While you were going about your life, we all narrowly avoided a complete disaster. This is the story of how one lone Microsoft engineer saved all of us. Dexter talks to Alex Stamos, Chief Information Security Officer at SentinelOne, about how it all went down and why this story still terrifies him today.

Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

While you were going about your life, we all narrowly avoided a complete disaster. This is the story of how one lone Microsoft engineer saved all of us. Dexter talks to Alex Stamos, Chief Information Security Officer at SentinelOne, about how it all went down and why this story still terrifies him today.
Got something you&rsquo;re curious about? Hit us up <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On killswitch, 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.

 

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 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dexdigi/?hl=en">Dexter Thomas</a> answers questions big and small &ndash; like who&rsquo;s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?
kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech &ndash; &ldquo;How to Now&rdquo; on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more &ldquo;user-friendly&rdquo; our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We&rsquo;re here to help you take back control. And if we can&rsquo;t&hellip; Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.
&nbsp;

kill switch

Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On killswitch, 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.

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 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dexdigi/?hl=en">Dexter Thomas</a> answers questions big and small &ndash; like who&rsquo;s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?
kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech &ndash; &ldquo;How to Now&rdquo; on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more &ldquo;user-friendly&rdquo; our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We&rsquo;re here to help you take back control. And if we can&rsquo;t&hellip; Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.

the biggest hack that never happened: the xz utils story

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d0fb9360-927f-4cbb-98cd-b2ce01305812/transcript

Direct File promised a free and easy way for Americans to file their taxes, but after two successful tax seasons, it was shut down. Dexter talks with Merici Vinton, who helped build Direct File, about the project's development, why it was an example of a good government program, and how lobbying from private tax companies and DOGE’s involvement ultimately led to its downfall. Could Direct File make a comeback, or has the opportunity for free tax filing already passed? 

Hit us up: killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod and @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

Links: 
Merici’s Direct File story: https://fas.org/publication/end-of-irs-direct-file/  
kill switch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod

Direct File promised a free and easy way for Americans to file their taxes, but after two successful tax seasons, it was shut down. Dexter talks with Merici Vinton, who helped build Direct File, about the project's development, why it was an example of a good government program, and how lobbying from private tax companies and DOGE&rsquo;s involvement ultimately led to its downfall. Could Direct File make a comeback, or has the opportunity for free tax filing already passed?&nbsp;
Hit us up: <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @killswitchpod and @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
Links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Merici&rsquo;s Direct File story: <a href="https://fas.org/publication/end-of-irs-direct-file/">https://fas.org/publication/end-of-irs-direct-file/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">kill switch on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod">https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod</a></li>
</ul>

why the IRS killed a free, easy way to file your taxes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/dcebe857-674e-4313-b856-b425013f3019/transcript

Wartime propaganda isn’t new – but the use of AI slop in churning out propaganda videos is. And in this proxy war, Iran is winning. Dexter talks to Matthew Gault, who recently wrote about the Iran-US slopaganda war for 404 Media, about the strategy behind Iran’s videos, why the US is losing online, and how AI has amplified an age-old war tactic.

Read Matthew’s piece for 404: https://www.404media.co/iran-is-winning-the-ai-slop-propaganda-war/

Hit us up: killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod and @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

This episode was livestreamed on YouTube. Catch the next one live by subscribing to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod

Wartime propaganda isn&rsquo;t new &ndash; but the use of AI slop in churning out propaganda videos is. And in this proxy war, Iran is winning. Dexter talks to Matthew Gault, who recently wrote about the Iran-US slopaganda war for 404 Media, about the strategy behind Iran&rsquo;s videos, why the US is losing online, and how AI has amplified an age-old war tactic.
Read Matthew&rsquo;s piece for 404: <a href="https://www.404media.co/iran-is-winning-the-ai-slop-propaganda-war/">https://www.404media.co/iran-is-winning-the-ai-slop-propaganda-war/</a>
Hit us up: killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod and @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
This episode was livestreamed on YouTube. Catch the next one live by subscribing to our channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod">https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod</a>

why Iran is winning the AI propaganda war

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1b1a6749-b92d-46c0-9a4f-b41f00356941/transcript

Ethan Zuckerman helped design the amateur web as we know it. In the 90s, he worked at Tripod, providing free web space for anyone to build their own site. His invention, pop-up ads, helped make that possible. The industry ran with it, and the Internet was never the same.

Since then, Ethan’s been on a mission to fix the Internet and bring it back to what he hoped it would be – he even sued Facebook over it. Dexter talks to Ethan about how to make advertising less surveillant, a “free-trade coffee” model of the web, and why ad blockers might hint at a way to make Facebook a better place.

Hit us up: killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod and @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

Links: 
Ethan Zuckerman and Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci’s proposal on Forgetful Adveritising: https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/area/center/isp/documents/zuckerman.pdf
Ethan’s op-ed in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/05/opinion/facebook-court-internet-meta.html
Ethan and Isaac Brickman’s proposal for middleware: https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/JMYZ3GJKPE7UTCN8ZR3K/full
kill switch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod

Ethan Zuckerman helped design the amateur web as we know it. In the 90s, he worked at Tripod, providing free web space for anyone to build their own site. His invention, pop-up ads, helped make that possible. The industry ran with it, and the Internet was never the same. Since then, Ethan&rsquo;s been on a mission to fix the Internet and bring it back to what he hoped it would be &ndash; he even sued Facebook over it. Dexter talks to Ethan about how to make advertising less surveillant, a &ldquo;free-trade coffee&rdquo; model of the web, and why ad blockers might hint at a way to make Facebook a better place.
Hit us up: <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @killswitchpod and @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
Links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Ethan Zuckerman and Chand Rajendra-Nicolucci&rsquo;s proposal on Forgetful Adveritising: <a href="https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/area/center/isp/documents/zuckerman.pdf">https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/area/center/isp/documents/zuckerman.pdf</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Ethan&rsquo;s op-ed in the New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/05/opinion/facebook-court-internet-meta.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/05/opinion/facebook-court-internet-meta.html</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Ethan and Isaac Brickman&rsquo;s proposal for middleware: <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/JMYZ3GJKPE7UTCN8ZR3K/full">https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/JMYZ3GJKPE7UTCN8ZR3K/full</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">kill switch on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod">https://www.youtube.com/@killswitch_pod</a></li>
</ul>

he monetized the web. now he has a plan to fix it

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f55dd139-bd0b-4e16-9d38-b417015aff57/transcript

the biggest hack that never happened: the xz utils story

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