Samantha Cole

Samantha Cole

Sam Cole is writing from the far reaches of the internet, about sexuality, the adult industry, online culture, and AI. She's the author of How Sex Changed the Internet and the Internet Changed Sex.
399 posts
Behind the Blog: Party Vibes and Spilling Tea
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Party Vibes and Spilling Tea

This week, we discuss meeting a bunch of you in LA, the ongoing Tea saga, and age verification sweeping the UK.
Spotify Is Forcing Users to Undergo Face Scanning to Access Explicit Content
spotify

Spotify Is Forcing Users to Undergo Face Scanning to Access Explicit Content

Submit to biometric face scanning or risk your account being deleted, Spotify says, following the enactment of the UK's Online Safety Act.
Former Moderator Sues Chaturbate for 'Psychological Trauma'
Content Moderation

Former Moderator Sues Chaturbate for 'Psychological Trauma'

“Without these safeguards, Mr. Barber eventually developed full-blown PTSD, which he is currently still being treated for,” the former mod's lawyer said.
Behind the Blog: Don't Record Me, Bro
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Don't Record Me, Bro

This week, we discuss smart glasses for frat bros, Amazon comms messiness, and more.
Grindr Won’t Let Users Say 'No Zionists'
grindr

Grindr Won’t Let Users Say 'No Zionists'

An error message appears saying "The following are not allowed: no zionist, no zionists" when users try to add the phrase to their bios, but any number of other phrases about political and religious preferences are allowed.
The NIH Is Capping Research Proposals Because It's Overwhelmed by AI Submissions
AI

The NIH Is Capping Research Proposals Because It's Overwhelmed by AI Submissions

The NIH wrote that it has recently “observed instances of Principal Investigators submitting large numbers of applications, some of which may have been generated with AI tools."
Behind the Blog: High Stakes Data Dumps
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: High Stakes Data Dumps

This week, we discuss data dumps, high stakes, and lizard brain screen time.
White House Partners With PragerU to Make AI-Slopified Founding Fathers
AI

White House Partners With PragerU to Make AI-Slopified Founding Fathers

John Adams says "facts do not care about our feelings" in one of the AI-generated videos in PragerU's series partnership with White House.
Behind the Blog: In Our Lane
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: In Our Lane

This week, we discuss choosing what to cover, fishing expeditions, and the library.
'Save Our Signs' Wants to Save the Real History of National Parks Before Trump Erases It
archiving

'Save Our Signs' Wants to Save the Real History of National Parks Before Trump Erases It

Trump wants to erase any "negative" content from educational sites at National Parks. A group of data preservationists asks visitors to help them document placards and monuments, before they disappear.
Gone Fishin': 404 Media Summer Break 2025
PSA

Gone Fishin': 404 Media Summer Break 2025

404 Media is closed this week. School's out.
Behind the Blog: Chatbot 'Addiction' and a Reading List
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Chatbot 'Addiction' and a Reading List

This week, we discuss wrestling over a good headline, what to read this summer, and Super 8 film.