Hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson dig into the internet's vast and curious ecosystem of online communities to find untold histories, unsolved mysterie...
Everybody get up, it's time to slam now! Yes, this episode is about the 1996 movie "Space Jam," starring NBA legend Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes. Rather, it's about the website for "Space Jam," which is still up and functioning nearly 30 years later.
Amory and Ben talk to the hilarious team behind this digital artifact and hear the unlikely story of its continued existence.
Show notes:
The Space Jam website
'Space Jam' Forever: The Website That Wouldn't Die (Rolling Stone)
The TIL post on Reddit
Hollywood in Pixels
SpaceJamCheck on X
Teach Yourself Web Publishing with HTML in 14 Days
Welcome to the Space Jam, Again (The New York Times)
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32:39
Introducing On Point: The Internet Archive is in danger
We’re coming to you with a special offering today. It’s an episode about the internet… from our friends just a few cubicles over here at WBUR: On Point.
Hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti, On Point is a unique, curiosity-driven combination of original reporting, newsmaker interviews, first-person stories, and in-depth analysis, making the world more intelligible and humane. When the world is more complicated than ever, we aim to make sense of it together.
We loved their recent episode about one of our favorite pieces of how the internet gets recorded and remembered — and we thought you might love it too.
So kick back and take a listen. We’ll bring you the usual shenanigans next week.
More than 900 billion webpages are preserved on The Wayback Machine, a history of humanity online. Now, copyright lawsuits could wipe it out.
Guests
Brewster Kahle, founder and director of the Internet Archive. Digital librarian and computer engineer.
James Grimmelmann, professor of digital and information law at Cornell Tech and Cornell Law School. Studies how laws regulating software affect freedom, wealth, and power.
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31:17
Love in 60 Seconds
Wanda Brewer was grieving. After losing her brother, she found comfort in an unexpected place: a soap-opera-esque story on Instagram told in 60-second increments. The story? A mafia boss torn between power, family and love.
Wanda’s not alone. Millions are bingeing these bite-sized, ultra-dramatic vertical shorts, where sexy werewolves, ruthless billionaires, and love triangles unfold one minute at a time — hooking viewers with cliffhangers and high-stakes drama.
From China’s multi-billion-dollar booming industry to your TikTok feed, these soapy, over-the-top dramas are changing the way we watch — and pay for — entertainment. This Valentine’s Day, Endless Thread explores the rise and Americanization of vertical short dramas.
Show notes:
“Werewolf Billionaire CEO Husbands Are Taking Over Hollywood” (Rolling Stone)
“Minute-Long Soap Operas Are Here. Is America Ready?” (The New York Times)
“2024 Short Drama Overseas Marketing White Paper” (TikTok)
Credits: This episode was produced by Cici Yu. It was co-hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski and Paul Vaitkus.
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34:19
DeepSeek's Diss Track
In 2022, people around the world freaked out at the advent of ChatGPT, OpenAI's chatbot. In under three years, artificial intelligence has been incorporated almost everywhere in our online lives. But training the large language models, or LLMs, that power these AI assistants is hugely expensive. Or is it? Last month, a Chinese startup called DeepSeek released their own AI app for much less money, potentially with huge economic and geopolitical implications. Endless Thread hosts a rap battle to help you understand why these AI companies are beefing.
Show notes:
"Trying to get Deepseek to talk about 'Tank Man'" (Reddit)
"DeepSeek Doesn’t Want to Talk About Tiananmen Square. Here’s What to Know" (Bloomberg)
"DeepSeek is giving the world a window into Chinese censorship and information control" (CNN)
Correction: A previous version of this episode incorrectly identified the brand of specialized chip used by DeepSeek. This episode now includes an update explaining the error.
Credits: This episode was produced by Ben Brock Johnson. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.
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27:43
Little Big RedNote
Sometimes, after a long day speaking English, former WBUR podcast fellow Cici Yu just wants to zone out and spend time on the internet where everyone is speaking her native language, Chinese. Her app of choice? Xiaohongshu, or RedNote. So, when Cici logged on recently to find a feed filled with English-speaking Americans, she was surprised.
Show notes:
"The great social media migration: Sudden influx of US users to RedNote connects Chinese and Americans like never before" (CNN)
"More speech and fewer mistakes" (Meta)
"Instagram hides search results for 'Democrats'" (BBC)
"Instagram and Facebook Blocked and Hid Abortion Pill Providers’ Posts" (The New York Times)
Credits: This episode was produced by Grace Tatter. Mix and sound design by Paul Vaitkus. It was hosted by Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.
Hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson dig into the internet's vast and curious ecosystem of online communities to find untold histories, unsolved mysteries, and other jaw-dropping stories online and IRL.
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