Podcast: The Inside Story of Tea
We start this week with Emanuel’s big investigation into the Tea app, and especially how it aggressively grew by raiding women safety groups. After the break, we talk about TikTok Shop selling GPS trackers. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains how Grok was exposing some of its AI persona prompts, and the sometimes NSFW nature of them.
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Listen to the weekly podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, or YouTube. Become a paid subscriber for access to this episode's bonus content and to power our journalism. If you become a paid subscriber, check your inbox for an email from our podcast host Transistor for a link to the subscribers-only version! You can also add that subscribers feed to your podcast app of choice and never miss an episode that way. The email should also contain the subscribers-only unlisted YouTube link for the extended video version too. It will also be in the show notes in your podcast player.
- You're Invited: 404 Media's Second Anniversary Party and LIVE PODCAST!
- How Tea’s Founder Convinced Millions of Women to Spill Their Secrets, Then Exposed Them to the World
- TikTok Shop Sells Viral GPS Trackers Marketed to Stalkers
- Grok Exposes Underlying Prompts for Its AI Personas: ‘EVEN PUTTING THINGS IN YOUR ASS’
The 404 Media Podcast
Tech News Podcast · Updated Weekly · Welcome to the podcast from 404 Media where Joseph, Sam, Emanuel, and Jason catch you up on the stories we published this week. 404 Media is a journalist-owned digital media company exploring the way …Apple Podcasts
You're Invited: 404 Media's Second Anniversary Party and LIVE PODCAST!
We've survived and thrived for two years and are ready to celebrate with you, the ones who made it possible!Come have a cocktail or locally-brewed beer on us at vertical farm and brew lab farm.one. We'll also record a live podcast with the whole 404 crew, for the first time in person together since... well, two years ago!
Doors open at 6, programming begins at 6:45, good hangs to continue after. Open bar (tip your bartenders), and pizza will be available for purchase on-site if you're hungry.
Free admission for 404 Media subscribers at the supporter level. Sign up or check your subscription here. Once you're a supporter, scroll to the bottom of this post for the code to enter at checkout on the Luma page. Or buy tix for yourself or a friend to make sure you have a spot on the list.
We'll also have some merch on hand that'll be discounted for IRL purchases.
If getting into the coolest party of the summer isn't enticing enough, you'll be supporting the impact of our journalism, which so far this year has included:
- Nvidia was sued after we revealed the company scraped YouTube and other sites en masse to build its own AI systems.
- GeoSpy, an AI tool that let anyone geolocate photos in seconds and whose users could include stalkers, dramatically restricted access after 404 Media published an investigation into it.
- Congress repeatedly grilled Apple and Meta over their association with nonconsensual nudify and deepfake apps after we exposed the connections.
- A public library ebook service said it was going to cull AI slop after we found low quality books were flooding libraries.
- Congress just launched an investigation into automatic license plate reader company Flock; After 404 Media’s investigations this year, Flock removed a number of states from its national lookup tool. In July, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon announced an agreement by Flock to block any out-of-state police searches related to abortion or immigration.
Our earlier work has shut down surveillance companies and triggered hundreds of millions of dollars worth of fines too. Our paying subscribers are the engine that powers this impactful journalism. Every subscription, monthly or annual, makes a real difference and makes it possible to do our work.
Thank you to our friends at DeleteMe for making this celebration possible.
Fine print: Tickets are required for entry, including for subscribers. 21+ only. Seating for the podcast is open but limited and includes standing room; a ticket doesn't guarantee a seat but let staff onsite know if you require one. Photos will be taken at the event. Venue reserves the right to refuse entry. Good vibes only, see you soon!
Code for subscribers is below the images.
Scenes from our panel at SXSW 2025, our DIY hackerspace party in LA on July 30, and our first anniversary party last year.
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UpgradeYou're Invited: 404 Media's Second Anniversary Party and LIVE PODCAST!
Come celebrate with us and catch a LIVE recording of the 404 Media podcast.Samantha Cole (404 Media)
