We dissect the tech news train wrecks of the week, calling out what went wrong and who’s to blame. Think of this podcast as if Kurt Cobain threw down with Tom from MySpace, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg in a back alley brawl. No mercy, no filter—if tech had a walk of shame, this would be it.
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This week on Grumpy Old Geeks, Brian and Jason stare directly into the flaming garbage barge of “the future” and discover that self-driving vehicles still can’t tell the difference between a road and an urban swimming pool. Waymo stranded robotaxis in both Atlanta and San Antonio, while Gothenburg’s brand-new autonomous bus service survived roughly one day before getting rear-ended by a tram like a lost RoboCop scene directed by Benny Hill. Meanwhile, Ferrari unveiled the Jony Ive-designed Luce ...
FOLLOW UP: This week, it seems America believes every complicated social problem can be fixed by asking, “Have you tried turning the internet off for the children?” Meanwhile, the Electronic Frontier Foundation quietly notes that the science behind social media bans might not be as clear-cut as cable-news dads screaming about dopamine loops claim. Turns out, teen anxiety may also be linked to pandemics, school shootings, climate dread, and an economy that feels like a Fallout side quest. Meanwhi...
FOLLOW UP starts with merchandise promotion and YouTube begging reminiscent of 2007, before GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen gets thoroughly criticized by eBay after proposing a $56 billion takeover plan that eBay called “neither credible nor attractive,” which is corporate-speak for “please stop emailing us at 3 a.m.” Meanwhile, California residents might finally receive a small settlement check from Grubhub worth about half a burrito, just as Americans realize they dislike AI data centers even more tha...
In FOLLOW UP, the guys marvel at the completely normal state of America as Amnesty International issues a travel advisory for the 2026 World Cup because apparently “visiting the United States” now comes with the same vibe as backpacking through a failed cyberpunk state. Then it’s onto Dead Podcast Theory, where more than a third of all new podcasts are AI-generated “podslop,” proving Silicon Valley heard “everyone has a podcast” and responded with “what if nobody did?” Meanwhile, Ticketmaster re...
Grumpy Old Geeks delves into critical issues surrounding internet regulation, including new social media and AI chatbot bans for minors in Canada and the US, alongside Utah's controversial VPN law. The hosts also expose tech industry controversies like a US soldier's insider trading, Meta's content moderator layoffs, Google's military AI contract, and Sam Altman's recent apologies and credibility issues. Amidst discussions on the 'dead internet' theory and WordPress's decline, the episode also covers new tech, Star Trek, Ted Lasso, Disneyland lore, and baseball's instant replay debate, highlighting misaligned incentives.
In FOLLOW UP, the child social media crackdown keeps expanding. Turkey just approved a ban for under-15s, and Sony will require age verification for PlayStation communication features in the UK and Ireland starting in June—because now you need to prove you’re an adult before trash-talking strangers online. Meanwhile, Anthropic’s prediction that fully autonomous AI employees would already be transforming business hasn’t materialized. Agentic systems are still struggling with basic workflows and, ...
In FOLLOW UP, while countries race to ban kids from social media, Estonia is opting out — its education minister arguing that bans just offload responsibility onto kids while governments and platforms avoid accountability. Australia already shows the limits: 61% of banned kids are still online, 70% say it’s easy to bypass, and major platforms are under investigation. The EU is rolling out an age-verification system using zero-knowledge proofs officials call “completely anonymized,” which sounds ...
We kick off with a the Dodgers spanking the Blue Jays and torn allegiances in Brian's house, then dive into Europe taking dead aim at your kids' screen time. Ireland is rolling out a Government Digital Wallet that'll verify ages before young'uns can doom-scroll their lives away, while Greece went fully scorched-earth and announced a ban on all under-15s using social media at all — announced, naturally, on TikTok. IN THE NEWS, the AI giants (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) are playing nicely together ...
Jason and Brian discuss the "patience epidemic" caused by AI interactions bleeding into human communication, alongside the degradation of social media by AI-generated content. They delve into OpenAI's controversial lobbying for age verification, Elon Musk's companies facing numerous challenges, and corporate layoffs tied to AI spending. The hosts also cover Wikipedia's ban on AI content, widespread robotaxi malfunctions, and NASA's triumphant Artemis II mission, before reviewing various media and apps. Dave Bittner joins to share insights from the RSA conference and warn about AI's bug-finding power.
The Grumpy Old Geeks discuss Meta's significant fines for child safety and social media addiction, and Elon Musk's multiple legal defeats. They explore the fragility of the AI bubble, highlighting OpenAI's hiring spree alongside the shutdown of its Sora video model and Disney's exit. The episode also touches on social media's bot problems, reviews upcoming movies and TV shows like the new Harry Potter series, and covers a book on breathing, all while thanking their loyal listeners.
The episode dives into the alarming trend of companies 'AI-washing' layoffs while actual AI tools become incredibly powerful, raising concerns about future job markets and the need for 'AI-free' labels. It also covers Meta's struggles with internal AI agents and declining user engagement, the backlash against billionaire philanthropic pledges, and the Washington Post's controversial AI-driven subscription pricing. Additionally, the hosts discuss the return of beloved shows like Firefly and the challenges of rebooting classics without their original creators.
In this week's show we start with FOLLOW UP: The world keeps trying to protect kids online — Indonesia just joined Australia, Spain, and Malaysia in banning social media for under-16s, while COPPA 2.0 sailed through the US Senate unanimously. Meanwhile, Roblox is using AI to clean up its chat, because apparently "Hurry TF up" is the hill they've chosen to die on — even as they're still dealing with the whole "pedophile problem" thing from January. On the AI copyright front, Gracenote is the late...
Microsoft's anti-"Microslop" censorship backfired spectacularly; Australia is cracking down on AI age verification while Meta is busy targeting toddlers; prediction markets are basically just insider trading with extra steps; AI chatbots are getting people killed and exposing spy operations; the Moon landing got pushed again; Opera got nostalgic at 30; Sony bought Charlie Brown; and Netflix is making documentaries with robot people now. Show notes at https://gog.show/736 Watch on YouTube at http...
Starting off in FOLLOW UP, we’ve got a tax economist who actually made money betting against the "efficiency" of Elon’s budget-slashing fever dreams, while Tesla is busy trying to dodge a $243 million jury verdict for an Autopilot-assisted fatality. Not content with being legally liable, Tesla is also suing the California DMV because they’re offended someone called their "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving" marketing deceptive—ironic, since Jack Dorsey just "proactively" halved the staff at Block...
If you thought the internet was a dumpster fire before, the EU LAUNCHES SECOND INVESTIGATION INTO GROK because Musk’s bot won't stop generating nonconsensual imagery. Meanwhile, META LARGELY FAILS TO PROTECT KIDS FROM AI CHATBOTS, proving that their internal safety checks are about as effective as a screen door on a submarine. If that doesn't creep you out, AFTER RING PRIVACY BACKLASH over police partnerships, a LEAKED EMAIL SUGGESTS RING PLANS TO EXPAND ‘SEARCH PARTY’ from finding lost dogs to ...
We kick things off in FOLLOW UP with the ongoing "nuclear war" between Automattic and WP Engine, where discovery has revealed Matt Mullenweg’s alleged hit list of competitors and a desperate attempt to bully payment processors—because nothing says "open source" like an eight-percent royalty shakedown. Meanwhile, the Harvard Business Review confirmed what we already knew: AI isn’t reducing our work; it’s just compressing it until we’re all working through lunch and burning out faster while Polyma...
In this week’s FOLLOW UP, Bitcoin is down 15%, miners are unplugging rigs because paying eighty-seven grand to mine a sixty-grand coin finally failed the vibes check, and Grok is still digitally undressing men—suggesting Musk’s “safeguards” remain mostly theoretical, which didn’t help when X offices got raided in France. Spain wants to ban social media for kids under 16, Egypt is blocking Roblox outright, and governments everywhere are flailing at the algorithmic abyss. IN THE NEWS, Elon Musk is...
We kick off FOLLOW UP by checking in on Elon Musk’s personal dumpster fire, where the EU is investigating Grok for deepfake slop while Tesla’s “unsupervised” robotaxis turned out to be supervised by literal chase cars — shocker. At least some of you are getting Siri settlement crumbs in your bank accounts, though you could probably double it betting against Musk’s worthless promises on Polymarket. Transitioning to IN THE NEWS, Tesla is killing off the Model S and X to build robots while sales cr...
The Grumpy Old Geeks tackle a wide array of topics, starting with Elon Musk's xAI facing legal challenges over deepfakes and environmental violations, and the FTC's ongoing battle with Meta. They discuss various attempts to regulate the internet, including age verification for adult content and proposed social media bans for minors, questioning the efficacy of AI-driven solutions. The episode also covers YouTube's embrace of AI features, the concerning use of AI in assisted suicide, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's call for AI to deliver tangible societal benefits. Finally, the hosts review new media, debate streaming strategies, and ponder the ethics of "remastered" music and the possibility of phones secretly listening.
The Grumpy Old Geeks discuss Grok's deepfake controversy, Meta's shift from the metaverse to AI hardware, and online safety concerns for children on platforms like Roblox and in Australia. They also cover the FTC's settlement with GM over driver data, ambitious space plans from NASA and China, and review various media and tech gadgets, including new AI-powered devices and subscription services. The episode concludes with book recommendations and Dave Bittner's personal anecdotes about home repairs, a ham radio club, and Star Wars updates.
The Grumpy Old Geeks confront the alarming rise of AI misuse, from Grok generating illicit content to Meta harvesting AI chats for ads, and the ongoing crisis of online surveillance. They also examine the dubious safety claims of robotaxis and critique excessive tech executive compensation. Lighter notes include holiday media reviews, gadget discussions, and reflections on tech support woes and healthcare costs.
The Grumpy Old Geeks wrap up the year with a cynical look at digital "progress," including Amazon's flawed AI video recaps and Tesla's deceptive "Autopilot" marketing. They cover TikTok's corporate restructuring, global battles over social media age verification, and OpenAI's troubling handling of chat logs. The episode also explores the "CRASH Clock" warning of orbital debris, Facebook's move to paid link-sharing, and Amazon's dynamic pricing issues, alongside media reviews, a tribute to Rob Reiner, and discussions on modern movie aesthetics.
This episode explores the current "job hugging" trend driven by AI layoff fears and inflation, alongside a critical look at OpenAI's alleged research suppression and the financially opaque AI economy. The hosts also cover various tech dystopias, including Uber's data monetization and Instacart's price discrimination, new AI regulations, media reviews, and personal tech insights.
This episode dives into a range of tech and pop culture topics, from personal Spotify Wrapped results to the controversial practices of Kalshi and Palantir. The hosts discuss Meta's platform policy shifts, the volatile crypto market, and OpenAI's push for ads amidst stiff competition, alongside alarming AI blunders by Grok and Google. They also cover Netflix's massive acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, various tech frustrations, and intriguing pop culture news, including a deep dive into Star Wars and William Shatner's unique Christmas tradition.
The Grumpy Old Geeks dive into critical tech and social issues, discussing Malaysia's social media ban for those under 16 and the complete collapse of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which caused widespread humanitarian and financial damage. They also cover significant tech layoffs at Apple and HP, Meta's alleged suppression of research on product harm, and teens turning to AI for company. Further topics include Sam Altman's OpenAI facing immense financial troubles and legal battles, plus a look at a pro-AI Super-PAC and X's revealing new location feature.
We open by tracking our video money and mocking the chef who quit Elon’s "epic" bacon diner, before diving into the IN THE NEWS segment where plummeting crypto and Nvidia stocks confirm everything is a sham; we cover Bezos’s new $6.2 billion AI flop, a sleeping Tesla Robotaxi driver, and why OpenAI’s new school tools are a Recipe for Idiocracy with students who can't read; in MEDIA CANDY , we tear apart Disney's lazy Moana remake; THE DARK SIDE WITH DAVE we discuss Zork going open source and why...
The inevitable decline of civilization takes center stage as the show kicks off with the miserable results of the FACEBOOK SETTLEMENT, confirming Brian's $4.01 payout, followed by a discussion of the SPORTS BETTING SCANDAL, where MLB players are rigging games over prop bets, confirming that gambling is now actively killing sports; moving to the news, the guys celebrate the DENMARK SOCIAL MEDIA BAN and SCHOOL PHONE BANS, which are already proving that teenagers need mandatory digital detoxes, pro...
The Grumpy Old Geeks dive into the brutal reality of October's tech layoffs, the worst since 2003, and discuss Michael Burry's substantial wager against an impending AI market crash. They expose the FCC's move to allow internet companies more hidden fees, Elon Musk's controversial pay package alongside Tesla's collapsing sales, and Mark Zuckerberg's illegal school. The episode also covers Meta's bizarre defense of a "personal use" porn stash, Texas suing Roblox over child safety, and Reuters' investigation into Meta's massive profits from fraudulent ads, contrasting it with the positive use of drones in rural Michigan healthcare.
This episode navigates the grim landscape of tech industry layoffs, from Amazon's 14,000 job cuts blamed on AI to YouTube's buyouts and GM's EV worker reductions, all amidst record corporate profits. The hosts critique the 'startup' mentality of tech giants and Elon Musk's erratic ventures like 'Mad Max' mode and 'Grokipedia.' They also discuss the sycophantic nature of AI chatbots and the pervasive 'enshittification' of digital services, balanced by one uplifting story of AI helping a family slash a massive hospital bill.
We open with a sobering follow-up: the future is less about AI toast (though Red Dwarf predicted it) and more about a soul-stripping "infrastructure of meaningless" after an AWS outage proved how fragile the internet is. Corporate overlords, like Elon Musk, are taking note: he finally addressed Starlink's use by Asian scam syndicates, but his attention is mostly on superintelligence, which Wozniak, Prince Harry, and 800 others want banned. Meanwhile, Meta, despite pouring $27 billion into data c...
