Has the Internet Trapped Us in the Past?
Jon finally lives up to the mission of the show and takes some time offline. In his stead, guest host Charlie Warzel, writer of The Atlantic’s “Galaxy Brain,” talks to technologist LM Sacasas about how the internet became a doom loop. Together, they explore why we all feel “stuck” online, how the internet forces us to dwell on the past, and how individuals can regain their agency through strate...
58m Jul 31, 2022
58m
Jane Coaston on Why Internet Debates Suck
Jane Coaston, columnist at the New York Times and host of “The Argument,” joins Jon to talk through her Twitter addiction. They discuss the gamification of online conversation, how former high school debaters ruined the internet, and why we should all spend less time on Twitter and more time watching NCIS.
59m Jul 24, 2022
59m
What the F*** is the Metaverse?
Matt Ball joins Jon to explain The Metaverse. What is it? Does it matter? Are we doomed to live in a virtual reality controlled by Mark Zuckerberg? Pulling from his new book, Matt talks about some unexpected ways the Metaverse could help us improve our offline reality.
50m Jul 17, 2022
50m
How to Restore Roe (From Positively Dreadful)
The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade, access to abortion has collapsed across the country, and Democrats in Washington don’t have the votes to undo the decision right now. It’s a mess! But we may be able get Roe back sooner than it seems—if Democrats and their allies in the reproductive rights movement learn from years of their own missteps, and quickly. That will determine whether resto...
1hr 6m Jul 10, 2022
1hr 6m
The 19-Year-Old Helping Gen Z Log Off
Emma Lembke is encouraging teens to rethink their relationship with the internet. In June 2020, she founded the Log Off Movement, a teen-led project that provides resources to reduce screen time, community support, and advocates for legislative action to protect children online. Emma joins Jon to talk about Gen Z’s relationship with the internet, what it’s doing to their mental health, and crea...
43m Jul 03, 2022
43m
Has Google Created a Soul?
Last week, Nitasha Tiku, Tech Culture reporter for The Washington Post, broke the story of a Google engineer who claimed the company’s artificial intelligence chatbot, LaMDA, was sentient. She joins Jon to give a first-hand account of what the Google engineer saw inside its chatbot and make the case that the real fear shouldn’t be whether AI is alive, but whether it’s real enough to fool us.
42m Jun 26, 2022
42m
Steve Bannon’s Very Online Insurrection
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jennifer Senior talks about the internet’s original right-wing troll: Steve Bannon. Would the MAGA movement exist without Bannon? Would Bannon exist without the internet? Jennifer recently published an unsparing profile of Steve Bannon in The Atlantic. He granted her a ton of access, even inviting her to his father’s funeral. She sits down with Jon to talk abou...
50m Jun 19, 2022
50m
Crypto for Beginners with Kevin Roose
Kevin Roose, technology columnist at the New York Times, answers all your crypto questions. What’s an NFT? Is Bitcoin bad for the environment? Does our economy run on vibes? Sharing perspectives from crypto’s biggest skeptics, but also its biggest proponents, Kevin joins Jon to make the case that crypto isn’t scary, it’s just terribly explained.
40m Jun 12, 2022
40m
How Should Parents Manage Kids’ Screen Time?
Anya Kamenetz, author of “The Art of Screen Time” and NPR education reporter, talks with Jon about what a healthy amount of screen time looks like for our kids. She teaches Jon the leading research, talks about the how pandemic changed her understanding of screen time, and offers a road map for raising kind, thoughtful kids in an increasingly online world.
35m Jun 05, 2022
35m
Ro Khanna is Optimistic About the Internet
Congressman Ro Khanna, Silicon Valley’s most progressive representative, joins Jon to talk about where tech went wrong and how we can get it back on course. Providing legislative solutions, he teaches Jon how we can use technology to create economic opportunity and a functioning, healthy, multiracial democracy.
47m May 29, 2022
47m
Can We Blame the Internet for Buffalo?
Ben Collins covers disinformation, extremism, and the internet for NBC News. This week, he’s reported on the shooting in Buffalo, combing through the killer’s chat logs to make sense of the internet’s role in his radicalization. He sits down with Jon to make sense of it all, explaining the ways sites like 4Chan serve as breeding grounds for extremism and what it’s going to take for us to face t...
40m May 22, 2022
40m
Sex, Drugs, and Phone Addictions with Dr. Anna Lembke
Dr. Anna Lembke, Stanford Psychiatrist and author of “Dopamine Addiction,” joins Jon to talk how smartphones, social media, and the internet have fundamentally changed the way our brains process pleasure. Making the case that phones are similarly addictive to alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, she teaches Jon how we can reset our brains to have a healthier relationship with our phones and the world a...
45m May 15, 2022
45m
Chris Hayes on Why We’re All Famous Now
Chris Hayes, host of MSNBC’s All in with Chris Hayes, sits down with Jon to talk about the ways the internet has reshaped what we can hear online, creating an era of mass fame. Pulling from his New Yorker essay “On the Internet, We’re Always Famous,” Chris explains his distinction between attention and recognition and makes the case that this new era isn’t just bad for our society, it’s bad for...
1hr 2m May 08, 2022
1hr 2m
Does Elon Musk Want Free Speech or Attention?
Renee DiResta is an expert on tech policy, influence operations, and algorithms, managing research at the Stanford Internet Observatory. She joins Jon to break down Elon Musk buying Twitter, explaining his envisioned reforms and making the case that Elon Musk fundamentally misunderstands free speech on the internet. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, go to crooked.com and Offline....
52m May 01, 2022
52m
Are Russians Buying Putin’s Propaganda?
Russian propaganda expert Peter Pomerantsev is a journalist and former Russian television producer who talks to Jon about the distortion of truth and reality inside Putin’s Russia. Jon asks Peter about his recent interview with Ukrainian President Zelensky, how Putin’s propaganda apparatus is reaching a crossroads, and how the Trump/Murdoch propaganda machine mirrors a lot of what he’s seen in ...
57m Apr 24, 2022
57m
A Newsroom’s Fight Against Misinformation in the Black Community
Lauren Williams, former Editor-in-Chief of Vox , sits down with Jon to talk about launching Capital B News, a new local-national nonprofit news organization that centers Black voices. Together, they discuss how the murder of George Floyd inspired a “great reckoning” in newsrooms; how this new organization is aiming to rebuild trust in the black community by providing high-quality, local reporti...
48m Apr 17, 2022
48m
A Twitter Founder on Elon, Trump, and the Edit Button
Jon is joined by Ev Williams, Co-Founder and former CEO of Twitter. The two discuss Twitter’s early years, including the design decisions behind some of the app’s most important features. They dive into the promise of Twitter and attempt to make sense of what’s changed. Ev also talks about Twitter’s newest board member and largest shareholder, Elon Musk, and if Donald Trump should be allowed ba...
56m Apr 10, 2022
56m
Samantha Bee on Laughing at our Political Hellscape
Today, Jon is joined by Samantha Bee. Previously The Daily Show’s longest-ever correspondent and now host of the Emmy-award winning Full Frontal on TBS, Sam Bee has been talking politics — and cracking jokes — since the early years of the Bush administration. She joins Jon to talk about how she’s burned out from our worsening political discourse and offer some motherly advice for future Oscars ...
49m Apr 03, 2022
49m
Lilly Singh on YouTube to Late Night
This week, Jon is joined by YouTube sensation and former late night host Lilly Singh. Discussing her new book “Be a Triangle,” Jon asks Lilly how she recently got her life “into shape,” what being the first on late night meant to her, why she decided to delete social media off of her phone, and how she learned to be alone with her thoughts. “Be a Triangle” goes on sale April 5th. Find it where...
49m Mar 27, 2022
49m
Taylor Lorenz on Why All Culture is Internet Culture
This week, Jon is joined by the technology reporter Taylor Lorenz. Covering what she calls “communication and connection,” Taylor has written extensively about the content creator economy, changing media ecosystems, TikTok, and more. The two talk about some of Taylor’s recent stories, break down why she left the New York Times for the Washington Post, and discuss what journalism in our internet...
46m Mar 20, 2022
46m
Greg Daniels on the Digital Afterlife
Recorded live from the podcast stage at South by Southwest, Jon is joined by acclaimed television writer Greg Daniels, creator of 'The Office' and 'Parks and Rec.' The two talk about Greg's latest show 'Upload,' which just premiered its second season on Amazon Video. Jon asks Greg what inspired him to write a show about the digital afterlife, how likely that future may actually be, and what he ...
36m Mar 13, 2022
36m
Kara Swisher on the Very Online War in Ukraine
To open Offline’s new feed, Jon interviews Kara Swisher, Silicon Valley’s most feared and respected journalist. The two discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine — how it marks the first true conflict of the internet age, why Putin is losing the misinformation battle, and what makes Zelensky a compelling online hero. Kara also gives Jon insight into Big Tech’s most important founders and teaches him a...
52m Mar 06, 2022
52m
Ezra Klein on the Democrat’s Echo Chamber
This week on Offline, Jon is joined by the New York Times’s Ezra Klein. Dissecting polarization and virality, the two attempt to figure out if a healthy democracy is possible in today’s media environment and what it’ll take for the Democratic Party to step up to the task.
1hr 9m Feb 20, 2022
1hr 9m
Hank Green on Inspiring Curiosity
This week, Jon is joined by the internet’s dad, Hank Green. For many people, Hank is a staple of the internet, whether on TikTok, YouTube, or in the classroom. He sat down with Jon to discuss how he attempts to inspire curiosity online, the communities he’s built, and how the internet has changed since he posted his first video in 2007. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click her...
49m Feb 13, 2022
49m
Roxane Gay on Why People Are So Awful Online
This week on Offline, Jon is joined by writer, professor, and social commentator Roxane Gay for a wide-ranging conversation on consequence culture, writing in the age of the internet, and, of course, Joe Rogan. She explains to Jon why she’s been spending less time on Twitter and lays out exactly why she believes people are so awful online. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click ...
45m Feb 06, 2022
45m
Abbie Richards on Fighting Disinformation on TikTok
This week on Offline, Jon is joined by TikToker and disinformation researcher Abbie Richards. A leading voice on the platform, Abbie inoculates her viewers to trending disinformation and provides them with the tools to fight back. Jon asks her about what that work entails, why this current moment has seen the rise of so many new conspiracies, and dives into her viral conspiracy theory classific...
59m Jan 30, 2022
59m
Jenny Odell on How to Do Nothing
This week, Jenny Odell teaches Jon how to unplug and, almost literally, smell the roses. Pulling from lessons outlined in her book “How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy,” Jenny makes the case that our attention is precious and what we choose to focus it on doesn’t always need to be productive.
50m Jan 23, 2022
50m
Chimamanda Adichie on the Death of Good Faith
This week, the writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie joins Jon to talk through the viral essay on social media that she wrote last June. The two discuss what compelled her to write that essay, how the internet has changed the way we interact with ideas, and the changes she’s seen in recent literature. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, pleas...
59m Jan 16, 2022
59m
Alex Stamos on Leaving Facebook and Zuckerberg's Reign
This week on Offline, Jon is joined by Alex Stamos, Facebook’s former Chief Security Officer. As Jon’s first guest who has worked at a social media company, Alex gives us a first-hand look at Facebook’s internal politics, delivering insight on Russian hackers and the Haugen papers He also makes the case that it’s time for Mark Zuckerberg to step down. For a closed-captioned version of this epi...
51m Jan 09, 2022
51m
Mailbag Episode with Jon and Emily Favreau
Jon and Emily Favreau sit down for a special mailbag episode. They answer any questions (yes, any and all) submitted by listeners like you. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
44m Jan 02, 2022
44m
Elizabeth Bruenig on Forgiving Trolls and Strangers
The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig joins Jon this week on Offline to discuss something the internet was never built for: forgiveness. Exploring faith, political polarization, and cancel culture, Jon and Liz investigate how finding the capacity to forgive the online transgressions of our enemies, strangers, or just our trolls has never been more important. For a closed-captioned version of this e...
55m Dec 19, 2021
55m
Dr. Vivek Murthy on Defeating Doomscrolling with Human Connection
Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy joins Jon on Offline to dissect the intersection between the internet and our emotional well-being. Dr. Murthy delivers a doctor’s diagnosis on Jon’s ceaseless doomscrolling, breaks down the impacts the pandemic and our increasing time online have had on our mental health, and makes the case for what it means to live a truly meaningful, connected life. For a cl...
50m Dec 12, 2021
50m
Charlie Warzel on Facebook's Original Sin
For the last decade, Charlie Warzel has covered the internet and culture at BuzzFeed News, The New York Times, and his newsletter Galaxy Brain. He joins Jon to talk about the architecture behind our platforms, break down how the internet has embedded itself in our culture, and argue that humans shouldn’t be connected at this scale. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. Fo...
52m Dec 05, 2021
52m
DeRay Mckesson on How Twitter Saved Black Lives
From the creation of #BlackLivesMatter to the first permanent ban, DeRay Mckesson has been at the center of some of Twitter’s highest highs and some of its lowest lows. He joins Jon to talk about how online activism has changed since the 2014 Ferguson protests, discuss how to win people over offline, and make the case that Twitter can be a tool for good.
48m Nov 28, 2021
48m
Stephen Colbert on Finding Laughter in the Darkness
Stephen Colbert joins Jon to defend his 8 hour-a-day screen habit and preach the benefits of a Twitter-free lifestyle. The two talk about what it took to produce The Late Show during the pandemic, why Stephen is glad his live audience is back, and what some of the darkest days of American democracy looked like behind the scenes at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Jon also asks Stephen about his perspec...
49m Nov 21, 2021
49m
Megan Rapinoe on Social Media and Mental Health
Soccer star Megan Rapinoe talks to Jon about the toll social media takes on professional athletes, what it’s like to become an online Resistance hero and a right-wing villain, and whether she will ever run for office.
47m Nov 14, 2021
47m
Peter Hamby on Saving Journalism from Twitter
Snapchat’s Peter Hamby talks to Jon about why Twitter has ruined political journalism, how the internet transformed the media business, and what a healthy, sustainable model of journalism might look like.
46m Nov 07, 2021
46m
Monica Lewinsky on the Internet's Culture of Humiliation
Monica Lewinsky sits down with Jon to talk about the rise of public shaming, what happens when your life is upended by the internet, and what we can do to push against our worst instincts when we’re on social media. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsaveamerica. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name...
48m Oct 31, 2021
48m
Jia Tolentino on the Internet's Endless Stage
Jia Tolentino, New Yorker staff writer and author of Trick Mirror, talks to Jon about how the internet has turned life into an endless performance, why that makes politics hard and virtue signaling easy, and what being online during the pandemic has done to our collective psyche. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsaveamerica. For a transcript of this e...
40m Oct 24, 2021
40m