Shows
Power User with Taylor LorenzHow Pop Culture News is Radicalizing YouHave you been bombarded with non stop content about Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni? The Misogyny Slop Ecosystem is a sprawling network of online creators and communities that manufacture and boost smear campaigns against women who speak out for women's rights, or have been victims of gender-based crimes like sexual assault, harassment, or abuse. Though you might have never heard of it, the misogyny slop ecosystem has radically transformed the online landscape and the content that you see. It plays a central role in the alt-right pipeline for women. I talked to Ophie Dokie, the br...2025-03-0651 minPower User with Taylor LorenzHow the 00s changed the tech world foreverThe 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 t...2025-02-2727 minPower User with Taylor LorenzElon Musk and the Billionaire Baby BoomLast week, it was revealed that Elon Musk had welcomed his 13th child into the world several months ago with a conservative influencer. But he’s not the only tech mogul fixated on boosting birth rates. In this episode, journalist Julia Black joins Taylor to discuss the rise of pronatalism in Silicon Valley—a growing movement encouraging people to have as many babies as possible. They unpack why tech billionaires are so suddenly obsessed with having children and how their vision of the future is entangled with right-wing ideology, eugenics, and genetic engineering. From embryo selection to pote...2025-02-2028 minPower User with Taylor LorenzHow Spotify is Ruining Music: ‘It’s About How Power Works’No platform has had more of impact on what we listen to over the past decade than Spotify. This week, Taylor is joined by journalist Liz Pelly, to discuss her new book "Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist."They discuss the profound impact Spotify has had on the music industry, culture, and the way we consume sound.Pelly reveals the truth about so-called "ghost artists" and other tactics the company has employed to squeeze artists and upend the content ecosystem.They also dig into how Spotify's...2025-02-1331 minPower User with Taylor LorenzMeet the zoomers aiding Musk’s government takeoverOver the past week, Elon Musk has been engaged in a near wholesale takeover of key areas of the U.S. federal government. Working under the newly minted "Department of Government Efficiency" aka DOGE, Musk and a group of young Gen Z loyalists have begun wreaking havoc on our institutions.
Online culture journalist Ryan Broderick joins Taylor to break down who exactly these young men are, what their backgrounds say about the people Musk is hiring, and what the billionaire is currently doing to the U.S. government.
SUBSCRIBE TO POWER USER ON...2025-02-0629 minPower User with Taylor LorenzWhy a MAGA influencer turned on TrumpClarkson Lawson was a prominent MAGA influencer on TikTok who amassed over 31 million likes on his videos. He built a platform as an outspoken Gen Z conservative making pro-Trump content. But in the months leading up to the election, something changed.
Despite building a massive audience on pro-Trump messaging, he had a change of heart and voted for Kamala Harris. Lawson announced his political pivot in a video titled "Why I left MAGA."
Taylor sits down with Clarkson to talk about the behind-the-scenes reality of being a right-wing content c...2025-01-3052 min
We’re Not Kidding with Mehdi & FriendsTaking On the Tech Oligarchs, with Taylor LorenzThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zeteo.com‘We’re Not Kidding’ is back! After a not-very-relaxing holiday break, Mehdi is joined by tech and online culture journalist (and new Zeteo contributor!) Taylor Lorenz to discuss the new age of American oligarchy. Trump is back in office and his inauguration was a star-studded showcase of spineless tech billionaires. Mehdi and Taylor also unpack the dumbfounding blunder of Democrats’ TikTok ban, why private ownership of social media platforms by “red-pilled billionaires” is actually BAD for free speech, the MAGAfication of Elon Musk...2025-01-2440 minPower User with Taylor LorenzThe Truth About Child Influencing Family vlogs are a huge category of online content. At their best, they show real parenting and the entertaining and relatable moments of family life. However, the content category has been plagued by accusations of child exploitation and new laws targeting creators claiming to protect children. Fortesa Latifi covers the space in-depth and joins Taylor to set the record straight.2025-01-2330 minPower User with Taylor LorenzDoxxed, harassed and silenced: the fallout of Gamergate 2.0Remember Gamergate? Well… it's happening again. After writing an exposé about how a video game consultancy was attacked, journalist Alyssa Mercante found herself in the crosshairs of a targeted harassment campaign.Alyssa joins Taylor to discuss what it's like being at the center of an organized smear campaign, how she's fighting back.2025-01-1636 min
Cringe CourtIs This The End of TikTok? w/ Taylor LorenzThis week in Cringe Court, journalist and social media expert Taylor Lorenz is here as guest counsel! Plus crowd favorites Ben and Emil are back! Cases this week include John Stamos going full bald cap, a TikToker who "cooks" bull balls, and Taylor gives her opinion on the looming TikTok ban. You can also download and listen to the show on Spotify and Apple podcasts if you're on the go!Thanks BlueChew for Sponsoring today's Cringe Court! We’ve got a special deal for our listeners: Try your first month of BlueChew FREE. M...2025-01-151h 13Power User with Taylor LorenzPatreon’s CEO on the existential threat to creators no one is talking aboutSocial media as we know it is in chaos. The landscape is becoming more centralized and creators are facing more challenges than ever. On top of all that, the very notion of a follower is dying and there's uncertainty about what that means for the future.
Jack Conte, the CEO and co-founder of Patreon, joins Taylor to discuss how to better serve creators.2025-01-0935 minPower User with Taylor LorenzWhat defined the internet in 2024?2024 was wild! "Brain rot" was the Oxford word of the year. TikTok's days away from being banned. The CostCo Guys and the Hawk Tuah girl were everywhere. Taylor is joined by Sam Sanders, host of the Sam Sanders Show on KCRW to break down the biggest online moments of 2024.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-12-1939 min
The CrumblingThe Crumbling EP5 Interview with Taylor Lorenz The co-hosts chat it up with Taylor Lorenz, in an interview that spends a lot of time talking about another interview: the one that she did with Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the account Libs of Tiktok, who used her platform to build massive harassment campaigns against queer people and their medical providers. They talk about how GamerGate laid the foundations for the current "Groomer Panic," and Taylor gives some sage and sobering advice for dealing with malicious people. They also talk about which Christmas movie characters could use plastic surgery. 2024-12-181h 04
The Nuzzo LetterTaylor Lorenz and the Counterfactual of a Murdered Female CEOOn December 4th, Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare (UHC), was purposely gunned down in Manhattan outside the New York Midtown hotel. The alleged assassin, who is now in custody, is Luigi Mangione. Taylor Lorenz is a former Washington Post journalist, who is known for making various irrational and unhinged remarks about social and political issues. A few days after the murder of Thompson, Lorenz participated in a panel discussion about the case on Piers Morgan Uncensored. During the discussion, Lorenz said that she felt “joy” and “certainly not empathy” after hearing the news of Thompson’s death. Loren...2024-12-1307 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIs TikTok really dead?Last week, TikTok lost its challenge to stop a ban or forced sale in the United States. WIRED senior business editor Louise Matsakis joins Taylor to discuss what happens next and if this is really the end of the road for TikTok.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-12-1240 minPower User with Taylor LorenzThe case against cell phone bans in schoolA moral panic about kids' social media and smartphone use in schools has been sweeping the country. But are cell phones really the problem? And is removing them entirely the best approach?
Taylor chats with educator Brandon Cardet-Hernandez, president of education media company Mrs. Wordsmith, about how smartphones can be used in the classroom, and how a ban would impact marginalized students the most.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-12-0532 minPower User with Taylor LorenzCould the 4B movement ever happen in America?Are women abstaining from sex to protest Donald Trump’s re-election? That’s the impression you’d get if you spent time reading the media over the past few weeks. Since the election, the “4B Movement” has been gaining traction online. But where did it come from, how does it work, and could something like this really take off in America? The Cut’s EJ Dickson joins Taylor to discuss.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-11-2114 minPower User with Taylor LorenzWhy Democrats won't create a left-wing Joe RoganSince the election, Democrats and the media have been in panic mode, trying to figure out “the manosphere.” It’s a vast network of influencers, podcasters and streamers who speak to young men in a way traditional media has failed to. Many of its personalities are Trump supporters, including Joe Rogan. The left has been asking itself how it can win back young men without radicalizing them further. Is there a left-wing Joe Rogan?
To help crack the manosphere, Taylor talks to Josh Citarella, host of the podcast “Doomscroll.” He’s been studying the radicalization of young men online for a decade.
Le...2024-11-1425 min
The Home FrontDoes the Left Need Its Own Joe Rogan? (with Taylor Lorenz)Host Reed Galen is joined by Taylor Lorenz to discuss the always-evolving landscape of digital media (particularly in relation to politics and culture), how emojis have become politicized, the need for the left to have its own media ecosystem, and the challenges faced by Democrats in overcoming the apathy and disillusionment that is increasingly prevalent in young voters. For more from Taylor Lorenz, be sure to subscribe to “User Mag”, listen to “Power User with Taylor Lorenz”, and pick up “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet” wherever fine books are found. For more from Re...2024-11-1447 minPower User with Taylor LorenzAI’s destroying seasonal contentThis year, pumpkin spice lattes are being served with a side of AI slop. Autumn vistas generated by artificial intelligence tools are clogging up Pinterest and Instagram. Taylor talks to Vox’s senior correspondent Rebecca Jennings about how AI is warping our perspective of what nature actually looks like. They also discuss Rebecca's recent reporting on “The cultural power of the anti-woke tech bro" and “The Carrie Bradshaws of TikTok."
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-11-0725 minPower User with Taylor LorenzThe mastermind behind the Timothée Chalamet lookalike contestAnthony Po is a creative genius who has a knack for organizing viral events in New York. This past weekend, he was responsible for a Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest attended by the actor himself. In April, he went viral after he assembled a crowd to watch him eat an entire jug of cheeseballs in the disguise as “Cheese Ball Man.” He's infiltrated a cult, hosted a dating show, faked an alien invasion and more. Taylor talks to Anthony about making things that matter in culture and bringing back 2014 internet.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-10-3121 minPower User with Taylor LorenzInto the Costcoverse with AJ BefumoOver the past few months, a father-son duo known as the Costco guys has become inescapable online. Their family-friendly videos about the grocery chain's chicken bakes and double-chunk chocolate cookies have earned them over 62 million likes on TikTok.
This week, AJ Befumo joins Taylor to discuss how he went from former pro wrestler to king of the Costcoverse.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-10-2431 minPower User with Taylor LorenzAre Jubilee videos healing or polarizing?This week Taylor Lorenz dives into the charged content world of Jubilee Media with its founder Jason Y Lee.
Jubilee is quickly becoming a YouTube behemoth. It’s amassed 9.2 million subscribers on its main channel alone by producing social experiments and debates over polarizing questions such as ‘is being fat is a choice?’, or ‘can someone stop being gay?’ and other hot-button topics.
The company's stated goal is to spark conversations that matter and help us all come together more around our shared humanity. Is their model working? And how is Jubilee expanding its empire outside of YouTube?
Learn more about your...2024-10-1737 minPower User with Taylor LorenzInside the strange world of corporate influencersTaylor explores the inner workings of modern office life through the world of corporate influencers. She’s joined by Ross Pomerantz aka ‘Corporate Bro’, a successful corporate influencer who simultaneously parodies the entire genre.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-10-1030 minPower User with Taylor LorenzHow nostalgia accounts are destroying pop culture historyThis week Taylor Lorenz talks about going independent and launching her new online culture newsletter, User Mag!
Later, Taylor is joined by entertainment culture critic Coleman Spilde to explore how nostalgia accounts are rewriting pop culture history.
Subscribe to User Mag here!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-10-0327 minPower User with Taylor LorenzWhy online retailers all sell the same crappy productsIf you do a lot of online shopping, you may be experiencing deja vu. Amazon, AliExpress, WalMart, Temu, eBay, the TikTok shop, even Etsy all seem to be selling the exact same, cheaply made products from China. How did this happen? Have we reached some sort of eCommerce singularity? And what does this say about the future of online shopping? Are we all doomed to have shitty cheap products forever? Taylor is joined by New York Magazines John Herman to discuss.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-09-2615 minPower User with Taylor LorenzWhy is Instagram Reels so unhinged?You can spend hours carefully curating your algorithms on TikTok and YouTube, But there’s one place where the algorithm doesn’t seem to care about what you want to see: Instagram Reels. Business Insider’s Katie Notopoulos joins Taylor to dive deep into the strangest corners of IG Reels and unpack how the platform became such an unusual place online.
Then, Taylor weighs in on the latest news, including Taylor Swift's stance on AI, right wing YouTubers getting paid millions by a Russian propaganda group, why Facebook keeps removing emergency fire alerts, and the new iPhone.
Learn more about your a...2024-09-1227 minPower User with Taylor LorenzBrazil's X ban upends stan accounts + political debates take over TikTokElon Musk’s social media network X has been officially banned in Brazil. Taylor and internet culture reporter Ryan Broderick (Garbage Day) discuss Stan culture, the impact Brazil has on the internet as we know it, and the effects of suddenly losing tens of millions of voices online.
Later, as another presidential debate nears, Taylor chats with tech reporter Viola Zhou (Rest of World) about the latest TikTok trend - creators holding political debates of their own, with real cash rewards from their audience.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-09-0531 minPower User with Taylor LorenzThe ultimate summer trend recap + a Chick-fil-A streaming serviceWe've all long been familiar with the concept of a "song of the summer," but lately there's been a rush to declare "the summer" everything. Drink of the summer, drug of the summer, shoe of the summer, the list goes on. Casey Lewis joins Taylor to discuss the summer's emerging trends and why everything has been declared “of the summer.”
Later, Taylor weighs in on the latest headlines, including Hasan Piker’s removal from the DNC, the new fridgescaping TikTok trend, what a Chick-fil-A streaming service could look like, and why everyone in DC is upset with food vlogger Keith Lee.
L...2024-08-2926 minPower User with Taylor LorenzInside the DNC’s influencer extravaganza, from yacht partying to meme loungeThis week, Taylor is in Chicago along with hundreds of content creators for the Democratic National Convention. YouTube star Keith Edwards gives the scoop on the Democrats’ influencer strategy, what it’s like inside a creator yacht party and VIP meme lounge, and how the 2024 election has become one big battle for the internet.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-08-2224 minPower User with Taylor LorenzCan Elon and Twitter save Trump? + Kamala plays with fire onlineThis week, Trump returned to X/Twitter/whatever you want to call it. Editor-in-Chief at the Verge, Nilay Patel, joins Taylor to discuss the long and rambling conversation between Trump and Elon Musk on Twitter spaces. They debate how influential X is in today’s political climate. Later, they explore the broader social media landscape, Kamala’s dicey use of a Dril tweet, the campaign’s broader digital strategy, and how TikTok and YouTube factor into the 2024 race.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-08-1441 minPower User with Taylor LorenzCan MrBeast be canceled? + Tim Walz mania and minions on a crossFor years now, MrBeast has been the king of the internet. The 26-year-old creator has the most subscribed to channel on YouTube, millions of young fans, and a new streaming deal with Amazon. But now, after a string of controversies, his empire might be crumbling. How did all of this happen, and what does a potential MrBeast downfall mean for the internet? Taylor Lorenz talks to Steven Asarch, a freelance digital culture reporter who’s been covering MrBeast for Rolling Stone and Passionfruit.
Later, Taylor breaks down the latest headlines including why everyone is posting about a minion nailed to a...2024-08-0836 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIs Skibidi Toilet the Next Hollywood Blockbuster?The internet lost its mind last week when Taylor broke the news that Michael Bay might be turning Skibidi Toilet -- the bizarre animated YouTube short of a singing head in a toilet -- into a theatrical movie. Taylor talks to Adam Goodman, a Hollywood veteran who founded Invisible Narratives, the behind-the-scenes company responsible for much of Skibidi Toilet's ongoing success.
Plus, in headlines: Kamala Harris supporters are hopping on Zoom, Google Docs is the hot new dating app, and a new AI wearable wants to be your new best friend.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com...2024-08-0138 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIs Kamala Harris a political meme stock?Politics and social media were inextricable this week. Joe Biden announced his dropout via X and other social platforms — and after he endorsed Kamala Harris, the media rush to explain Brat memes began. Taylor talks to The Atlantic’s Charlie Warzel about coconut memes, irony pilled posting, and the outcry of a generation frustrated by politics.
Then, Taylor and Zach break down this week’s headlines, including a lifestyle influencer suing another lifestyle influencer for copying her aesthetic, a terrifying DHS robot dog, and Marc Andreessen’s hope that AI will save comedy.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc...2024-07-2537 minPower User with Taylor LorenzThe rise of ‘BlueAnon' + Trump shooting merch + RNC influencersMinutes after a gunman attacked Donald Trump at a rally, conspiracy theories flourished on social media. Did Trump fake it? Was it a false flag? These are the latest additions to a growing collection of anti-Trump conspiracy theories referred to as "Blue Anon." Taylor Lorenz discusses the rise of conspiracies from anti Trump influencers with Mike Rothschild, author of "The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything."
Plus, Taylor explains the alleged shooter's "Demolition Ranch" YouTuber T-shirt, and talks about the RNC influencers tasked with making the GOP look cool. (edited)
Learn...2024-07-1828 minPower User with Taylor LorenzInside the most toxic live-streaming platform + NATO influencersKick, a is home to some of the most reprehensible behavior on the internet. Creators have live-streamed themselves accosting people on the street, sexually harassing minors, even getting into hit-and-run car accidents. Taylor Lorenz talks to J. Aubrey, who documents some of the Internet’s worst people, about Kick’s race to the bottom.Plus, Taylor breaks down her recent reporting on influencers in politics. NATO and the State Department invited content creators to this year’s summit in Washington, DC. And in Utah, the first full-time content creator is running for Senate.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas...2024-07-1133 minPower User with Taylor LorenzAn influencer’s battle against her snark subredditFor the past several years, influencer Lily Chapman has been plagued by a relentless community of women online. They congregated in a snark subreddit dedicated to mocking and criticizing her. Lily says they even contacted her friends and family, and attempted to kill her sponsorship deals. But Lily did something most influencers haven't been able to do: She fought back and won. Taylor Lorenz talks to Lily about how it all went down.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-06-2723 min
You're Wrong AboutPhones Are Good, Actually with Taylor LorenzThis week, Taylor Lorenz fights our latest moral panic. Are phones really making kids anxious, or are kids just good at noticing what's going on? Listen to Taylor's podcast, Power User Read Taylor in the Washington Post ...and her book, Extremely Online Support You're Wrong About:Bonus Episodes on PatreonBuy cute merchWhere else to find us:Sarah's other show, You Are GoodLinks:https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/power-user-with-taylor-lorenzhttps://www.was...2024-06-2559 minPower User with Taylor LorenzWhy do so many people think a top Stanford researcher is a CIA agent?An online smear campaign painted a top Stanford researcher as a censorship supervillain, whose goal was to silence free speech and delete 22 million tweets. Former Stanford Internet Observatory research manager Renée DiResta tells Taylor Lorenz what it's like to monitor disinformation about yourself -- and how rumors about her work that began on one conspiracy theorist's blog eventually spread into the halls of congress.
Then, Taylor talks about her report on how Biden is struggling to garner the support of Gen Z influencers, the surgeon general’s campaign to put warning labels on social media, Logan Paul’s Donald Trump...2024-06-2040 minPower User with Taylor LorenzDo you speak Brain Rot? How the internet is changing languageOver the past few months, the term “brain rot” has gone from essentially meaning chronically online, to a fully fledged meme and ironic slang language. Adam Aleksic aka “the Etymology Nerd” and Harvard linguistics graduate joins Taylor to break down how the language of the internet is evolving.
Later, Taylor dives into stories from the week including big announcements from Apple’s WWDC, the shadowy right-wing backers behind a Mr Beast video, BeReals big sale, and a new word to describe AI generated garbage.
Full video of this episode will be available on Taylor's YouTube channel.
Learn more about your ad choices...2024-06-1340 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIs it ever okay to film strangers in public? + Trump’s new TikTok + MrBeast hits #1The record-breaking Instagram account @world_record_egg has returned to publicly express its support for Palestine. Trump joins TikTok and immediately amasses millions of followers. Mr. Beast becomes the most subscribed to YouTube channel. Plus, Taylor Lorenz breaks down the 2022 deal TikTok offered the U.S. government, which included a “kill switch” to shut down the app.
Later, Vox’s Rebecca Jennings joins Taylor to discuss crowdsourced surveillance and the ethics of filming strangers in public.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-06-0630 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIs a Tech Utopia a Dystopia for Everyone Else?Meet the powerful centimillionaire who dreams of a sovereign San Francisco where tech millionaires wear gray T-shirts to signal their allegiance and progressives are locked out. Balaji Srinivasan is one of the most infamous, yet lesser-known, figures in Silicon Valley. Journalist Gil Duran, who reports on tech fascism and billionaire extremism, joins Taylor to discuss Balaji’s ideas, background, and why you should take him seriously.
Full video of this episode will be available on Taylor's YouTube channel
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-05-3039 min
The Instagram Stories - Social Media NewsThe Instagram Stories - 5-24-24 - Interview with Taylor Lorenz, author of Extremely Online bookShow Notes:Taylor Lorenz is a technology journalist in Los Angeles, CA and author of the new book Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, the Daily Beast, and many other publications. She is currently a technology columnist for The Washington Post's business section covering online culture and the content creator industry. She was previously a technology reporter for The New York Times business section, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast. Her writing has appea...2024-05-2408 minThe Instagram Stories - Social Media NewsThe Instagram Stories - 5-24-24 - Interview with Taylor Lorenz, author of Extremely Online bookShow Notes:Taylor Lorenz is a technology journalist in Los Angeles, CA and author of the new book Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, the Daily Beast, and many other publications. She is currently a technology columnist for The Washington Post's business section covering online culture and the content creator industry. She was previously a technology reporter for The New York Times business section, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast. Her writing has appea...2024-05-2430 minPower User with Taylor Lorenz'Zombie Facebook' takes over + ScarJo vs OpenAIHave you been on Facebook lately? It’s weird and overrun with bizarre, AI-generated, spammy clickbait. Jason Koebler, co-founder of 404 Media and host of The 404 Media Podcast joins Taylor Lorenz to discuss how this happened and who’s behind it all.
Later, Taylor weighs in on Scarlett Johansson’s accusation that Open AI mimicked her voice, a new video game about influencers risking their lives for content, Belle Delphine’s bathwater, and a baby who’s hyped to go to the Four Seasons Orlando.
Full video of this episode will be available on Taylor's YouTube channel
Learn more about your ad choices...2024-05-2339 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIs the celebrity 'blockout' working? + TikTok creators sue the U.S.This week, TikTok creators sue the US government over free speech, Bumble tells women to get busy, YouTube’s CEO wants creators to win Emmys, and Google’s new AI gives some bad advice.
Later, Taylor Lorenz chats with Kate Lindsay, co-founder of the Embedded newsletter, about a new social media movement called “Blockout 2024.” The campaign encourages users to block celebrities who haven’t publicly condemned the attacks in Gaza. But is it working?
Full video of this episode will be available on Taylor's YouTube channel
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-05-1630 minPower User with Taylor LorenzWhat's up with Fake Podcast Ads, AI Audiobooks and the Audio Creator Economy?Bloomberg’s Ashley Carman joins Taylor Lorenz to discuss the current state of audio and its creator economy. They discuss Spotify's impact and how close we are to achieving the decade-long dream of viral audio. Plus, Ashley takes us into the ridiculous world of fake podcast ads on TikTok and the rise of audiobooks and AI narrators.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-05-0922 minPower User with Taylor LorenzAre "Industry Plants" Real? + 'The Social Network' SequelKanye West accused one of the most popular Twitch streamers, Kai Cenat, of being an “industry plant.” It perpetuated the idea that some internet celebrities became famous thanks to invisible forces pulling the strings. But in a business as fickle as online content creation, is an industry plant even possible? Taylor Lorenz asks Maxwell Mitcheson, a partner at Underscore Talent.
Later, Taylor weighs in on Aaron Sorkin hinting at a possible follow-up to The Social Network, plans for a new tech utopia in San Francisco, Adam Mosseri’s big Instagram update, and Threads hitting 150 million active users.
Full video of this ep...2024-05-0233 minPower User with Taylor LorenzSell or Die. TikTok’s Sophie’s Choice + MKBHD on his viral ‘takedowns’Today, President Biden signed a law banning TikTok, assuming it can't work out some long-shot deal to sell to a U.S. owner. TikTok of course is going to fight all this in court. Editor in Chief at The Verge, and host of the Decoder podcast, Nilay Patel joins Taylor Lorenz to discuss TikTok’s uncertain future.
Later, YouTube star Marques Brownlee aka MKBHD stops by to discuss how one critical review turned him into the internet's main character, his favorite tech products of 2024, and where the tech landscape is headed.
Full video of this episode will be available on Ta...2024-04-2543 minPower User with Taylor LorenzDrake & Kendrick's AI Rap Beef + TikTokkers Against BidenAI is causing chaos and confusion in pop music. Drake and Kendrick Lamar are feuding through diss tracks, but people can’t seem to tell if these songs are real or artificially generated. Taylor Lorenz brings in New York Times pop music critic Jon Caramanica to get to the bottom of it all. Plus, how Chappell Roan broke through the algorithm and Taylor Swift's return to TikTok.
Later, Taylor Lorenz weighs in on an upcoming AI-generated beauty pageant, Elon’s plan to rid X of bots by forcing new users to pay, an open letter from TikTok creators to President Bide...2024-04-1833 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIs Social Media Destroying Kids’ Lives? + Elon’s Secret X AccountA moral panic has been emerging lately. People in the media, government, and across the internet are declaring that children are suffering an unprecedented mental health crisis and that smartphones and social media are to blame. But is this true?Taylor Lorenz talks to longtime researcher and author Danah Boyd about some of the problems that young people today are facing, why quick fixes like banning social media apps are never the answer, and what we can actually do to help the younger generation.Plus, Taylor weighs in on her latest profile of RFK Jr’s new social media guru, Elon...2024-04-1146 minPower User with Taylor LorenzThe Real Estate Content Boom + The Worst Day on the InternetReal estate content is living rent-free in Millennials' heads. Taylor Lorenz talks to the CEO of a media company responsible for a ton of it. Plus, Taylor weighs in on why April Fools' is the worst, Yahoo's acquisition of an AI company started by Instagram's founders, how AI is impacting the music industry, and her time at The Information's Creator Economy Summit.
More info on Estate Media
Full video of this episode will be available on Taylor's YouTube channel.
5:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-04-0427 minPower User with Taylor LorenzKindness Influencers and Poverty Porn + Is Huberman Cancelled?Taylor Lorenz breaks down the latest tech news including Truth Social going public, New York Magazine's much-discussed Andrew Huberman expose, Spotify’s latest podcast metrics, and the poverty porn drama on YouTube.
Later, Taylor’s joined by Brad Podray, a.k.a. Scumbag Dad, to unpack the problem with “Kindness Influencers” — those creators who give money to strangers who are seemingly down on their luck.
You can find Brad Podray on Tiktok @thescumbagdad
Full video of this episode will be available on Taylor's YouTube channel.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-03-2835 minPower User with Taylor LorenzShould we ban TikTok? + MrBeast’s Amazon deal, and what's up with Shrimp Jesus?Taylor Lorenz kicks off her first episode with a breakdown of the proposed TikTok forced sale, AKA, ban. She’s joined by Evan Greer, director of the online civil liberties organization Fight for the Future. They unpack lawmakers' concerns—sifting through the politics and red flags behind the effort —and trade theories about what lawmakers hope to achieve with the legislation now in the Senate.
Later, Taylor weighs in on MrBeast’s big new Amazon deal, why AI-generated images of Jesus made of live shrimp are going viral on Facebook, the return of the Facebook Poke, and LinkedIn's foray into gaming.
You can...2024-03-2144 minPower User with Taylor LorenzIntroducing Power User with Taylor LorenzPower User explores how technology and the internet are upending our lives and the world around us. Each week, host Taylor Lorenz explores the most influential stories that Silicon Valley often ignores.
New episodes drop every Thursday starting March 21.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-02-2800 min
CultureScape with Peter PischkeTaylor Lorenz: Journalism In Crisis and Fake Online Hate?Will the real Taylor Lorenz please stand up!?
In this riveting long-form interview with CultureScape, Lorenz delves into the recent demise of online and mainstream journalism, every question you ever wanted to be able to ask Taylor, the rise of fake online hate and its impact on our society. 🌐💔
Lorenz shares her journey, from her early career days to becoming a prominent figure in journalism. She provides an in-depth analysis of the evolution of social media and video platforms, and how they have shaped the current state of journalism. 📰🚀
This interview also addresses the false myths and hate that Lo...2024-02-0355 min
Wonks and War RoomsInfluencers with Taylor LorenzThis week Elizabeth chats with tech culture reporter and Washington Post columnist, Taylor Lorenz about influencers and the influencer industry. Taylor takes us from Ce-web-reties to influencers to content creators, telling us a bit about the history of folks who monetize their online presence. The two chat about the influencer industry beyond social media influencer marketing, the unique dynamics of political campaigning, smaller scale content creators as opinion leaders, and the ways in which having a perspective in the content you create meshes with expectations for authenticity and objectivity.Additional Resources:Check out Taylor’s...2024-01-3134 min
Conspiracy TheoriesExtremely Online with Taylor Lorenz (and a post-interview chat with Carter!)This week on Conspiracy Theories: Book Club, we are joined by tech journalist and author Taylor Lorenz to discuss the creator economy, social media, and what it means to be extremely online. After the interview, we’re joined by Carter for a wrap up conversation, where we discuss social media’s influence on our own lives. (22:41)The audiobook edition of Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet by Taylor Lorenz is available for Spotify Premium Subscribers in our Audiobook catalog, where you can check it out after listening to this...2024-01-0343 min
The Instagram Stories PodcastEpisode #63 - Taylor Lorenz - Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the InternetTaylor Lorenz is a technology journalist in Los Angeles, CA and author of the new book Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet.
She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, the Daily Beast, and many other publications. She is currently a technology columnist for The Washington Post's business section covering online culture and the content creator industry. She was previously a technology reporter for The New York Times business section, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast. Her writing has appeared in New...2023-12-2530 min
What The Hell Is Michael Jamin Talking About?Ep 111 - Influencer/Creator Expert Taylor LorenzOn this week's episode, I have influencer/creator expert Taylor Lorenz. Tune in as we talk about her book, “Extremely Online: The Untold Story Of Fame, Influence, And Power On The Internet” as well as her experiences working as a journalist for “The Washington Post” and “The New York Times”. We also dive into some tidbits she has about social media.Show NotesTaylor Lorenz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorlorenz/?hl=enTaylor Lorenz on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@taylorlorenz?lang=enTaylor Lorenz on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com...2023-12-131h 13
Booked Up with Jen TaubTaylor Lorenz is EXTREMELY ONLINEToday Jen’s guest is Taylor Lorenz, author of the new book, Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet. Together they discussed many topics including the controversy around mommy bloggers and the credit due to Julia Allison and other women social media pioneers.
Taylor Lorenz is the sometimes controvesial, never boring technology columnist for the business section of the Washington Post, covering online culture and the content creator industry. She was previously a reporter for the New York Times and has written for numerous other publications including New York magazine and Rolling Sto...2023-11-1957 min
What If I'm Wrong?Taylor Lorenz: Extremely OnlineThis week, Heather sits down with nationally renowned tech journalist Taylor Lorenz to discuss her bestselling book, Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet. Taylor, one of the earliest and most consequential reporters on the social media beat, catalogs the sociological story of the internet starting with how “mommy bloggers” changed the social landscape. Taylor helps us explore the world of content creation, how social power has usurped the gatekeepers, and why influencers are here to stay. She also shares a few of her favorite faith-based digital creators.In this episode Heath...2023-11-0243 min
Jules TerpakExtremely online humans meet IRL (ft. Taylor Lorenz)I sat down with Taylor Lorenz to discuss her new book, Extremely Online — the untold story of fame, influence, and power on the internet. Aside from covering some of the most culturally relevant online moments of the past decade, she is the first person to write extensively about the history of social media from the user/creator perspective. Check out all of the other topics we discussed below!ㅤChapters0:00 - Intro0:35 - Taylor and I’s history3:55 - Her new book, Extremely Online6:25 - The early social media...2023-10-261h 01
The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson262: Unraveling Internet Culture: A Conversation with Taylor LorenzTaylor Lorenz discusses her new book 'Extremely Online' and delves into the untold story of fame, influence, and power on the Internet, exploring internet culture and societal impacts. Taylor unravels the complexities and trends of online communities, shares her research and experience, and explores the impact of internet culture on our society. HighlightsThe influence of content creators: Content creators have become a driving force in shaping online culture and influencing public opinion. They have the ability to amass large audiences and create content that resonates with their followers. Whether it's through...2023-10-1059 min