Let's escape December's darkness with a mental vacation to some exotic travel locales. Tulum! Bali! Lisbon! Millions of people visit these popular tourist destinations, but why? Is it for personal growth and discovery, or are we just chasing social rewards by notching another iconic photo on our Instagram page? Maybe it's both! 

The idea that "social media has ruined travel" gets brought up a lot by grumbly Internet curmudgeons, but is it true? Bridget took a look at what social science has to say about it and discussed what she found with Producer Mike. 

Read the research article by Drs. Lauren A. Siegel, Iis Tussyadiah, and Caroline Scarles

https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2086451

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Last year Bridget hosted a roundtable on racialized disinformation attacks with three incredible experts. They talked about the long historical foundations that bad actors have built on to amplify divisions and racial divisions, and the ways tech platforms and other institutions have been used to not only perpetuate disinformation but also make record profits doing it. While marginalized people are disproportionately at risk, disinfo affects everyone. These narratives were a huge problem leading up to the election, and I'm sad to say they will remain a huge problem going forward.

The roundtable was part of a video project with the great production company Exposure Labs. We're grateful to them and showrunner Josh Clark for the opportunity to be part of it, and for DCP Entertainment for making it possible. 

And special thanks to the incredible panelists for sharing their prescient insight: Jessica Ann Mitchell Aiwuyor, Founder of the National Black Cultural Information Trust; Liz Lebron, Founder & President of Blue Nexus Group; and Jaya Savita Aiyer, Director of the Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network.

Check out the entire Disinfo Dialogue here at DCP Entertainment: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRl4XDBfORqgbg7vB_I1JrJnrQxw-EDqg

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We’re back with an update about what’s been going on with Bridget, and exploring a new low for the use of AI.

AI-written obituaries are using technology to compound people’s grief and run roughshod over their privacy: https://www.fastcompany.com/91162990/ai-written-obituaries-are-compounding-peoples-grief

Bridget has had it with digital scammers eating away at our humanity, just so they can make a lousy buck. 

She has a very special set of skills. 

And this time, it's personal.

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An update about Bridget and the show. TLDR: We're going on hiatus for a bit while Bridget focuses on some family matters, but we'll be back with new episodes soon! 

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Amazon responds to Shein and Temu threat with new low-price storefront: https://www.techspot.com/news/103565-amazon-responds-shein-temu-threat-new-low-price.html

Fast fashion retailer Shein’s brand trip didn’t quite go as they planned. They sent a group of influencers to China to tour their facility after a bunch of bad press, but now those influencers are facing backlash themselves, and renouncing their partnership with Shein. The whole thing raises questions about the ethics and harm of fast fashion, as well as the influencers who shill for it.

Aja Barber wrote the book on consumption. She explains why it’s about more than just Shein.

Aja is the most stylish person I know! Follow her on Patreon for sustainable style insights: https://www.patreon.com/AjaBarber

Check out Aja’s book Consumed: https://www.ajabarber.com/book

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Want to write a book, be a musician, or be a podcaster? You’d better also be a social media branding expert, too.

Bridget joins writers and creatives Yvest Jeffcoat and Katie Mitchell from the podcast On Theme to dive into why social media has turned everyone into personal branding experts and why it can sometimes be so exhausting. 

Everyone’s a sellout now: https://www.vox.com/culture/2024/2/1/24056883/tiktok-self-promotion-artist-career-how-to-build-following

LISTEN TO YVES AND KATIE'S PODCAST ON THEME: https://www.ontheme.show/

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What’s the Deal With ‘Hawk Tuah’ Girl? https://www.thecut.com/article/hawk-tuah-girl-viral-tiktok-video-explained.html 

Exposing Cheaters Isn’t Always a Flex https://www.thecut.com/article/man-cheating-on-flight-tiktok.html

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After Georgia Congressman Mike Collins tweeted in support of frat guys harassing a Black woman with racist tropes… nothing really happened. Popular Information's Judd Legum explores why we need better stories about our democracy, the intersection of media complacency with corporate money, and what's at stake.

UPDATE: Congressman Collins feels the heat: https://popular.info/p/update-congressman-collins-feels

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Friend of the show Abbie Richards explains why low effort AI generated conspiracy theory content is all over TikTok right now and who is profiting from it. 

With TikTok creator program, AI-sped misinformation pays: https://www.axios.com/2024/03/26/tik-tok-creator-program-ai-misinformation

Follow Abbie Richards on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tofology

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If a tree falls in the garden where a woman enjoys drinking coffee with her husband and no one’s there to hear it, should the Internet harass her anyway? In 2022, Daisey sent one innocuous tweet that launched a thousand takes.

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