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Kaleidoscope

Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On kill switch, we explain the right NOW of our super charged technological lives. New host Dexter Thomas answers questions big and small – like who’s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?

kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech – “How to Now” on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more “user-friendly” our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We’re here to help you take back control. And if we can’t… Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.

Sleepwalkers

Lo-Fi beats once stood as the chill soundtrack of the internet, a cozy genre rooted in human touch and imperfections. But in recent years, AI-generated mixes have flooded platforms like YouTube, pumping out endless streams of eerily similar tracks that mimic the vibe, without the soul. What happens when the scene gets overtaken by AI? Dexter talks to Kieran Press-Reynolds, a writer at Pitchfork, about how AI is reshaping the genre, what that means for artists, and whether there is still room for the human touch in the age of AI-generated beats. 
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
 
Read + Watch:
 
Kieran’s article, “How AI Wreaked Havoc on the Lo-Fi Beat Scene”: https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/how-ai-wreaked-havoc-on-the-lo-fi-beat-scene/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI beats to study to

Wearable tech is having a moment – after the implosion of Google Glass back in 2013, which faced backlash and ridicule, we’re now readily embracing wearables from rings to AI pendants to new smart glasses in the form of Meta Ray-Bans. What’s behind the new fervor of wearables today, and have we moved on from the privacy and surveillance questions that plagued Google Glass? Dexter talks to Victoria Song, a senior reviewer at The Verge whose job it is to test out each new iteration of this technology, about the state of wearables today, why companies are obsessed with getting AI into them, and how they’ve already changed how we talk to each other, and ourselves, IRL.
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Victoria’s smart glasses review on The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/10/24340208/ces-2025-smart-glasses-rokid-halliday-xreal-vuzix-nuance-audio
 
“How the low-vision community embraced AI smart glasses” from The Vergecast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgu0a9QK75E
 
The Daily Show segment, “Glass Half Empty”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClvI9fZaz6M
 
“Why Do Scouters Explode?”: https://en.dragon-ball-official.com/news/01_1666.html

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

the glassholes are back

Every day there’s a new story about how people are using AI chatbots for therapy – even ChatGPT, which was never designed for that purpose. But, as bad or weird as it sounds, could these chatbots fill a need for people who can’t afford mental health care? Dexter talks to journalist Ella Chakarian, who’s tested a bunch of these AI “therapists,” as well as a real, human therapist, Dr. Stephen Schueller, from the University of California Irvine, about the promises, dangers, and future of AI in therapy. 
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Ella’s article, Fake credentials, stolen licenses: Virtual therapists are lying like crazy to patients: https://sfstandard.com/2025/05/11/ai-chatbots-fake-therapists/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

should you use a chatbot for therapy?

The Fisker Ocean was supposed to be the "world's most sustainable vehicle." With a range of 400 miles, a strong emphasis on software and a price tag of $50,000, the car raised billions in funding and hoped to rival Tesla. But after a disastrous roll out, the company went bankrupt and glitchy software left customers with a 2.5 ton paperweight. Dexter talks to Aarian Marshall, a reporter for WIRED, about what exactly went wrong, why Fisker Ocean owners refuse to give up on the car, and what this all says about the future of car ownership. 
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod on IG, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
 
Fisker Ocean owners, reach out to Aarian Marshall at aarian_marshall@wired.com. 
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Aarian’s article, Fisker Went Bankrupt. What Do Its EV Owners Do Next?: https://www.wired.com/story/fisker-went-bankrupt-what-do-its-ev-owners-do-next/
 
Marques Brownlee’s Review, This is the Worst Car I've Ever Reviewed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xWXRk3yaSw&ab_channel=AutoFocus 
 
George J Saliba, Fisker Senior Engineer’s Call to Marques’ Car Dealer: https://www.tiktok.com/@georgejsaliba/video/7341936160941280555?lang=en
 
r/Fisker AMA Thread, Hello, I am a current Fisker Inc. employee. Ask Me Anything (AMA): https://www.reddit.com/r/Fisker/comments/1bnzrts/hello_i_am_a_current_fisker_inc_employee_ask_me/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

a software update bricked my car

VTubers, or Virtual Youtubers, are growing at a rapid rate in the United States. Just last month, 1200+ fans paid up to $180 each to attend Fantastic Reality, a live VTuber mini-festival in a packed theatre in Los Angeles. But what exactly is VTubing? Can you ever truly build a connection with someone you don’t actually see? Dexter talks to Kou Mariya, a 6,669-year-old blonde vampire anime girl and one of the headliners of Fantastic Reality. She explains what attracts people to VTubing and the practicalities of portraying a virtual character. Plus, as one of the producers of Fantastic Reality and a co-founder of Emerging Technology Company, Spencer Burnham joins the show to walk us through the music culture side of VTubing.
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Dexter’s article in WIRED, Anime Girl VTubers Are Selling Out Concerts, but Are They ‘Real’? Depends on Who You Ask: https://www.wired.com/story/anime-girl-vtubers-are-selling-out-concerts-but-are-they-real-depends-on-who-you-ask/
 
Fantastic Reality Website: https://www.fantasticreality.live/
 
Kou Mariya’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Kou_Mariya/videos

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

vtubers and why "it’s not silly to be an anime girl on the internet"

Tea called itself a women’s safety app. Then, 4chan found it. Selfies, IDs, even private messages were left exposed after two massive data breaches. Tens of thousands of women were affected, but hundreds of thousands still want to sign up. We break down what went wrong, and what it says about the tech we trust to keep us safe. 
 
Dexter talks to journalists and 404 Media co-founders Emanuel Maiberg and Sam Cole about what happened, and what this could mean for women (and men!) whose information was exposed. 
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Emanuel’s coverage on the Tea data breach: 
 
Women Dating Safety App 'Tea' Breached, Users' IDs Posted to 4chan: https://www.404media.co/women-dating-safety-app-tea-breached-users-ids-posted-to-4chan/
 
A Second Tea Breach Reveals Users’ DMs About Abortions and Cheating: https://www.404media.co/a-second-tea-breach-reveals-users-dms-about-abortions-and-cheating/
 
Tea User Files Class Action After Women’s Safety App Exposes Data: https://www.404media.co/tea-user-files-class-action-after-womens-safety-app-exposes-data/
 
Sam’s coverage on ‘Are We Dating the Same Guy?’ Facebook groups: 
 
Man Who Sued 'Are We Dating the Same Guy?' Groups Files Class Action Lawsuit: https://www.404media.co/man-who-sued-are-we-dating-the-same-guy-groups-files-class-action-lawsuit/
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod on IG, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

why are women still signing up for tea?

This week we want to take a look at a little-known technology kept from public view: electronic tablets in prisons. Dexter talks to Gaby Caplan, a journalist and documentary filmmaker who has been researching how these tablets are used, the connection to the outside world that they promised, and why federal prisons have gone back on that promise.
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Gaby’s piece on WIRED: https://www.wired.com/story/electronic-tablets-in-federal-prisons-chat-apps-disabled/
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

tech review: tablets in prisons

If you’ve been resistant to using a password manager, or if you want to step up your overall digital security, this episode is for you. Dexter talks to Josh Blackwelder, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer of SentinelOne, about the dangers of having weak passwords (even for accounts you don’t care about), why you definitely should use a password manager, and why you should switch your email account to login by something better than a password: the passkey. We’re here to evangelize the importance of digital security – and keep you from getting hacked. If there’s someone in your life who needs to hear this, share this episode with them.
 
Useful links: 
 
Check to see if your data’s been leaked: https://haveibeenpwned.com/
 
Check how strong your passwords are: https://bitwarden.com/password-strength/
 
Set up Google passkey: https://g.co/passkeys
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

how to: not get hacked

We’re living in a world shaped by algorithms. They’re not just curating our feeds, they’re changing the way we speak. 
 
Dexter talks with Adam Aleksic, aka the Etymology Nerd, about his new book Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language. They unpack how algorithmic censorship on social media is reshaping the way we use language online, and how it’s bleeding into real life. 
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Make sure to check out Adam’s book, Algospeak: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776856/algospeak-by-adam-aleksic/
 
Where to find Adam online: 
https://www.etymologynerd.com/
 
https://etymology.substack.com/
 
Or @etymologynerd on social media.
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

the algorithm made me say it

AI music generators are not only the product of scraped (read: stolen) music, they’re also threatening the livelihood of musicians. But there are people who are finding ways to fight back – by using a technique called poison pilling. This week, Dexter talks to two of them: Benn Jordan, a musician and YouTuber who developed a tool called Poisonify, and Jian Liu, the lead developer of HarmonyCloak and Music Shield. These programs add imperceptible noise to a music file rendering it indecipherable to an AI model – and we got to test out how these work with our own theme song.
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Benn’s YouTube video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMYm2d9bmEA
 
Jian Liu and Syed Irfan’s paper on HarmonyCloak – https://mosis.eecs.utk.edu/publications/meerza2024harmonycloak.pdf
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod on IG, or @dexdigi anywhere.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

how to poison AI music scrapers

When ICE raids sparked massive protests across Los Angeles, something unusual appeared in the sky: Predator drones. Dexter talks to Joseph Cox over at 404 Media to understand how military-grade surveillance aircrafts ended up flying over U.S. citizens and what that means for the future of civil liberties.
 
Read + Watch: 
 
Joseph’s articles on the Predator drones flying over the protests:
 
DHS Flew Predator Drones Over LA Protests, Audio Shows: https://www.404media.co/dhs-flew-predator-drones-over-la-protests-audio-shows/
 
CBP Confirms It Is Flying Predator Drones Above Los Angeles To Support ICE: https://www.404media.co/cbp-confirms-it-is-flying-predator-drones-above-los-angeles-to-support-ice/
 
Also: 
How to Protest Safely: What to Bring, What to Do, and What to Avoid: https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-protest-safely-gear-tips/
 
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance: https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-protest-safely-surveillance-digital-privacy/
 
Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

why are predator drones flying over LA?

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