The weird world of the internet
This week we're sharing one of our favourite episodes from May 2016.
The internet has spread from a place of general nerdiness to now encompass everything from the cornerstones of human experience, to the weirdest, most niche subcultures. And having all that rubbing and mixing together can make for some pretty great stories!
That why, this week, we're diving into the weird world of the internet.
Lucia Cole is a pop star. You can find her music on all the major streaming services. She has Twitter and Instagram, she's been interviewed, and she's endorsed by the one and only Shaquille O'Neal.
But she's not real. Her whole career was just a bizarre catflish.
We also share some tips on crafting a password that's tough to crack.
"[Lucia Cole] flew too close to the sun and she messed with the Ariana Grande fans." — Katie Notopoulos, on How A Teen Uncovered The Internet's Weirdest Catfish
A new pop star climbs the charts on Spotify, Tidal, and iTunes, having been endorsed by the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and 64,000 Twitter followers. The only problem? She's not real.
"Redditors started naming names. Drawing conclusions after hours of listening to police scanners." — Brit Hanson on what happened after the Boston Marathon bombing, in Drag.net
We live in an age of crowdsourced law enforcement, where amateur sleuths can crack or ruin cases simply by being armed with their own laptops. We hear how amateur detectives on Reddit misidentified the Boston Marathon Bombers- with serious consequences for one family - who also had to face the suicide of their son.
"You don't fix something by walking away from it. So, I'll just keep trying." — Stoya, on Internet Porn: Is it Evil?
The surprisingly complicated story behind pornography aggregate sites.
"Once you've got access to someone's e-mail, you have access to all their accounts." — Scott Francis Winder, on The Problem with Passwords
The best practices behind creating a unique internet password and why it is crucially important to our wellbeing.
"The two things she can't live without are her boys and her bagels. Don't ask which comes first." - Josh Healey, on How To Help Your Mother Set Up Her Profile On JDate
An award-winning performer shares a heartfelt, humorous story about what it's like to help his mom start dating again.
Plus - Former Podcast Playlist host, Lindsay Michael, interviews host Glynn Washington on how growing up in a cult made him a better storyteller. Listen here.
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