President Joe Biden recently issued an executive order that attempts to put standards and guardrails on how AI should be used, specifically when it comes to government agencies (law enforcement, housing, etc.). It comes at a time when algorithmic and generative technologies show increasing bias and harm, while congress seems ineffective at regulating ... anything. So, what even IS an executive order? Will it be effective without legislative power behind it? And how might these new guardrails aff...
Nov 20, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 277
Alli proposes a test for social media users to determine if they are qualified to post about politics online, and Lindsey explains an unhinged British reality dating show that's mostly just shots of people's genitals. Also, a Halloween costume recap and Thanksgiving plans. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call th...
Nov 13, 2023•40 min•Ep. 276
Like many of us, Hipyo was bored and laid off during the pandemic. When he needed to find a better keyboard to play PC games, he uncovered a rabbit hole of key cap enthusiasts, mostly on Discord and Reddit. With a bit of research into what people wanted from "keyboard content," he started a YouTube channel. Three years (and more than 500 videos) later, his reviews, modifications, and DIY challenges have garnered millions of views and a thriving community of keyboard fanatics in search of the per...
Nov 06, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Alli shares some news about her live show format and Lindsey updates us on her dating life. Also, a big eureka! moment, the disappointment of Ryan Lochte, and gearing up for spoopy season in our Discord! Also, Elon Musk is still a dum dum! Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) ...
Oct 30, 2023•30 min•Ep. 274
Large language models like ChatGPT owe their success to open knowledge platforms like Wikipedia. So, are they as "smart" as human Wikipedia editors? In many ways, they're even smarter, and orders of magnitude faster at writing clear, concise articles about straightforward facts. But as usual, the devil is in the details. Providing context around certain "facts," and arriving at a consensus about sources and notability still falls in the human domain — especially when ChatGPT is prone to "halluci...
Oct 23, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 273
Since there's definitely nothing important going on in the world this week, we talk about Halloween costumes, learning sine and cosine in high school, evolutionary psychology, how to end a bad date, and...probably other things? If you're in NYC this week, you can get tickets to Lindsey's show here: https://www.frigid.nyc/event/6897:544/ Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook....
Oct 16, 2023•42 min•Ep. 272
What makes something notable? What kind of sources are needed for a thing to have a Wikipedia article about it? These philosophical issues are discussed by volunteer Wikipedia editors constantly to ensure that the non-profit encyclopedia is accurate and relevant. But a community of self-described "Road Geeks" has been at odds with Wikipedia's standards for some time. They're on a mission to catalog every road in North America, but other Wiki editors claim that this content is too granular, or ha...
Oct 09, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 271
Alli is spending time in the "real world" with her live show, so Lindsey and Matt catch up on her recent thrifting adventures in Portland (Oregon), watching weird birds go down a chimney, spoopy kids' books, unhinged NYC weather, and conclusive evidence of the best TV theme song ever written. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: 2G1Podca...
Oct 02, 2023•49 min•Ep. 270
At the University of Alabama, rushing for a sorority has become a cottage industry, thanks to social media. Centering on "blindingly White" college students and their influencer aspirations. "RushTok" is now a cultural phenomenon, complete with management deals, style consultants, and a massive audience of Internet onlookers who are seriously invested in whether these girls get into the house of their choice. In a way, it has become an influencer-led "reality show," distributed across the Intern...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 269
We dip into the back catalog this week with another fave from yesteryear. Don't forget to take our listener survey: https://form.jotform.com/232267699994075 -- Original Show Notes, Jan 24, 2022 -- Studying, writing, and remote work can be a lonely time. Add in a dose of global pandemic, and the endless isolation can be overwhelming. It's no surprise to see the growth of streaming communities focused on mundane things: Eating, writing, and today's topic: Studying. Alli and Linsey talk with Giulia...
Sep 18, 2023•53 min
We return to the world of VRChat and the concentric circles of non-human identities with Toy Dragon (It/Its). Its long journey of self-discovery and lucid dreams confirmed that it identifies as a small, loveable red dragon. But unlike other human and gender identities, it was difficult to express this form socially -- until now. Toy Dragon shares how it found a large and welcoming community of Furries and Otherkin who are not just roleplaying for fun, but truly realizing themselves in virtual sp...
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 268
We have some BIG news for our listeners, but first, let's talk about the weather at Burning Man for 20 minutes! If you have 2 minutes, PLEASE take our 100% anonymous listener survey! It will help us improve the show, make it more efficient to produce, and help us focus on what's important to you, our listeners! https://form.jotform.com/232267699994075 New and improved Patreon, coming soon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 04, 2023•49 min•Ep. 267
We're off this week, but sharing another one of our faves! -- Original Show Notes, January 9, 2023 -- Wikipedia is your one-stop shop for high level info on public figures, geography, and academic concepts. But the volunteer editors of the free and open digital reference also make copious entries about "low quality images of cats," "Blobjects," "National Moth Week," Osama bin Laden's porn stash, and that time the Dave Matthews Band tour bus dropped poop on people in Chicago. Alli and Lindsey tal...
Aug 28, 2023•1 hr 2 min
This week, we're excited to debut the completely synthetic, AI-generated future of 2G1P, and it's....quite bad! But also, terrifying. And hilarious. Our ex-hosts react to their audio clones, and we discuss the ramifications of a fully synthetic podcast. Plus, your actual, organic voicemail. Special thanks to Evan Engel for editing help. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook....
Aug 21, 2023•48 min•Ep. 265
Years ago, Carrie Tatsu spent $300 on some virtual real estate to set up shop and sell the occasional 3D modeled cat. It wasn't long before she quit her job at an ad agency IRL to meet the overwhelming player demand for custom virtual babies and pregnancy bodies that simulate childbirth and parenthood. Today, she has a thriving "Second Life" business and multiple employees who design and program interactive virtual babies, pets, and their accessories. But the early days of selling digital infant...
Aug 14, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 264
On a whim (and after a few drinks), Dean Peterson thought it would be funny to rate the bathroom sink of a local bar in NYC. His Instagram followers agreed, and "Sink Reviews" was born. When he began sharing them on TikTok, the party really got going. Millions of views, followers, likes, and comments later, rabid fans of "SinkTok" came out of the woodwork, demanding more of this ridiculous content, especially as pandemic lockdowns showed no sign of letting up. Alli and Lindsey talk with Dean abo...
Aug 07, 2023•51 min•Ep. 263
We're off this week, but here's another classic 2G1P from the archives that blew our minds. -- Original Show Notes From Jul 4, 2022 -- 219 Adult Breastfeeding & Nursing Relationships You might assume that men drinking breastmilk is yet another kink — and it can be. But Mikalah says it's often a comfort and a lifestyle for many in the community. She would know, as she's a professional lactation consultant who also found a partner who breastfeeds from her regularly. Alli and Lindsey speak with...
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Alli and Lindsey joined Second Life and got a grand tour of its public squares, roleplay venues, night clubs, a pony farm, and of course, the sex shops. New listener and longtime Second Life creator Sasy Scarborough guided them through the avatar creation process, and customizing clothes and body types. They discuss why it was both fascinating, inspiring, and also hard to access without a tour guide, and why platforms with a certain technical "barrier to entry" are probably good for the Internet...
Jul 24, 2023•46 min•Ep. 262
Alexis was a typical 11-year-old. She loved musical theater and Webkinz. But when she started using Instagram, her normal pre-teen curiosities triggered the social media app to flood her feed with content about anorexia and how to hide eating disorders from your parents. Over the next few years, Alexis' mental health deteriorated so much that she had to be hospitalized. Some families aren't so lucky. Teen suicide rates have skyrocketed since 2007, and some research has begun to correlate that wi...
Jul 17, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 261
In June 2003, a new community appeared on the Internet. It wasn't a Web forum or a hot new blog. It was a fully 3D virtual world where people could create an avatar, buy a house, wear fancy clothes, fall in love, and fly. For context, this is months before the world would ever hear the word "Myspace." Twenty years later, Second Life remains one of the most vibrant online spaces ever created. While small compared to other social juggernauts, Second Life is home to thousands of fascinating subcult...
Jul 10, 2023•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 260
In the wake of major API changes and the death of beloved 3rd party apps, scores of Reddit users have flocked to Lemmy, a similar online forum and news aggregating platform with one key difference: It's decentralized, and can never be owned by a single company or person. But this has nothing to do with blockchain or crypto. Lemmy is part of the Fediverse, where self-hosted instances can interact with each other using common protocols. This is how other decentralized platforms like Mastodon work....
Jul 03, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 259
This week we return to one of our most popular episodes: Vore! It also happens to be Jen's final episode. If you haven't heard this yet, you're in for a mind-expanding snack! -- Original Show Notes | June 14, 2021 -- We often refer to attractive people as "snacks" and talk about "eating someone up." But vore enthusiasts take those feelings to the next level. The fetish is about consuming others, or being consumed, but it's completely fantastical of course -- no one is harmed in the making of vor...
Jun 26, 2023•1 hr 9 min
We hate to break this to you, but human relationships aren't perfect. People disagree, have conflicting values, and in the worst cases, become dishonest or abusive. Instead, what if you could date the "perfect" person for you? A synthetic person that will never cheat or carry the emotional baggage that destroys relationships? That's the promise of Replika, a customizable AI companion with a large community of users, many of whom have developed romantic feelings for their bots. If this sounds str...
Jun 19, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 258
We thought burger-flipping, truck driving robots would take the first jobs. Turns out, its artists, writers, and podcasters who should be the most worried, thanks to large language models like ChatGPT and media synthesis from Midjourney. We get philosophical about what means to fall in love with a synthetic personality, and discuss the End Times that befell the East Coast last week. Thanks, Canada. Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://disc...
Jun 12, 2023•35 min•Ep. 257
Alli's back from Asia with some tales of the Far East. Also, have you heard of D R U G S? Get at us: Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/ Email us: [email protected] Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 05, 2023•30 min•Ep. 256
Meet Jubby. He fell in love with Grand Theft Auto Online for way more than just "cops and robbers" shenanigans. There's a huge roleplay scene across countless private servers, some of which have become very inclusive LGBTQ+ communities. On "No Pixel" where Jubby spends most of his day playing and streaming, he took up the mantle of organizing in-world Gay Pride events, fashion shows, and music festivals. These days, he's a Twitch partner who credits these virtual communities with empowering him ...
May 29, 2023•58 min•Ep. 255
Where in the world is Alli Goldberg? As she continues her adventures in Asia, we have another fan favorite encore episode for you! -- Original Show Notes from July 11, 2022 -- The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from abridging free speech and the press. And Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act prevents common carriers (like telephone companies) from being held liable for the speech of their users. But social media isn't quite either of those things, espec...
May 22, 2023•1 hr 18 min
By the time you hear this, Allie will be in Singapore! Before she goes, she and Lindsey discuss dating each other's exes, disappearing friends, and the benefits of boosting at CVS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 15, 2023•15 min•Ep. 254
Hateful comments on the Internet are nothing new. But there's one special place where it's not only tolerated, but highly encouraged. r/RoastMe is a 3 million-strong subreddit where people ask to be verbally obliterated by Internet strangers. Commenters can be as hateful, racist, and misogynistic as they please, as long as they follow the golden rule: It has to be funny. So who would open themselves up to something like this, and why? Alli and Lindsey speak with Michael McElroy, arguably the mos...
May 08, 2023•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 253
Social media emerged as a way to democratize information and amplify marginalized voices. It empowered a new creative class, and fueled social justice movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. But as social apps are designed to squeeze profit from our attention, the dark side is now well studied. We've all felt the doom scroll addiction, anxiety, and depression that comes along with our constant need to see what others are doing — not to mention the privacy concerns. Now, consider the kids. ...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 252
