In a Decoder interview, comedian and podcaster Adam Conover traces his path from CollegeHumor through cable's Adam Ruins Everything and Netflix back to YouTube, where he now runs a podcast called Factually! He contends Hollywood abandoned large swaths of TV programming to YouTube while chasing Netflix and HBO-style prestige, and rejects the notion that this shift democratized media.
Australian lawmakers are considering new rules that would give users the ability to opt out of algorithm-driven content feeds on social media platforms. The move follows Australia's earlier push to ban social media access for teenagers, extending regulatory pressure on tech platforms operating in the country.
The piece critiques the romanticized idea of disappearing into private, isolated effort—'the Cave'—citing examples like Michael Phelps's Under Armour ad and personal wrestling experience. The author argues that smart devices, recommendation algorithms, and AI reinforce this isolation by feeding people what they already believe rather than challenging them.