr. Nathan Allen, a PhD in synthetic chemistry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most dating apps pair people based on looks or shared interests. Hater matches couples based on things they hate: Slow walkers, the Super Bowl, tall dudes at concerts. Does having a "hate" in common create a deeper connection? Alli and Jen interview the Creator of Hater Dater, Brendan Alper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Autonomous sensory meridian response (known as ASMR) is that tingly sensation on the back of your neck when you hear certain quiet sounds, like whispering or tapping. There's a huge community devoted to triggering your tingles on YouTube. Alli and Jen talk to Gibi, an "ASMRtist" about her rise to tingly internet fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thousands of people identify as "vampires" online, but the term is more complicated (and metaphorical) than horror movie stereotypes. Alli and Jen talk to self-identified vampire Anshar Seraphim about tasting human blood and absorbing other people's energy and emotions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I F@*#ked Up (or r/TIFU) is a place where people anonymously share their most terrible or embarrassing stories. It's also one of the most popular communities on Reddit. Alli and Jen ask a moderator of TIFU about the craziest stories the sub has ever seen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Making an appointment to be cuddled by a stranger might seem odd, but Adam Lippin -- the founder of Cuddlist.com -- believes therapeutic touch will be as common as yoga in the next few years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wish you could go back in time and enjoy the innocence of being four years old? Alli and Jen talk to Michelle Joni, who teaches letters, shapes and show & tell to adults at a preschool in Brooklyn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan and Maggie are the founders of Looners United, a community and online store for balloon fetishists. They tell Alli and Jen about poppers, non-poppers, and their journey of acceptance as a couple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did intelligent aliens design us in their own image thousands of years ago? That's what Raëlians believe. Alli and Jen speak with Felix Clairvoyant, a guide of the Raëlian movement, about ETs, the afterlife, nukes, Trump, and why humans are such a-holes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Jen get the lowdown on Bristlr, a dating app where you can find the bearded man of your dreams. John Kershaw builds app frameworks that connect beard lovers, new moms, and cow inseminators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Jen speak with Richard Ivey, the creator of "My Friend's Feet," one of the first websites and online communities for tickling fetishists. Also: We are REALLY scared of aliens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alli and Jen speak with Dominic Rodriguez, director of the documentary Fursonas, about life (and sex) as an anthropomorphic animal. Also: Why are overall hooks only sold in large quantities? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two actors who perform the weird Internet on stage dive into the deepest web wormholes with members of fringe online communities. Alli Goldberg and Jen Jamula have hilarious and humanizing conversations with furries, ticklers, balloon fetishists, professional cuddlers, adult diaper enthusiasts, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices