No Opt-Out

No Opt-Out

By Conrad Schwellnus & Verena BryanSociety & CultureTechnologyEducation
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No Opt-Out episodes

  • S04E08: This Bot “Cares” About You
    Season finale time! For the first time, Verena gets Conrad’s answering machine, and her response sets the tone for an episode full of banter and laughter. A Pinterest email claiming to “care” about Verena’s mental health sparks a discussion about what triggers automatic messages from apps and where algorithms overstep their boundaries. Therapy enters the chat, AI actress Tilly Norwood gets a mention, and the pair say “ciao ciao” for now.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  • S04E07: A Concierge for Peace of Mind
    Conrad and Verena reconnect as Verena surprises him with news that his Berlin postcard has finally reached Las Vegas, well ahead of Christmas this year. They talk about Verena’s whirlwind New York trip across four states and her cousin’s no-tech adventure in the Andes. The discussion shifts to ageing with technology, sparking the idea of a “peace of mind” concierge service. Somewhere in there are dinosaur eggs and a definition for the latest fad, ambient AI.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  • S04E06: We All Have Creative Bones
    Creatives, pay attention. Conrad and Verena open this one in German before detouring into whether Verena is Conrad’s “favourite American” (spoiler alert: Gaga is). The chat turns to creativity and the widespread myth of not having “a creative bone in my body.” The dish : showing interest in others’ creative work matters, as does honest feedback and shared accountability.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  • S04E05: Where Do Archived Emails Go?
    In this episode, the digital besties zone in on tech that actually connects, exploring specific apps and features that could support a new type of online community. Email, calendar and messaging apps plonk themselves down in the hot seat to be analysed. A fridge magnet gift to a colleague, Slack reactions, and the mystery of archived emails keep them diving deeper into the vast modern tech landscape.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  • S04E04: ASAP Does Not Mean Right Now
    On their fourth call of the season, Conrad and Verena open with a laugh before drifting into late-night Google searches and the calm of silent films. The conversation turns to how easily tone gets lost online (from passive-aggressive smileys to “silenced notifications”). They delve into how digital communication strains boundaries, share stories about unread messages and WhatsApp oversharing, and agree that (seriously, seriously) “ASAP” does not mean right now.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  • S04E03: Good Practice for the Bigger Things
    Verena opens the call with a theory that companies have stopped designing products to please customers. The pair returns to a discussion on why users shouldn’t bear the burden of protecting their own mental health when platforms don’t. Conrad argues that people still need to take responsibility for our wellbeing. From disposable tech to hidden digital harms, they explore accountability for both users and creators.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
  • S04E02: Are We a Community?
    Conrad calls Verena in a frustrated state, but what starts as a venting session turns into a fast-paced chat about digital miscommunication and how it affects relationships. Verena revives the discussion on digital community, and Conrad suggests it simply doesn’t exist. Together they unpack societal loneliness with a philosophical lens and explore the limits of connecting only through a screen (as they’ve done for the past two years).

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min
  • S04E01: Creativity is Available to Everyone
    The digital besties are back! Season 4 begins with a catch-up that covers a Berlin birthday and a family reunion in Jamaica. Conrad admits to five hours of doomscrolling the night before (eek!), leading to a deep dive into how tech affects focus and motivation. They also discuss what it means to create under pressure, why consistent effort matters more than perfection, and how sharing creative energy strengthens their friendship.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  • S03E08: Open Mic Night for AI
    Season finale energy kicks in as Conrad shares he’s (hopefully) becoming a dog dad to a rescue called Enzo. Verena offers survival tips from her years of pet parenting and explains why she’ll never have or invest in a Robodog. The duo reflects on reaching their 24th recorded hour together (a full day, how?!) and explores how building a friendship online compares to doing so in person. Season 3 wraps with a final reminder to keep using our actual brains as much as possible in the “comedy show” of AI integration into society.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 4 min
  • S03E07: Where Do You Waste Time?
    They did what? Verena and Conrad get reflective in the penultimate episode of the season, break the fourth wall by talking about the pod for the first time (!!), and revisit how the show and their friendship have grown. They also talk about dog (and human) SSRIs, visa wins, and the incomparable Kevin the dog. Community has long been a hot topic on the show, but have they built one by accident just by showing up for these calls each week?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 3 min

About No Opt-Out

From the publisher's feed

Two fast friends explore living in harmony with tech, one transatlantic phone call at a time. With a touch of nostalgia, Conrad and Verena blend the old and new, using analogue forms of…