6 chapters across the catalog
AELA Dissonance Modulator, Eric Weinstein on Joe Rogan
Producer Luke Cumberland introduces the AELA Dissonance Modulator, a browser extension designed to suppress online entropy and clickbait. The hosts compare the complex technical language of the proposal to a recent "irritating" Joe Rogan episode featuring mathematician Eric Weinstein discussing evolutionary hypotheses and physics.
Dissenter Browser Extension and the Future of Twitter
Dissenter, a browser extension created by the social network Gab, allows users to comment on any URL across the internet in a decentralized fashion. This tool is positioned as a potential threat to Twitter's dominance because it bypasses platform-specific moderation and allows for conversations on any website. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg's shift toward a "privacy-centric" model for Facebook is viewed skeptically as a way to maintain data targeting.
The NewsGuard browser extension is introduced as a tool that uses human analysts to rate the credibility and transparency of news websites. The hosts test the plugin on various sites, noting that InfoWars receives a red warning while CNN and Fox News receive green ratings. They examine the "nutrition label" feature which details site ownership, financing, and adherence to journalistic standards.
A winning project from an NPR hackathon called "Open Mind" is a browser extension designed to track a user's browsing history and alert them to political bias. The tool provides a dashboard for users to monitor their "news nutrition" and suggests reputable outlets from the opposing political side. Critics compare the technology to NSA-style tracking and warn of its potential for social engineering.
The Washington Post is promoting a browser plugin to fact-check Donald Trump's tweets, prompting calls for a counter-plugin to fact-check the newspaper itself. A new website, Snopes4Snopes.com, was also discussed as a platform to monitor the biases of the popular fact-checking site. The segment notes the increasing trend of digital tools being used to filter political information.
A listener working for a Silicon Valley city government shared a story about a memo addressed to "city slaves" regarding uniform conduct. The listener credited the "No Agenda Bullshit Filter" browser extension for preventing him from sending a career-ending reply. The hosts also discuss rumors that the Drudge Report may be using the show's terminology.
