Theo Von's empathy lacks accountability; Congress blocks AI regulation; Elon ruins the neighborhood; Verizon disconnects from DEI – NEWS ROUNDUP w/ Francesca Fiorentini

Theo Von's empathy lacks accountability; Congress blocks AI regulation; Elon ruins the neighborhood; Verizon disconnects from DEI – NEWS ROUNDUP w/ Francesca Fiorentini

Author: iHeartPodcasts May 24, 2025 Duration: 1:04:00

Bridget recaps the week in tech news with friend of the pod Francesca Fiorentini, journalist and host of the hilariously smart podcast The Bitchuation Room.

Podcast megastar and staunch Trump supporter Theo Von made headlines for a post calling what's happening in Gaza genocide:  https://www.newsweek.com/theo-von-gaza-video-donald-trump-middle-east-2075637

Congress's budget bill prohibits states from regulating AI: https://www.techpolicy.press/us-house-passes-10year-moratorium-on-state-ai-laws/

Elon Musk built an emissions-spewing gas power plant in the middle of a Black neighborhood: https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/climate/xai-musk-memphis-turbines-pollution

Back in 2020, Verizon was a vocal supporter of DEI, but now they've dropped all DEI policies to please their new Trumpian overlords:  https://www.npr.org/2025/05/19/nx-s1-5402863/verizon-fcc-frontier-dei-trump

The Chicago Sun-Tribune published a list of summer books. It was generated by AI and most of the books are fake. Oops! https://www.404media.co/chicago-sun-times-prints-ai-generated-summer-reading-list-with-books-that-dont-exist/

 

Follow Francesca Fiorentini: https://www.instagram.com/franifio

Listen to The Bitchuation Room: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bitchuation-room/id1438285775

 

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You might have heard the old, tired joke that gives There Are No Girls on the Internet its name, but host Bridget Todd isn't laughing. Instead, she's building a vital archive, one conversation at a time. This iHeartPodcasts production digs into the real, human stories of how marginalized voices-far from being newcomers-have actually been the essential architects of our digital world from day one. Each episode moves beyond the headlines to chronicle the personal experiences, subcultures, and quiet revolutions that happen online, giving texture to the platforms and trends we often take for granted. You'll hear from the people whose creativity, labor, and community have fundamentally shaped technology, culture, and society, even when their contributions were overlooked or outright stolen. This isn't just a history lesson; it's an active reclamation. The podcast serves as an ongoing monument to the countless identities that make the internet a dynamic, messy, and profoundly human space. Tune in for narratives that are insightful, often surprising, and absolutely necessary for understanding where we've been and where we're headed next in our connected lives.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

There Are No Girls on the Internet
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