Host Cory Doctorow coined the word "enshittification" to describe the state of the modern internet: a broken down, decaying place, once full of promise, now overrun with intrusive ads, hateful trolls, aggressive algorithms, zero privacy, and AI-generated slop, with every billionaire tech titan in a race to the bottom to bleed their users and their customers alike.
It can feel like it was inevitable — but it didn't have to be this way.The modern internet is the result of decisions made by powerful people, at key moments in history, despite repeated warnings about where it would lead.
In Understood: Who Broke the Internet?, Doctorow traces the downward spiral from the heady days of '90s tech-optimism through to today's rotten "enshitternet." You'll meet everyone from visionaries to villains to regular people just trying to survive in today's online world. And you'll discover who broke the internet — and, more importantly, a plan to fix it.
Know more, now. Understood is an anthology podcast that takes you out of the daily news cycle and inside the events, people, and cultural moments you want to know more about. Over a handful of episodes, each season unfolds as a story, hosted by a well-connected reporter, and rooted in journalism you can trust. Driven by insight and fueled by curiosity…The stories of our time: Understood.
Season 1 - The Naked Emperor: the rise and fall of bitcoin king Sam Bankman-Fried.
Season 2 - The Pornhub Empire: the story of how a Montreal-founded company came to dominate the adult industry.
Season 3 - Modi’s India: how one man rose from poverty to the peak of political power.
Season 4 - Céline: the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created a superstar.
Season 5 - Who Broke the Internet? The internet sucks now, and it happened on purpose.
It's safe to say that longtime creators and friends, Jessi Smiles and Lily Marston, have seen quite a lot during their almost decade long careers on the internet, giving them a unique perspective on the topic of internet drama. And since there's not a whole lot going on in their own lives - join them every Monday & Friday because they'll be providing their profound insight and opinions on the latest internet happenings in their podcast, "DO WE KNOW THEM?" Because let's be honest, they probably do.
Jane Garvey and Fi Glover keep the mics on, grab a cuppa and say what they really think - unencumbered and off air.
Follow Off Air with Jane & Fi on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the Times Radio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radio and follow our antics away from the mic on Instagram: @janeandfi
Join Jane and Fi on Times Radio every Monday to Thursday afternoon between 2pm and 4pm on DAB, smart speaker and the Times Radio app: www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/live
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Celebrities, athletes, politicians, influencers and even royalty can all land in the firing line.
Why does it matter? Because we invest in them.
We give them space in our homes, our budgets, our feeds, and sometimes, our hearts. We put them on pedestals. So when they fall, we want the truth. But in an age of AI-generated “evidence”, misinformation, and unqualified newsfluencers, separating fact from fiction is a full-time job. Hot on the heels of covering the Diddy trial, Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty is up for the challenge. Each week on Fame Under Fire, she’ll take a detailed look at the topics dominating the headlines. With the help of expert guests, she’ll myth bust, debunk, pre-bunk, fact check and get to the truth behind the timeline. Got questions? We’ve got answers. Message us at 0330 123 555 1. Subscribe to Fame Under Fire on BBC Sounds and turn on push notifications so you never miss an episode. We’ll let you know as soon as new episodes are available.
