The biggest stories on the internet from April 24th, 2025.

Timestamps:

00:34 Chloe Madison tells her side of the Unhinged Podcast divorce

6:57 Addison Rae to drop "Rae"

9:30 Ana Wolfermann vs. Izzy Graff

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The biggest tech & social media trends on the internet from April 23rd, 2025.

Timestamps:

1:00 Meta antitrust trial breakdown

9:01 Google loses ad technology monopoly case

10:54 The rise of virtual influencers

14:41 Apple dance creator sues Roblox

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

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Sources:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-30/google-under-fire-again-on-search-as-hatch-calls-for-ftc-probe 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/09/technology/facebook-antitrust-monopoly.html 

https://www.theverge.com/news/646809/ftc-v-meta-antitrust-monopoly-trial-instagram-whatsapp 

https://www.theverge.com/policy/646828/meta-ftc-antitrust-trial-preview-instagram-whatsapp 

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/mark-zuckerberg-meta-antitrust-ftc-negotiations-a53b3382 

https://theconversation.com/google-loses-online-ad-monopoly-case-but-its-just-one-of-many-antitrust-battles-against-big-tech-254602

https://x.com/NewsFromGoogle/status/1912892999047971152  

https://www.polygon.com/gaming/559582/charli-xcx-apple-dance-roblox-lawsuit 

https://blog.youtube/culture-and-trends/youtube-culture-trends-report-virtual-creators/ 

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/heyer-v-roblox-2-25-cv-03236-complaint-april-2025.pdf 

The biggest stories on the internet from April 22nd, 2025.

Timestamps:

4:07 Saccone Joly family TikTok backlash & The Sweet Sisterhood Squad Gen Alpha content house

9:01 'Unhinged Podcast' divorce saga explained

19:05 Pope Francis x Trisha Paytas meme

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

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The biggest stories on the internet from April 21st, 2025.

Timestamps:

2:39 Artist faces backlash for re-selling painted Trader Joes tote bags for a wild amount of money

4:32 MrBeast Las Vegas event turns into a disaster

7:07 Tate McRae faces backlash for Morgan Wallen collaboration

14:46 Reformation line with Devon Lee Carlson sparks backlash from South Asian community

18:37 Revolve sued for $50 million over influencer gifting

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

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The biggest tech & social media trends on the internet from April 16th, 2025.

Timestamps:

1:23 Adobe gets bullied off BlueSky

6:34 OpenAI is working on a social network

7:42 YouTube doubles down on protecting creators from deepfakes

11:47 Tween boys are podcasting

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

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Sources:

https://www.garbageday.email/p/maybe-the-capitalists-will-get-it-right-next-time 

https://futurism.com/adobe-bullied-bluesky  

https://www.businessinsider.com/adobe-employees-slam-company-over-ai-controversy-2024-6 

https://www.tiktok.com/@theehazeldomain/video/7491712287280024863?_t=ZS-8vXUr9QmdPe&_r=1 

https://www.garbageday.email/p/maybe-the-capitalists-will-get-it-right-next-time 

https://www.theverge.com/news/647186/bluesky-creatives-have-no-love-for-adobe  

https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/09/youtube-expands-its-likeness-detection-technology-which-detects-ai-fakes-to-a-handful-of-top-creators/  

https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/13/24177686/the-general-perception-is-adobe-is-an-evil-company-that-will-do-whatever-it-takes-to-f-its-users 

https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/31/24210464/senators-will-introduce-the-no-fakes-act-to-keep-ai-companies-from-copying-your-voice-or-appearance 

https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/creative-artists-agency-responsible-ai-tools-for-talent/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/09/youtube-expands-its-likeness-detection-technology-which-detects-ai-fakes-to-a-handful-of-top-creators/ 

https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/youtube-no-fakes-act-ai-deepfakes-1236363872/ 

https://www.thecut.com/article/tween-podcasts.html 

https://www.theverge.com/openai/648130/openai-social-network-x-competitor 

https://centennialworld.com/addison-rae-deepfake-twitter-explained/ 

The biggest stories on the internet from April 15th, 2025.

Timestamps:

00:48 Breaking down the Drew & Enya Emergency Intercom Podcast controversy

5:13 Netflix Piper Squad docu-series exposes dark side of kid-fluencing

8:04 James Charles opens up about how his fans parasocial relationships are impacting his experience at Coachella amid festival changes

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

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The biggest stories on the internet from April 17th, 2025.

Timestamps:

00:43 Clayton Echard vs. Gabby Windey continued

2:58 TikTok au pair drama

10:50 Addison Rae makes Coachella debut & Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet

12:25 TikTok flooded with Chinese manufacturers sharing how they make luxury goods to combat tariffs

14:22 Katy Perry goes to space

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

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Thank you to BRITA for supporting the podcast, helping us keep our deep dives going, and, of course, keeping us hydrated! Check out BRITA here: ⁠⁠https://www.brita.com.au/turnonthetaste⁠

This episode is an exploration of into the rise and consequences of AI slop— how and why the internet has become overrun with disturbing and bizarre mass-produced brainrot content devoid of meaning and if that means the internet actually is becoming less human– or maybe even dead.

Timestamps:

00:42 Intro 

3:04 What is AI Slop?

9:07 The Dead Internet Theory

14:21 How platforms have responded to AI Slop

16:27 Engagement farming & capitalising on confusion

17:44 Ragebait& discriminatory AI memes  

19:49 The consequences of AI slop

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

Subscribe to our weekly Substack: https://centennialworld.substack.com/ 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infinitescrollpodcast/ 

Follow Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmeisner_/ 

Sources:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/08/trump-posts-ai-image/679540/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/11/style/ai-search-slop.html https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/chrisstokelwalker/pope-puffy-jacket-ai-midjourney-image-creator-interview 

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/facebook-ai-generated-slop-1235095088/ 

https://www.garbageday.email/p/slop-void 

https://www.vox.com/culture/378855/ai-slop-fall-autumn-inspiration-vibes-pinterest 

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/08/dead-internet-theory-wrong-but-feels-true/619937/ 

Walter, Y. (2025). Artificial influencers and the dead internet theory. AI & Society, 40(1), 239–240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-023-01857-0

Mariani, R. (2023). The Dead Internet to Come. New Atlantis (Washington, D.C.), 73, 34–42.

https://etymology.substack.com/p/slop-capitalism-and-dead-internet 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chriswestfall/2025/01/02/meta-opens-floodgates-on-ai-generated-accounts-on-facebook-instagram/ 

https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/21/meta-spotted-testing-ai-generated-comments-on-instagram/ 

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/09/kermit-ai-generated-home-screen/679757/ 

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/09/confusion-is-the-new-clickbait/679916/ 

https://substack.com/@etymologynerd/p-159915598   

https://www.404media.co/brainrot-ai-on-instagram-is-monetizing-the-most-fucked-up-things-you-can-imagine-and-lots-you-cant/ 

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/meta-ai-insta-shuts-character-instagram-fb-accounts-user-outcry-rcna186177 

https://www.fastcompany.com/91293162/ai-slop-is-suffocating-the-web 

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/is-ai-art-stealing-from-artists 

Thank you to Tempus One for supporting this episode: https://www.tempuswines.com.au/shop/tempus-one-spritzers/

The biggest stories on the internet from April 10th, 2025.

Timestamps:

1:58 Trisha Paytas vs. Mikayla Nogueira

6:58 Gabby Windey responds to Clayton Echard's "bully" accusions

8:54 The viral swinger's party vlogger being memed across the internet

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

Subscribe to our weekly Substack: https://centennialworld.substack.com/ 

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Thank you to Tempus One for supporting this episode: https://www.tempuswines.com.au/shop/tempus-one-spritzers/

The biggest tech & social media trends on the internet from April 9th, 2025.

Timestamps:

2:00 The release and success of A Minecraft Movie

6:18 US TikTok ban extended once again

10:17 YouTube quietly removes gender identity from hate speech policies

Find our podcast YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18HclY7Tt5-1e3Z-MEP7Jg 

Subscribe to our weekly Substack: https://centennialworld.substack.com/ 

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Sources:https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/04/tiktok-ban-extension/682302/ https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114280893859636366 https://www.theverge.com/news/643964/tiktok-trump-ban-delay-warner-congress-response https://www.theverge.com/command-line-newsletter/644038/trumps-tariffs-tiktok-deal-china-bytedance https://www.teenvogue.com/story/vivian-jenna-wilson-elon-musk-trans-youth https://www.usermag.co/p/youtube-removes-gender-identity-from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/minecraft-movie-box-office-record-opening-1236182874 https://variety.com/2024/film/news/skibidi-toilet-michael-bay-movie-adam-goodman-1236077245/