How the 00s changed the tech world forever

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

#Tech #Power User #Social Media

51:57

On the Season 2 debut of Lost Cultures: Living Legacies , we travel to Bermuda, an Atlantic island whose history spans centuries and continents. Once uninhabited, Bermuda became a vital stop in transatlantic trade, a maritime stronghold, and a cultural crossroads shaped by African, European, Caribbean, and Native American influences. Guests Dr. Kristy Warren and Dr. Edward Harris trace its transformation from an uninhabited island to a strategic outpost shaped by shipwrecks, colonization, the transatlantic slave trade, and the rise and fall of empires. Plus, former Director of Tourism Gary Phillips shares the story of the Gombey tradition, a vibrant performance art rooted in resistance, migration, and cultural fusion. Together, they reveal how Bermuda’s layered past continues to shape its people, culture, and identity today. You can also find us online at ⁠travelandleisure.com/lostcultures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

about a year ago 27:57

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The 2000s were a formative decade for tech. From the dot com bubble to the rise of social media, to the chaotic days of early blogging, the iMac, and emergence of the PayPal Mafia, the 00s shaped our online world in ways we’re still reckoning with.

Colette Shade is the author of the brand new bestselling book Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything (Essays on the Future That Never Was). Today she joins Taylor to unpack the lasting impact of the 00s on our tech landscape.

Colette gives a nostalgic but critical account of the decade that set the stage for the digital revolution. She discusses what we can learn from the golden age of dial-up internet and tech optimism, and how the aughts ultimately set the stage for today’s hyper-surveilled, algorithm-driven world.

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97 episodes

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

How the 00s changed the tech world forever

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

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published about a year ago

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97 episodes

#Tech #Power User #Social Media

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Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
The Government Is Lying About Online Safety 30:13

2 hours ago30:13

30:13

Welcome back to my new series Free Speech Friday! :) Right now, lawmakers in congress are trying to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a dangerous censorship bill that would give the government unprecedented control over the internet and force platforms to spy on youth. KOSA claims to make kids "safer" online, but don't let the name fool you. This law would give the government unprecedented power to censor speech across the entire internet in the name of "protecting kids." From mental health support communities to LGBTQ forums, KOSA endangers the very spaces young people turn to for help, identity, and connection. KOSA isn’t about safety, it's about giving the government unprecedented control over speech. Ari Cohen is the Lead Counsel for Tech Policy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and promoting free speech rights for all Americans. He joined me to break down KOSA and explain the many problems with the proposed law. If you believe in a free and open internet, please join me in sending a message to your lawmakers right now and tell them to reject KOSA: https://www.fightforthefuture.org/actions/censorship-wont-make-kids-safe ***** Buy a subscription to my Tech and Online Culture newsletter, User Magazine to support my work!! 🙏 https://www.usermag.co ***** Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.usermag.co⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz3.0 https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenz https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
The case against logging off 41:56

1 day ago41:56

41:56

Every week, there’s a new warning: TikTok is poisoning the youth, Facebook is radicalizing your uncle, and the only way to save ourselves is to log off.But what if that’s exactly the opposite of what we should be doing? What if this push to disconnect isn’t about protecting us, but instead about disempowering us? Aidan Walker is a meme researcher and author of the Substack newsletter How to Do Things With Memes. Today, he joins me to talk about why we shouldn't log off and how the internet, for all its flaws, can be a powerful tool for change. The reality is that the internet—messy, chaotic, and algorithmically manipulated as it may be—is one of the only spaces where everyday people can assemble, communicate, and exert collective power. Governments, the media, and people in power want you to stay offline, because a public that is fragmented and disengaged is easier to control. People in power want you to believe that social media is nothing more than an addictive distraction, rather than the battleground where narratives are shaped, movements are built, and institutions are held accountable. ***** Buy a subscription to my Tech and Online Culture newsletter, User Magazine to support my work!! 🙏 https://www.usermag.co ***** Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.usermag.co⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz3.0 https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenz https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
The Take It Down Act Is a Free Speech Killer 24:21

7 days ago24:21

24:21

WATCH ALL FREE SPEECH FRIDAY EPISODES ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL The stated goal of the Take it Down Act is to combat non consensual intimate images (NCII), colloquially known as revenge p**n. This includes things like AI generated nude deep fakes and other explicit imagery shared without a person's consent. Cracking down on this seems great right? Sadly that's not what this law does. What the Take It Down Act *actually* does is make it so that anyone, at any time, can get content posted about them online that they don't like taken off the internet within 48 hours, no questions asked. Becca Branum, Deputy Director of the Center for Democracy and Technology's Free Expression Project has been fighting this law. She joins me to break down exactly how the Take It Down Act will function and the terrifying ways the Trump administration is already planning to weaponize it. ***** Buy a subscription to my Tech and Online Culture newsletter, User Magazine to support my work!! 🙏 https://www.usermag.co ***** Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠ https://www.usermag.co ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz3.0 https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenz https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
Why Students Can't Stop Using ChatGPT 40:32

8 days ago40:32

40:32

Students are using ChatGPT for everything. Parents are freaking out and the media is calling it the end of education as we know it. But are students really outsourcing their minds to machines? Are we witnessing the collapse of critical thinking, or are we just afraid of what change actually looks like? In this episode, I’m joined by journalist Kat Tenbarge to break down the rise of ChatGPT in schools. We talk about whether school still serves the purpose it claims to and what does academic integrity mean in a world where AI can be used for everything? ***** Buy a subscription to my Tech and Online Culture newsletter, User Magazine to support my work!! 🙏 https://www.usermag.co ***** Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.usermag.co⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz3.0 https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenzhttps://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
They're trying to ban posting about abortion online 27:25

15 days ago27:25

27:25

Imagine messaging a friend on Snapchat about how to get abortion pills, or tweeting about reproductive rights and getting fined hundreds of thousands of dollars. That's only part of what a proposed law in Texas that seeks to criminalize discussing abortion online aims to do. It's called HB5510, and it would essentially criminalize speech about abortion in emails, on websites, in social media posts, and even private messages. Jennifer Pinsof senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non profit that fights for digital civil liberties, and she's been tracking the proposed law. She joined me to talk about how the law will work, why other states might try to replicate it, and how this will affect you even if you don’t live in Texas. ***** Please buy a subscription to my Tech and Online Culture newsletter, User Magazine to support my work!! 🙏 https://www.usermag.co ***** Jessica Valenti's piece on the law's other dangers that we mentioned in this episode is here: https://jessica.substack.com/p/texas-sb-2880-abortion-travel If you’ve had your abortion-related content taken down, shadow-banned, or otherwise suppressed by Big Tech platforms, tell us your story here: https://www.eff.org/pages/stop-censoring-abortion Follow me: Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.usermag.co⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz3.0 https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenzhttps://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social For more information on EFF’s work, visit EFF.orgFor digital security and privacy tips for those seeking or providing an abortion, visit https://www.eff.org/issues/reproductive-rights…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
How the Media Tricks You Into Loving the Police 39:10

22 days ago39:10

39:10

If you’ve ever wondered why news media obsesses over shoplifting but ignores wage theft, or why media outlets report a "shortage" of prison guards without questioning why we imprison so many people, you've probably encountered copaganda. In this episode, award-winning civil rights lawyer and author Alec Karakatsanis joins me to discuss his phenomenal new book, Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News, and to break down all the ways that our news ecosystem is polluted with pro-police PR. We talk about how copaganda shapes literally every form of media in the U.S. and warps our perceptions of safety and justice. Alec reveals how these fear-driven narratives are fueling the rise of authoritarian policies, mass incarceration, and deepening inequality. Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.usermag.co⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to my YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorLorenz⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenz Follow me on Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
Undercover AI ‘College Protester’ Bots for Cops 33:00

29 days ago33:00

33:00

American police departments are using secretive AI technology to create lifelike AI personas designed to interact with real people online —like protesters and activists— for intelligence gathering. This tech is becoming more popular amid crackdowns on student protests against the war in Gaza. Leaked presentations reveal AI personas posing as various individuals, from divorced activists to teenage boys, in attempts to infiltrate online communities. 404 Media's Jason Koebler joins me to break down how these AI bots work, how they're being deployed, how to identify them, and what role AI plays in the future of surveillance. Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.usermag.co⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to my YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorLorenz⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on IG: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz⁠⁠⁠ Follow me on Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
Tween Podcasters Are Taking Over the Internet 35:40

5 weeks ago35:40

35:40

From middle schoolers riffing on school lunch to kids interviewing political figures, podcasting is no longer just for adults. With high-end mics, massive TikTok followings, and brand deals from major companies, tween podcast hosts are building real media platforms from their bedrooms and local studios. New York Magazine's EJ Dickson joins me to break down who the major players are in this growing space, including the MD Foodie Boyz, SaltyBoys, GSD Nation, the LOL Pod, and more. These tween stars have loyal fan bases, viral moments, and increasingly, the attention of advertisers looking to reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. We examine how kid-led podcasts are mirroring the formats and attitudes of older influencers, from Joe Rogan to the Paul brothers. And how, as more kids turn the mic on themselves and start broadcasting their opinions, jokes, and hot takes to the world, it’s reshaping what media looks like for the next generation. EJ and I discuss how this trend took off, where it might be going, and what it says about the future of content creation. Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.usermag.co⁠⁠ Subscribe to my YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorLorenz⁠⁠ Follow me on IG: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz⁠⁠ Follow me on Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social⁠⁠…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
Fake Newspapers Are Flooding America 42:26

6 weeks ago42:26

42:26

From Ohio to North Dakota, thousands of people have suddenly gotten brand new newspapers delivered to their doorsteps out of the blue. These newspapers are fake news outlets created by the oil and gas industry to influence public opinion in key districts, and they're having a major impact. Top investigative journalist Miranda Green has been uncovering these schemes. She joins me to talk about how these shady publications are mimicking legitimate local newspapers to spread propaganda and influence public opinion. The fake outlets are already playing a major role in influencing public opinion and even jury pools, such as in the recent $666 million judgment against Greenpeace related to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Miranda reveals the oil and gas industry's fake news playbook and how it's eroding our news environment. Subscribe to my newsletter: ⁠https://www.usermag.co⁠ Subscribe to my YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorLorenz⁠ Follow me on IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz⁠ Follow me on Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social⁠…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
The White House's social media is deranged 37:59

7 weeks ago37:59

37:59

Since Trump took office, the official White House social media accounts have been posting a bit… differently. Drew Harwell, my former colleague at The Washington Post, has been covering the Trump White House's digital strategy. Today, he joins me to unpack the White House's hyper-online social media cruelty, the inner workings of its digital team, how the Trump administration has transformed its traditional press shop into a rapid-response influencer operation, and how the Democratic Party is responding in the online arena. *************** This episode of Power User is brought to you by DeleteMe. Data brokers collect your info and sell it to anyone. Start protecting yourself today by going to joindeleteme.com/TAYLOR20 and using code TAYLOR20 at checkout for 20% off! *************** Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.usermag.co Subscribe to my YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorLorenz Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz Follow me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/taylorlorenz.bsky.social…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
The Dark Truth Behind Ashton Hall’s Morning Routine w/ Matt Bernstein 53:21

8 weeks ago53:21

53:21

Ever since Ashton Hall's morning routine went viral last week, I've been dying to chat about it with my friend Matt Bernstein of the podcast A Bit Fruity to about it all. We joined up to break down the history and evolution of modern masculinity, the allure and absurdity of the modern "alpha male" archetype, the rise of isolationist masculinity and exactly how things ended up this way, and what videos like Ashton Hall's can tell us about the future of masculinity. SUBSCRIBE TO USER MAG, my tech and online culture newsletter: https://www.usermag.co SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@TaylorLorenz Please buy a subscription to my Tech and Online Culture newsletter, User Magazine to support my work: https://www.usermag.co Follow me:https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz3.0 https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenz…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
Musk’s DOGE Antics Could Be the Downfall of Tesla 25:33

9 weeks ago25:33

25:33

Over the past few weeks, Tesla has been crumbling. The company's stock, which was once considered invincible, has now plunged to around $250 a share, down from nearly double that in December. Sales are plummeting, dealerships are overrun with protests, and Teslas on the street are being subject to petty vandalism. All of this is happening because of Elon Musk. Since Trump took office and appointed Musk as the head of the very poorly named Department of Government Efficiency, Musk has facilitated the undue firing of tens of thousands of government employees. Now, it's looking like Tesla is in trouble and Musk's involvement in politics and increasingly radical actions could be the company's downfall. Journalist Miles Klee has been covering it all, and today he joins me to break down the Tesla takedown movement began, why it matters, and if Tesla could ultimately be Musk's achilles heel. SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER: https://www.usermag.co SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/taylorlorenz…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
Trump Official Brendan Carr's War on Free Speech 54:23

10 weeks ago54:23

54:23

Chair of the Federal Communications Commission Brendan Carr has quietly positioned himself as one of the most dangerous figures in the Trump administration’s ongoing war on free speech. Carr is using his government position to intimidate journalists, punish media outlets, and pressure tech companies into cracking down on free expression. And he has done all of this while building his profile as a "free speech" influencer on X. If left unchecked, Carr’s censorship crusade could fundamentally reshape our information ecosystem and have massive consequences for anyone seeking to speak freely without fear of government retaliation. Mike Masnick, founder of TechDirt, joins me to break down who Carr is, why his agenda is so dangerous, what exactly he's doing to dismantle free speech protections in America, and how it all fits into a much bigger movement to control who can speak freely online. SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/taylorlorenz FOLLOW ME ON IG: https://instagram.com/taylorlorenz READ TECHDIRT: https://www.techdirt.com…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
The Right-Wing Plot to ‘Murder’ a Free Press 43:37

11 weeks ago43:37

43:37

In 1964, the Supreme Court passed a landmark case called The New York Times v Sullivan, that established the right to a free press by protecting the media against erroneous lawsuits. The ruling has been instrumental in allowing journalists to scrutinize public figures, powerful corporations, and political leaders without undue fear of litigation. But now, that landmark decision is in jeopardy thanks to a coordinated right wing legal effort that's been decades in the making. David Enrich's forthcoming book, Murder the Truth: Fear, the First Amendment, and a Secret Campaign to Protect the Powerful , delves into the organized efforts by elite individuals to challenge longstanding free speech protections and suppress dissenting voices. David joins me discuss the origins of this legal assault, its implications for investigative journalism in both new media and old, and what this all means for the future of free speech in America. BUY DAVID'S BOOK: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/murder-the-truth-david-enrich SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER: https://www.usermag.co SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/taylorlorenz…

Power User with Taylor Lorenz

1
How Pop Culture News is Radicalizing You 51:35

12 weeks ago51:35