Who doesn't love video games? We all play them, yet women and communities of color can be shut out of the business end of this increasingly lucrative industry. 

Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams developed the first esports management program at a Historical Black College to make sure gaming and esports are for everybody. 

 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Who doesn't love video games? We all play them, yet women and communities of color can be shut out of the business end of this increasingly lucrative industry. Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams developed the first esports management program at a Historical Black College to make sure gaming and esports are for everybody.  Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Marginalized voices have always been at the forefront of the internet, yet our stories often go overlooked. Bridget Todd chronicles our experiences online, and the ways marginalized voices have shaped the internet from the very beginning. We need monuments to all of the identities that make being online what it is. So let’s build them.

There Are No Girls on the Internet

BONUS: Esports is for Everyone

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/679fef34-53ca-4d64-9e7f-ae280178c9c8/transcript

THIS WEEK ON THERE ARE NO GIRLS ON THE INTERNET

There Are No Girls on the Internet is a weekly podcast hosted by Bridget Todd. Every week we drop our news roundup — the tech and internet stories that don't get enough attention, the ones about AI, power, gender, race, and who actually gets hurt when systems fail.

This week: A man films men at urinals to catch "groomers." A Texas woman gets arrested for a Facebook post about brown water. And the word "Black" keeps disappearing from places it needs to be.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. New roundup episode every Friday.

📰 Here's what we were watching this week:

Schools posted photos of their students online — now criminals are turning them into explicit deepfakes and demanding money. For years, schools have proudly posted photos of their students online. Now criminals are scraping those photos, using AI to create explicit images of children, and blackmailing schools to keep them quiet. One UK school had 150 images made from their website alone. Experts are now urging schools to take all student photos down immediately. 🔗 The Guardian

A female JPMorgan banker was accused of turning her male colleague into a sex slave — now she's suing him back, saying he made it all up. Last month, a JPMorgan VP accused his female colleague of coercing him into sex, threatening him with racial slurs, and saying she "owned" him. The story went viral. Now she's fighting back, saying he fabricated everything to get money and attention — and that the lies have destroyed her life with nonstop harassment and memes. JPMorgan offered him $1 million to settle before he even filed. 🔗 The Guardian

Elon Musk's ex says he told her he had secret access to real-time election data before the results came in. Ashley St. Clair, who dated Elon Musk, is claiming he bragged to her about having access to election numbers before they were publicly announced — and that he knew Trump was going to win hours early. He also allegedly referenced "10,000 lasers in space" and an "anomaly in the matrix." Musk's team is calling it total nonsense. She has no proof — but the internet has thoughts. 🔗 Yahoo

A new law now forces social media platforms to remove explicit deepfakes and revenge porn within 48 hours of reporting — or face massive fines. The Take It Down Act is now fully in effect. If someone posts explicit images of you without your consent — real or AI-generated — platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit are legally required to take them down within 48 hours of reporting. Companies that don't comply face fines of over $53,000 per violation. It's already led to one conviction. But critics warn the law could be abused as a censorship tool — and Trump himself joked at his State of the Union that he planned to use it for himself. 🔗 The 19th | 🔗 The Verge

A man was jailed for 37 days for sharing a meme after Charlie Kirk was killed — a court just ordered the sheriff to pay him $835,000. After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed last year, a Tennessee man shared some memes on Facebook. His local sheriff decided that was a threat and had him arrested in the middle of the night. His bail was set at $2 million. He sat in jail for over a month before the charge was dropped. Now the sheriff owes him $835,000. 🔗 The New York Times

The DOJ just punished PayPal for creating a fund to help Black-owned businesses — and called it illegal discrimination. In 2020, PayPal created a $530 million fund to help Black and minority-owned small businesses. The Trump DOJ investigated it as illegal discrimination against white people. To settle, PayPal must now redirect that support to veteran-owned and farming businesses instead. No law was found to have been broken — but PayPal caved anyway. 🔗 Reuters

Congress quietly removed the word "Black" from a bill designed to save Black mothers' lives — and advocates are furious. Black women in America are three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Congress has been trying to pass a bill to fix this for years. It was called the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. Now, under pressure from Trump's anti-DEI crackdown, lawmakers have stripped "Black" from the title and almost everywhere in the text. Supporters say it had to be done to survive. Critics say a bill that won't name Black women can't save them. 🔗 What I'm Reading

A white doctor is suing a directory called "Find A Black Doctor" for not letting him list his practice on it. "Find A Black Doctor" is a directory founded to help Black patients find Black physicians. A white Colorado dermatologist, backed by a conservative anti-DEI group, is now suing it for not listing him. The same group previously went after a Coca-Cola distributor for hosting a women's empowerment event. 🔗 Black Enterprise

A Texas woman posted on Facebook that her town's water was making people sick — the city had her arrested for it. Jennifer Combs posted on Facebook that residents in Trinidad, Texas were being hospitalized from bacteria in the water. The city arrested her for "filing a false report." But the water was brown. A boil notice was later issued. The mayor admitted the pipes date back to the 1950s. She's now suing the city for political retaliation. 🔗 FOX 4

A man who wore Meta smart glasses to a Pride event to catch "groomers" was arrested for secretly filming men at the urinals. A Florida man wore Meta smart glasses to a Pride event, claiming he was there to expose child groomers. He used them to secretly record men at the urinals and posted the video online. The men he filmed were undercover cops. He also tried to bring a gun — then came back with an AR-15. Naples Pride responded: "A man who publicly accused our community of 'grooming' now stands accused of unlawfully recording people in a place where privacy is expected. The irony is difficult to ignore." 🔗 LGBTQ Nation

Bridget's forthcoming audiobook with Simon & Schuster, Love At First Prompt, explores AI, sex, and intimate relationships. Pre-order at LoveAtFirstPrompt.ai

Follow Bridget: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Bluesky

 

THIS WEEK ON THERE ARE NO GIRLS ON THE INTERNET
There Are No Girls on the Internet is a weekly podcast hosted by Bridget Todd. Every week we drop our news roundup &mdash; the tech and internet stories that don't get enough attention, the ones about AI, power, gender, race, and who actually gets hurt when systems fail.
This week: A man films men at urinals to catch "groomers." A Texas woman gets arrested for a Facebook post about brown water. And the word "Black" keeps disappearing from places it needs to be.
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. New roundup episode every Friday.
📰 Here's what we were watching this week:
Schools posted photos of their students online &mdash; now criminals are turning them into explicit deepfakes and demanding money. For years, schools have proudly posted photos of their students online. Now criminals are scraping those photos, using AI to create explicit images of children, and blackmailing schools to keep them quiet. One UK school had 150 images made from their website alone. Experts are now urging schools to take all student photos down immediately. 🔗<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/19/dangers-of-putting-pupils-images-on-school-websites"> The Guardian</a>
A female JPMorgan banker was accused of turning her male colleague into a sex slave &mdash; now she's suing him back, saying he made it all up. Last month, a JPMorgan VP accused his female colleague of coercing him into sex, threatening him with racial slurs, and saying she "owned" him. The story went viral. Now she's fighting back, saying he fabricated everything to get money and attention &mdash; and that the lies have destroyed her life with nonstop harassment and memes. JPMorgan offered him $1 million to settle before he even filed. 🔗<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/21/jpmorgan-banker-countersue-sexual-assault-accuser"> The Guardian</a>
Elon Musk's ex says he told her he had secret access to real-time election data before the results came in. Ashley St. Clair, who dated Elon Musk, is claiming he bragged to her about having access to election numbers before they were publicly announced &mdash; and that he knew Trump was going to win hours early. He also allegedly referenced "10,000 lasers in space" and an "anomaly in the matrix." Musk's team is calling it total nonsense. She has no proof &mdash; but the internet has thoughts. 🔗<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/elon-musks-ex-ashley-st-212324615.html"> Yahoo</a>
A new law now forces social media platforms to remove explicit deepfakes and revenge porn within 48 hours of reporting &mdash; or face massive fines. The Take It Down Act is now fully in effect. If someone posts explicit images of you without your consent &mdash; real or AI-generated &mdash; platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit are legally required to take them down within 48 hours of reporting. Companies that don't comply face fines of over $53,000 per violation. It's already led to one conviction. But critics warn the law could be abused as a censorship tool &mdash; and Trump himself joked at his State of the Union that he planned to use it for himself. 🔗<a href="https://19thnews.org/2025/05/take-it-down-act-signing-explicit-images/"> The 19th</a> | 🔗<a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/933518/take-it-down-act-notice-removal-social-media-deepfake"> The Verge</a>
A man was jailed for 37 days for sharing a meme after Charlie Kirk was killed &mdash; a court just ordered the sheriff to pay him $835,000. After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed last year, a Tennessee man shared some memes on Facebook. His local sheriff decided that was a threat and had him arrested in the middle of the night. His bail was set at $2 million. He sat in jail for over a month before the charge was dropped. Now the sheriff owes him $835,000. 🔗<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/us/larry-bushart-charlie-kirk-facebook-settlement.html?smid=threads-nytimes"> The New York Times</a>
The DOJ just punished PayPal for creating a fund to help Black-owned businesses &mdash; and called it illegal discrimination. In 2020, PayPal created a $530 million fund to help Black and minority-owned small businesses. The Trump DOJ investigated it as illegal discrimination against white people. To settle, PayPal must now redirect that support to veteran-owned and farming businesses instead. No law was found to have been broken &mdash; but PayPal caved anyway. 🔗<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/paypal-pays-30-million-settle-doj-probe-over-dei-investment-program-2026-05-12/"> Reuters</a>
Congress quietly removed the word "Black" from a bill designed to save Black mothers' lives &mdash; and advocates are furious. Black women in America are three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Congress has been trying to pass a bill to fix this for years. It was called the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. Now, under pressure from Trump's anti-DEI crackdown, lawmakers have stripped "Black" from the title and almost everywhere in the text. Supporters say it had to be done to survive. Critics say a bill that won't name Black women can't save them. 🔗<a href="https://www.whatimreading.net/p/word-black-disappeared-momnibus-act"> What I'm Reading</a>
A white doctor is suing a directory called "Find A Black Doctor" for not letting him list his practice on it. "Find A Black Doctor" is a directory founded to help Black patients find Black physicians. A white Colorado dermatologist, backed by a conservative anti-DEI group, is now suing it for not listing him. The same group previously went after a Coca-Cola distributor for hosting a women's empowerment event. 🔗<a href="https://www.blackenterprise.com/white-doctor-sues-find-a-black-doctor-directory/"> Black Enterprise</a>
A Texas woman posted on Facebook that her town's water was making people sick &mdash; the city had her arrested for it. Jennifer Combs posted on Facebook that residents in Trinidad, Texas were being hospitalized from bacteria in the water. The city arrested her for "filing a false report." But the water was brown. A boil notice was later issued. The mayor admitted the pipes date back to the 1950s. She's now suing the city for political retaliation. 🔗<a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/woman-arrested-facebook-post-concerning-trinidad-water-poisoning"> FOX 4</a>
A man who wore Meta smart glasses to a Pride event to catch "groomers" was arrested for secretly filming men at the urinals. A Florida man wore Meta smart glasses to a Pride event, claiming he was there to expose child groomers. He used them to secretly record men at the urinals and posted the video online. The men he filmed were undercover cops. He also tried to bring a gun &mdash; then came back with an AR-15. Naples Pride responded: "A man who publicly accused our community of 'grooming' now stands accused of unlawfully recording people in a place where privacy is expected. The irony is difficult to ignore." 🔗<a href="https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/05/man-secretly-recorded-men-using-restroom-claims-he-was-looking-to-catch/"> LGBTQ Nation</a>
Bridget's forthcoming audiobook with Simon &amp; Schuster, Love At First Prompt, explores AI, sex, and intimate relationships. Pre-order at<a href="http://loveatfirstprompt.ai"> LoveAtFirstPrompt.ai</a>
Follow Bridget:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/"> Instagram</a> |<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc"> TikTok</a> |<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet"> YouTube</a> |<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/bridgettodd.bsky.social"> Bluesky</a>
&nbsp;

Elon's Election Interference, JP Morgan's 'Sex Slave' Lawsuit, Charlie Kirk Facebook Post & Take It Down Act Explained — NEWS ROUNDUP

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b8a5f841-367d-4810-8f48-b45201533efd/transcript

This is part 1 of a 2-part arc about one of wildest tech stories I've seen in a long time. For over two decades, a husband and wife duo have been publishing EcommerceBytes, a respected trade publication for eBay sellers. But in 2019, someone started harassing them. It began with a spray painted fence, then quickly escalated to death threats and fetal pigs and a mysterious van outside their house. Eventually, they discovered that eBay's own security team was behind it all, with the campaign put into motion by then-CEO Devin Wenig. This bizarre and frightening story is a cautionary tale about the rise of private armies. It starts in San Francisco, takes us to the small community of Natick, Massachusetts, and ultimately takes TANGOTI listeners right back to Madison Square Garden. Buckle up.   

 

Let us know what you think by emailing hello@tangoti.com or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

 

Bridget's forthcoming audiobook with Simon & Schuster, Love At First Prompt, explores AI, sex, and intimate relationships. Pre-order at LoveAtFirstPrompt.ai

Follow Bridget: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Bluesky

This is part 1 of a 2-part arc about one of wildest tech stories I've seen in a long time. For over two decades, a husband and wife duo have been publishing EcommerceBytes, a respected trade publication for eBay sellers. But in 2019, someone started harassing them. It began with a spray painted fence, then quickly escalated to death threats and fetal pigs and a mysterious van outside their house. Eventually, they discovered that eBay's own security team was behind it all, with the campaign put into motion by then-CEO Devin Wenig. This bizarre and frightening story is a cautionary tale about the rise of private armies. It starts in San Francisco, takes us to the small community of Natick, Massachusetts, and ultimately takes TANGOTI listeners right back to Madison Square Garden. Buckle up.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Let us know what you think by emailing <a href="mailto:hello@tangoti.com" data-linkindex="0">hello@tangoti.com</a> or leaving a comment on Spotify.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Bridget's forthcoming audiobook with Simon &amp; Schuster, Love At First Prompt, explores AI, sex, and intimate relationships. Pre-order at <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Floveatfirstprompt.ai%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctariharrison%40iheartmedia.com%7C75411c4440c74cd1a40408deb5e511af%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639148192643884881%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=jOxYtGd%2BnA%2Fux%2Byz%2BVZUm%2FJ2V09VhU29TMxCDKnDzYQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1">LoveAtFirstPrompt.ai</a>
Follow Bridget: <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Finstagram.com%2Fbridgetmarieindc%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctariharrison%40iheartmedia.com%7C75411c4440c74cd1a40408deb5e511af%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639148192643912933%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=WPFX0jlejbhFSnDDwp6mXpr1Fr0tCosNf4FY1t60e%2FU%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="2">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftiktok.com%2F%40bridgetmarieindc&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctariharrison%40iheartmedia.com%7C75411c4440c74cd1a40408deb5e511af%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639148192643932073%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=VxzPN%2B8RVC%2BnEyWcjPHpKoszWsqEM4TkngQiC7ky6gs%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="3">TikTok</a> | <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutube.com%2F%40ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctariharrison%40iheartmedia.com%7C75411c4440c74cd1a40408deb5e511af%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639148192643950689%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=lEVjARfuBxpcZ24Om6Vl3q%2Bqqj7FPhxg3JBBTEwzEJU%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="4">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbsky.app%2Fprofile%2Ftangoti.bsky.social&amp;data=05%7C02%7Ctariharrison%40iheartmedia.com%7C75411c4440c74cd1a40408deb5e511af%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639148192643969104%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=E7su1ICy7Hf01A%2FwMtf3iC8Z%2FAicWDpWUQ9kN2epVwg%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="5">Bluesky</a>

eBay's Criminal Stalking Campaign Against a Journalist Was Run by Ex-Cops. They Nearly Got Away With It. 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/683d3432-6549-46c5-a600-b44f0158bd41/transcript

There Are No Girls on the Internet is a weekly podcast hosted by Bridget Todd. Every week we drop our news roundup — the tech and internet stories that don't get enough attention, the ones about AI, power, gender, race, and who actually gets hurt when systems fail.

This week: A racist streamer livestreams from a stretcher. A mother goes to prison for a Facebook grief post. Elon Musk's USAID cuts may kill 9 million people. And Peter Thiel found a way to let anyone punish journalists for $2,000.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. New roundup episode every Friday.

📰 Here's what we were watching this week:

Black Google employees said the company called them "not Googly enough" — Google just paid $50M to settle the lawsuit. A 2022 class action alleged Google hired Black employees into lower-paying roles, hazed them in interviews, and retaliated when they spoke up. The $50M payout comes with promises of pay equity audits and limits on forced arbitration. 🔗 AP News

A woman posted about her stillbirth on Facebook. Police showed up and sent her to prison for 2 years. A broke single mom in Nevada was charged with manslaughter after an online grief post tipped off a deputy. Her conviction was eventually vacated — but the deputy who investigated her went to the funeral home, took her baby's ashes, and brought them to her own home in Texas. The mother still doesn't have her son's remains. At least 412 women have faced criminal charges related to pregnancy loss since Roe was overturned, even in states where abortion is legal. 🔗 CNN

A female Twitch streamer's fan tried to break into her room. She broadcast the whole thing live. Streamer Jinny was cycling through Poland when a man she'd briefly met in her hotel lobby showed up at her door that night trying to get in. She barricaded herself with a chair, cried quietly on stream, and called emergency services while her chat contacted police on her behalf. He fled before they arrived — and was never caught. 🔗 Dexerto

Elon Musk bragged about feeding USAID "into the woodchipper." Scientists now say 9 million people could die because of it. USAID was the world's largest humanitarian aid agency before DOGE shut it down in 2025. A study published in the journal Science found the cuts triggered an immediate spike in violent conflict across Africa — in the places that needed the aid most. Scientists say even if USAID were restarted tomorrow, the trust is gone for good. 🔗 The Independent

George Floyd's 11-year-old daughter is being bullied at school by classmates repeating right-wing talking points about her father — as MAGA figures push to pardon his killer. Gianna Floyd is being mocked at her middle school by kids repeating false claims about her father's death. Right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro is leading an online campaign to pardon the police officer who killed George Floyd — falsely claiming Floyd died of a drug overdose despite the medical examiner ruling his death a homicide. A pardon would free the man currently serving 22½ years for his murder. 🔗 BET

Peter Thiel used his billionaire money to destroy Gawker. Now he's backing a startup that gives anyone that same power for $2,000. A new billionaire-backed startup called Objection lets anyone pay $2,000 to have a panel of AI models rule on whether a news story about them was fair. The journalist doesn't have to participate — a verdict gets published either way. Critics are calling it a censorship tool disguised as accountability. 🔗 TechCrunch

A racist streamer shot a Black disabled veteran and was shot himself in the altercation. He livestreamed from the stretcher. Dalton Eatherly, known online as "Chud the Builder," films himself hurling racial slurs at Black people in public. Last week he was arrested for refusing to pay a $370 restaurant bill after being kicked out for livestreaming racist content. Days later, he shot a Black disabled veteran outside a courthouse, was shot himself, and livestreamed from the stretcher. He's been arrested three times in six months. 🔗 CNN

Meet the "Sad Wives of AI" — women running their households while their husbands chase the AI hype. A Wired longform profiles the women left holding everything together while their partners spiral into AI obsession. It's a portrait of a certain kind of tech marriage in 2026. 🔗 Wired

YouTube will now scan its entire platform for deepfakes of your face — if you ask it to. YouTube is expanding its AI likeness detection tool to all adults with an account. You submit a selfie-style scan, and YouTube hunts for videos using your face without your consent. If it finds a match, you can request removal. The stakes for regular people are very real. 🔗 The Verge

Bumble just killed the swipe — and replaced it with AI dating agents. The app that built its brand on women making the first move is now letting AI make moves on your behalf. Whether that's progress or the end of something is a question worth sitting with. 🔗 The New York Times

A commencement speaker told arts and humanities graduates that AI is "the next industrial revolution." They booed her off the stage. When a real estate executive told the University of Central Florida's graduating class of film, animation, and media students that AI would transform their world, the crowd erupted. One graduate summed it up: "A lot of us are worried that companies are using this technology to replace artists rather than work alongside them." The revolution is not being applauded. 🔗 The Independent

Bridget's forthcoming audiobook with Simon & Schuster, Love At First Prompt, explores AI, sex, and intimate relationships. Pre-order at LoveAtFirstPrompt.ai

Follow Bridget: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Bluesky

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There Are No Girls on the Internet is a weekly podcast hosted by Bridget Todd. Every week we drop our news roundup &mdash; the tech and internet stories that don't get enough attention, the ones about AI, power, gender, race, and who actually gets hurt when systems fail.
This week: A racist streamer livestreams from a stretcher. A mother goes to prison for a Facebook grief post. Elon Musk's USAID cuts may kill 9 million people. And Peter Thiel found a way to let anyone punish journalists for $2,000.
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. New roundup episode every Friday.
📰 Here's what we were watching this week:
Black Google employees said the company called them "not Googly enough" &mdash; Google just paid $50M to settle the lawsuit. A 2022 class action alleged Google hired Black employees into lower-paying roles, hazed them in interviews, and retaliated when they spoke up. The $50M payout comes with promises of pay equity audits and limits on forced arbitration. 🔗 <a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-discrimination-black-employees-class-action-settlement-6a23689d337e7da837efd9e58f7082d0">AP News</a>
<hr>
A woman posted about her stillbirth on Facebook. Police showed up and sent her to prison for 2 years. A broke single mom in Nevada was charged with manslaughter after an online grief post tipped off a deputy. Her conviction was eventually vacated &mdash; but the deputy who investigated her went to the funeral home, took her baby's ashes, and brought them to her own home in Texas. The mother still doesn't have her son's remains. At least 412 women have faced criminal charges related to pregnancy loss since Roe was overturned, even in states where abortion is legal. 🔗 <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/16/us/abortion-rights-pregnancy-outcomes-criminalized">CNN</a>
<hr>
A female Twitch streamer's fan tried to break into her room. She broadcast the whole thing live. Streamer Jinny was cycling through Poland when a man she'd briefly met in her hotel lobby showed up at her door that night trying to get in. She barricaded herself with a chair, cried quietly on stream, and called emergency services while her chat contacted police on her behalf. He fled before they arrived &mdash; and was never caught. 🔗 <a href="https://www.dexerto.com/twitch/twitch-streamer-jinny-rescued-after-barricading-herself-in-hotel-room-to-escape-stalker-3365002/">Dexerto</a>
<hr>
Elon Musk bragged about feeding USAID "into the woodchipper." Scientists now say 9 million people could die because of it. USAID was the world's largest humanitarian aid agency before DOGE shut it down in 2025. A study published in the journal Science found the cuts triggered an immediate spike in violent conflict across Africa &mdash; in the places that needed the aid most. Scientists say even if USAID were restarted tomorrow, the trust is gone for good. 🔗 <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-deaths-us-aid-uk-africa-b2912347.html">The Independent</a>
<hr>
George Floyd's 11-year-old daughter is being bullied at school by classmates repeating right-wing talking points about her father &mdash; as MAGA figures push to pardon his killer. Gianna Floyd is being mocked at her middle school by kids repeating false claims about her father's death. Right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro is leading an online campaign to pardon the police officer who killed George Floyd &mdash; falsely claiming Floyd died of a drug overdose despite the medical examiner ruling his death a homicide. A pardon would free the man currently serving 22&frac12; years for his murder. 🔗 <a href="https://www.bet.com/article/96v7gi/george-floyd-daughter-gianna-bullied-at-school">BET</a>
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Peter Thiel used his billionaire money to destroy Gawker. Now he's backing a startup that gives anyone that same power for $2,000. A new billionaire-backed startup called Objection lets anyone pay $2,000 to have a panel of AI models rule on whether a news story about them was fair. The journalist doesn't have to participate &mdash; a verdict gets published either way. Critics are calling it a censorship tool disguised as accountability. 🔗 <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/15/can-ai-judge-journalism-a-thiel-backed-startup-says-yes-even-if-it-risks-chilling-whistleblowers/">TechCrunch</a>
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A racist streamer shot a Black disabled veteran and was shot himself in the altercation. He livestreamed from the stretcher. Dalton Eatherly, known online as "Chud the Builder," films himself hurling racial slurs at Black people in public. Last week he was arrested for refusing to pay a $370 restaurant bill after being kicked out for livestreaming racist content. Days later, he shot a Black disabled veteran outside a courthouse, was shot himself, and livestreamed from the stretcher. He's been arrested three times in six months. 🔗 <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/15/us/chud-the-builder-shooting-court-appearance">CNN</a>
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Meet the "Sad Wives of AI" &mdash; women running their households while their husbands chase the AI hype. A Wired longform profiles the women left holding everything together while their partners spiral into AI obsession. It's a portrait of a certain kind of tech marriage in 2026. 🔗 <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/meet-the-sad-wives-of-ai/">Wired</a>
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YouTube will now scan its entire platform for deepfakes of your face &mdash; if you ask it to. YouTube is expanding its AI likeness detection tool to all adults with an account. You submit a selfie-style scan, and YouTube hunts for videos using your face without your consent. If it finds a match, you can request removal. The stakes for regular people are very real. 🔗 <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/931884/youtube-likeness-detection-ai-deepfake-expansion-all-adults">The Verge</a>
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Bumble just killed the swipe &mdash; and replaced it with AI dating agents. The app that built its brand on women making the first move is now letting AI make moves on your behalf. Whether that's progress or the end of something is a question worth sitting with. 🔗 <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/14/well/bumble-swipe-feature-online-dating-apps.html">The New York Times</a>
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A commencement speaker told arts and humanities graduates that AI is "the next industrial revolution." They booed her off the stage. When a real estate executive told the University of Central Florida's graduating class of film, animation, and media students that AI would transform their world, the crowd erupted. One graduate summed it up: "A lot of us are worried that companies are using this technology to replace artists rather than work alongside them." The revolution is not being applauded. 🔗 <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/ai-college-graduation-eric-schmidt-google-b2981383.html">The Independent</a>
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Bridget's forthcoming audiobook with Simon &amp; Schuster, Love At First Prompt, explores AI, sex, and intimate relationships. Pre-order at <a href="http://LoveAtFirstPrompt.ai">LoveAtFirstPrompt.ai</a>
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Instagram Instants Flop, Bumble Removes Swiping & Elon Musk Trial Juror Speaks Out - NEWS ROUNDUP 

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