log out

Is social media just entertainment, or a risky behavior we’ve failed to regulate?

In this episode, Siara speaks with Bailey Parnell, founder of the Center for Digital Wellbeing and the voice behind the viral TED Talk on social media and mental health. They unpack the emotional and societal toll of the internet, from algorithmic manipulation to the erosion of empathy in comment sections.

Bailey explains why digital wellness goes far beyond screen time and how we can reclaim agency in a world designed to hijack our attention. The conversation spans everything from AI ethics and the illusion of privacy to policy solutions and spiritual antidotes for digital overwhelm.

Key topics include:

• Why social media should be treated like a risky behavior
• How to outsmart the algorithm and curate your feed with intention
• The role of AI in soft skill development and mental health support
• How digital habits affect relationships, attention, and self-worth
• What a wellness-focused algorithm could actually look like

⚠️ Heads up: brief mention of self-harm between 30:10-40:10 minute mark.

⁠Watch this episode on YouTube ⁠

⁠Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter, The Log Out Report⁠

Find Bailey online:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Youtube
• Instagram

Find Siara online:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Instagram⁠

Follow Log Out:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠TikTok⁠
• ⁠Bluesky⁠
• ⁠Twitter⁠
• ⁠Threads⁠
• Mastodon: Logoutpod

Other ways to listen:

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Amazon Music⁠

⁠Watch the trailer ⁠

⁠Visit our website⁠

Is AI really as powerful as we’re told, or are we falling for hype-driven illusions?

In this episode, Siara speaks with Arvind Narayanan, co-author of AI Snake Oil, breaks down the myths shaping the AI industry—from hiring algorithms to criminal justice and beyond. He explains how AI is often marketed as a revolutionary solution when, in reality, many of these technologies don’t—and can’t—work as promised.

We explore the regulatory landscape, the potential for an AI bubble, and why artificial general intelligence (AGI) may be further away than we think. Arvind also discusses the biases baked into AI systems, the ethics of AI-driven decision-making, and the importance of skepticism in evaluating AI research and media narratives.

Key topics include:

• Why AI bias is more harmful than most people realize
• The ethics and limitations of AI in content moderation
• Why specific AI applications are often more effective than general-purpose models

Watch this episode on YouTube

Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter, The Log Out Report

Find Arvind online:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Get the book

Find Siara online:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

Follow Log Out:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Bluesky
• Twitter
• Threads
• Mastodon: Logoutpod

Other ways to listen:

Apple Podcasts

Amazon Music

Watch the trailer

Visit our website

Welcome to Log Out.

Welcome to Log Out. I’m Siara, your host. I'm not an influencer, not a founder, not selling you anything—just someone deeply curious about the ways technology is shaping us.

In this episode, I set the stage for what’s to come. I’ll talk about my own struggles with smartphone dependency, what the science says about tech addiction, and why I’m launching this podcast: not as an anti-tech crusade, but as an honest, thoughtful exploration.

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about your phone use or just wanted to understand how tech is shaping our world, you’re in the right place.

⁠Watch this episode on YouTube ⁠

⁠Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter, The Log Out Report⁠

Find Siara online:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Instagram⁠

Follow Log Out:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠TikTok⁠
• ⁠Bluesky⁠
• ⁠Twitter⁠
• ⁠Threads⁠
• Mastodon: Logoutpod

Other ways to listen:

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Amazon Music⁠

⁠Watch the trailer ⁠

⁠Visit our website⁠

Get to know Siara. She's just like you.

⁠logoutpod.com

Subscribe to the log out Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, or wherever you listen.

⁠Apple Podcasts⁠

⁠Amazon⁠

⁠Website⁠