Technology and culture writer Taylor Lorenz joins Vanessa and Natalie to discuss TikTok, its addictive algorithm, and what’s behind the U.S. ban of the app. Is TikTok really an instrument of insidious espionage and control, or are lawmakers just scared of Gen Z activism? What will banning the app really mean—and what precedent will it set?
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Today
Let’s Talk About Tom Cruise and Scientology
This week on Infamous, Vanessa and Natalie look at Cruise’s rise within Scientology and what the church has allegedly meant for his career and personal life. Our guest is Julian Walker, the co-host of Conspirituality Podcast, which investigates the intersections of conspiracy the ... Show More
44m 24s
Sep 17
We Have a Tupac Murder Verdict, But Did Diddy Order It?
We're off for a bit but will be back next week! Who killed Tupac? Thirty years later, a jury finally has an answer. Journalist Jeff Weiss joins Vanessa and Natalie to revisit Tupac and Biggie’s deadly feud, the lingering questions around Diddy, and the man whose own words helped ... Show More
33m 46s
Apr 2023
Should America Ban TikTok?
This week we’re bringing you the TikTok debate we wish we had from Congress. Featuring perspectives from V Spehar, host of TikTok’s Under the Desk News; Senator Mark Warner, lead sponsor of the RESTRICT Act; and Graham Webster, Chinese technology expert. Over three interviews, Jo ... Show More
1h 27m
Jan 2025
The potential US TikTok ban — and what's at stake | Clay Shirky
The clock is ticking on social media giant TikTok, which faces a nationwide ban in the United States unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells it by January 19. Social media theorist Clay Shirky unpacks why the US is trying to ban TikTok, what it means for the app's users and c ... Show More
1h 2m
Feb 2023
What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Why Ban TikTok?
TikTok was banned on government agency devices in December; several schools and universities have banned it on their devices and wifi networks, and the governor of Texas unveiled a plan to ban it in the state. Can “Project Texas” stem the anti-TikTok tide? And would banning the a ... Show More
24m 3s
Jan 2025
The TikTok ban, and what comes next
In five days, TikTok as we know it could be finished in the US. The Verge's Lauren Feiner joins the show to discuss last week's Supreme Court arguments over the ban, why things don't look good for TikTok, and what's likely to happen in the next five days. After that, Kickstarter ... Show More
1h 27m
Mar 2024
Are we really about to ban TikTok?
The Verge 's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the US House of Representatives passing a bill that could ban TikTok, the streaming news of the week, a Dyson robot, and more. Further reading: Lawmakers introduce bill that would punish app stores for hosting TikTok ... Show More
1h 39m