When graduate instructor Mel Curth gave a student a failing grade for work that didn't answer the assignment, she couldn't have predicted what would happen next. Within days, the student, backed by Turning Point USA and right-wing media, had launched a national campaign. The university removed Mel from teaching. The grade was thrown out. And the student became a conservative media celebrity.

Mel’s attorney Brittany Stewart, has defended LGBTQ rights in Oklahoma for decades, breaks down what really happened at the University of Oklahoma, and what it reveals about the coordinated effort to push trans people out of academia and public life. 

Listen to our full episode breaking down the situation (and yes, we read Samantha’s full essay!): https://omny.fm/shows/there-are-no-girls-on-the-internet/this-univ-of-oklahoma-essay-is-so-bad-it-launched-a-culture-war-career

Listen to Brittany’s great podcast The Thunder Gals (OKC’s ONLY female-led Thunder media!!) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thunder-gals/id1555886306

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should you trust MAHA's wellness doctors? Dr. Peter Attia's gross emails with Jeffrey Epstein just exposed how mainstream institutions keep platforming these guys—and why they're always caught off guard. We're re-releasing our deep dive into Dr. Andrew Huberman, also a CBS contributor, and why the business model behind 'bro science' takes off online. 

CBS pulls Peter Attia segment after Epstein fallout, but Bari Weiss is sticking by him – for now: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/cbs-peter-attia-bari-weiss-epstein-60-minutes-b2913369.html

Andrew Huberman is having a rough one after New York Mag published a long read looking into his personal and professional life: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/andrew-huberman-podcast-stanford-joe-rogan.html

Andrew Huberman Has Supplements on the Brain: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/andrew-huberman-has-bad-case-supplement-brain

So, Should You Trust Andrew Huberman? https://slate.com/technology/2024/03/andrew-huberman-huberman-lab-health-advice-podcast-debunk.html

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is WhatsApp reading your private encrypted messages? That's what was claimed in a bombshell 2025 lawsuit, which cited whistleblowers from Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa. 

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is using every tool they have to force tech companies to turn over people's personal communications. Just this morning, the Washington Post published an exclusive investigative report about DHS using subpoenas to quietly surveil and silence their political enemies. 

Protecting our digital privacy has never been more important. In this conversation with Anney and Samantha from Stuff Mom Never Told You, Bridget covers the many reasons you shouldn't trust WhatsApp and Zuckerberg with your personal messages, and suggests a safer alternative. 

Link to today's Washington Post piece: https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/02/03/homeland-security-administrative-subpoena/  

Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tech conference Devternity was canceled (not fake canceled, literally canceled) after allegations that the founder has been inventing fake women and catfishing on Instagram for years.

Bridget does a deep dive to get to the bottom of it, and what it says about default, dismissive attitudes about marginalized people in tech. There were real women the whole time! Why not invite one of them?!

A Tech Conference Listed Fake Speakers for Years: I Accidentally Noticed: https://blog.pragmaticengineer.com/devternity-fake-speakers/

Male Tech Conference Founder Is Behind Popular Woman Coding Influencer Account: https://www.404media.co/coding-unicorn-instagram-julia-kirsina-devternity/

Tech Conference Collapses After Organizer Admits to Making Fake ‘Auto-Generated’ Female Speaker: https://www.404media.co/devternity-fake-speakers-eduard-sizovs/

Eduards Sizovs’s full response thread: https://twitter.com/eduardsi/status/1728422017417032140

Here’s a collection of Julia through the years: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Fds4DgzU_Yem577sfGykauuNkltIq3ykZdZUd1EAUE/edit?usp=sharing

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years in limbo, TikTok is now officially operating under American ownership for users in the United States, purchased by a group of investors backed by the Trump administration. 

And that shift is happening at a moment when a lot of people are already feeling scared, angry, and on edge — including in the wake of yet another killing involving ICE in Minnesota. 

There’s been no shortage of warnings, rumors, and worst-case scenarios about what this new era of TikTok might look like for democracy, privacy, and organizing in marginalized communities. To help us all separate fact from fear, Bridget talks with Jessica Maddox, associate professor of Media Studies at the University of Georgia.

Follow Jess on social media to keep up with what's happening: 

 - Instagram and Threads: jessmaddox21 

 - Substack: bythewaysocial.substack.com

 - Bluesky: jessmaddox.bsky.social

Let us know what you think about this episode by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's News Roundup, Bridget and Producer Mike cover the tech & culture news stories you might have missed.

.

Oscar nominations are out, and Bridget has opinions!

.

The Internet is consumed with controversy over two straight hockey podcasters' embrace of the hot and heavy queer series Heated Rivalry after text messages shared with Alex Reimer at Queerty suggest it's all an act. This is the low stakes, high drama Internet conflict we live for. https://www.queerty.com/do-hockey-bros-actually-like-heated-rivalry-or-are-they-just-performing-for-views-20260121/ 

.

The White House social media team posted an altered photo that used AI to darken a protester and civil rights icon's skin and make it look like she was crying, hours after they had posted the unaltered photo that showed her looking badass and defiant. When faced with a choice between "despicable" or "incompetent," this administration once again grabs for both. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/white-house-ice-protest-arrest-altered-image

.

Florida man, manosphere podcaster, and Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback is running on a platform of attacking Only Fans models, but less interested in talking about dodging lawsuits from his former employer or his alleged affair with a girl who worked for him when she was 17.

.

Soledad O’Brien on the now Oscar Nominated documentary Perfect Neighbor: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soledad-obrien-explores-stand-your-ground-in-netflix/id1520715907?i=1000738453445

Gloria Richardson’s iconic side eye: https://www.grunge.com/465629/the-untold-story-of-gloria-richardson/

We Watched Amazon Prime’s War of the Worlds So You Don't Have To: https://omny.fm/shows/there-are-no-girls-on-the-internet/we-watched-amazon-prime-s-war-of-the-worlds-so-you-dont-have-to

Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

.

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right-wing influencer Ashley St. Clair has a long history of transphobic behavior, including authoring a children’s book promoting those views. When she recently expressed regret for that past behavior, Elon Musk threatened to petition for sole custody of the child they share.

Parker Molloy — writer and editor of the popular newsletter The Present Age — joins me to grapple with St. Clair’s apology, what accountability can look like in the public eye, and what happens when someone attempts to step off the outrage machine that once rewarded them.

Read Parker’s piece: A Conservative Influencer Apologized for Her Anti-Trans Past. Elon Musk Is Trying to Take Her Kid
https://www.readtpa.com/p/a-conservative-influencer-apologized

Parker previously worked at Media Matters. You can listen to our deep dive into Elon Musk’s legal attacks on the organization here:
https://omny.fm/shows/there-are-no-girls-on-the-internet/elon-musk-boosts-antisemitic-tweet-and-advertisers

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's News Roundup, Bridget and Producer Joey cover the tech news stories you might have missed.

Updates on X and Grok creating nonconsensual sex images. They're still doing it, but now they're at least pretending they aren't: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceqz7pyd303o

Our deep dive episode into what’s happening with Grok: https://podcasts.apple.com/xk/podcast/elons-grok-sexualized-renee-goods-dead-body-and-hes/id1520715907?i=1000744528946

A Phoenix gay bar announced a plan to use AI. Should they? https://www.lookoutnews.org/a-phoenix-gay-bar-announced-a-plan-to-use-artificial-intelligence-should-they

The Tea App is back, and they want you to know they care about security now. https://mashable.com/article/tea-app-is-back-but-not-on-apple-app-store

An investigation by the Fuller Project found that an algorithm used by the Veterans' Affairs Administration to determine which veterans get treatment prioritizes white men: https://fullerproject.org/story/artificial-intelligence-veteran-suicide-prevention-algorithm-favors-men/

GoFundMe Ignores Own Rules by Hosting a Legal-Defense Fund for the ICE Agent Who Killed Renee Good: https://www.wired.com/story/gofundme-ice-jonathan-ross-renee-good-fundraiser/

Let us know what you think about these stories by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify.

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the weekly news roundup! Rare Tuesday edition (it's still January; we'll get back to the regular schedule soon). Bridget breaks down the tech news you might have missed with Producer Mike.

Watch ASSSCAT! For free on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4HTxmqNTCY

Please look at this picture of the Fresh and Fit podcast with NINE PEOPLE ON MIC ! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36873819/mediaviewer/rm3460072962/

A fake AI images on social media falsely suggest Renee Good had an extensive criminal record. https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2026/01/11/minneapolis-ice-shooting-did-renee-nicole-good-have-a-criminal-history-fact-checking-the-rap-sheet-on-x.html 

A viral post claiming to blow the whistle on a food delivery app's shady practices turned out to be a hoax. Journalist Casey Newton breaks down the surprisingly robust forged documents. https://www.platformer.news/fake-uber-eats-whisleblower-hoax-debunked/ 

Amy Poehler's 'Good Hang' wins first Golden Globe for podcasts. Ben Shapiro wins nothing. https://goldenglobes.com/nominations/2026 

Guy posts on Reddit that his feminist chatbot girlfriend broke up with him. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/conservative-says-ai-girlfriend-dumped-190000163.html 

Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is generating roughly one nonconsensual sexual image per minute on X. It's not just celebrities - victims include images of children, dead bodies, and Holocaust survivors.

This week, users asked Grok to create a sexualized AI image of Renee Good's dead body, the woman shot and killed by ICE in Minnesota.

And Elon? He's posting jokes about it. We break down how we got here, why it's only getting worse in the US, what some countries are trying to do about it, and what happens when the richest man in the world builds AI specifically for abusers.

How Grok's sexual abuse hit a tipping point (by Kat Tenbarge): https://spitfirenews.com/p/grok-csam-deepfakes-abuse-elon-musk 

Grok's AI Sexual Abuse Didn't Come Out of Nowhere (by Samantha Cole): https://www.404media.co/grok-ai-sexual-abuse-imagery-twitter/

The Twitter-to-Fame Pipeline of the 2010s (w/ Celebrity Memoir Book Club): https://omny.fm/shows/there-are-no-girls-on-the-internet/the-twitter-to-fame-pipeline-of-the-2010s-w-celebrity-memoir-book-club

Coverage of research into Grok requests, (by Nana Nwachukwu at Dublin’s Trinity College AI Accountability Lab): https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/08/grok-x-nonconsensual-images

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy New Year! We're starting 2026 on a hopeful note. We all know that AI is threatening human labor across a bunch of industries, especially creative work. This episode is about an encouraging win for humans – a case where human creators are being centered, protected, and valued in an increasingly automated entertainment industry. Bridget talks with Will Pearson, head of podcasts at iHeart, about why betting on human creators is good business. (Spoiler: Because that's what listeners want)

Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You asked and we answered! In this first installment of our first ever listener mail episode, the TANGOTI team reads your emails!

Thanks to everyone who submitted a question!! Keep them coming!

Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a gender gap when it comes to who is using AI at work. Are women being left behind? The research isn’t so cut and dry.  

Bridget takes a look at what we know and what it means with Samantha and Anney from Stuff Mom Never Told You.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget and Mike had conflicting and surprisingly strong feelings about self checkout machines. And it turns out, listeners do, too! We got more emails about this seemingly low stakes topic than any other. Why did this touch a nerve?! We don’t know but there’s something there, and we’re here for it. We read some listener emails, which make great points for and against. Are these machines dystopian symbols of our crumbling social connectedness? Or are they convenient devices for buying groceries, and maybe the real dystopian symbols were the capitalist overlords we met along the way? You be the judge!

Self-Checkouts Often Inaccessible to Disabled Shoppers:  https://foodinstitute.com/focus/self-checkout-often-inaccessible-to-disabled-shoppers/

LA Times report on self checkouts and loneliness (paywalled): https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-08-28/some-skip-self-checkout-to-combat-loneliness-build-human-connection

TikTok Lawyer explains why you should avoid using self-checkouts in stores: https://scoop.upworthy.com/lawyer-explains-why-you-should-avoid-using-self-checkouts-in-stores-576190-576190-576190-576190

Washington Post piece: Dear grocery store owners: I don’t work for you! https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/10/31/rick-reilly-self-checkout-rebellion/

Walmart reveals it's tracking checkout theft with AI-powered cameras in 1,000 stores: https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-tracks-theft-with-computer-vision-1000-stores-2019-6

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help: https://theconversation.com/feeling-lonely-too-many-of-us-are-heres-what-our-supermarkets-can-do-to-help-211126 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Diddy’s acquittal, social media decided it needed a villain. And who better than a random woman?! Through a case of mistaken identity, digital marketing strategist and former journalist Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh, who had nothing to do with the trial, became the target of viral accusations and lies. 

In this episode, Wynter tells her story of how misinformation, speculation, and Internet outrage collided in real time to pull her into a social media storm, and she breaks down what it means for our broader digital media landscape.

Follow Wynter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wynter

Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected] or leaving a comment on Spotify. 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget and Producer Mike cover the week's tech news that you might have missed in this final News Roundup of 2025.

Vanity Fair Goes to the White House, takes some unflattering photos https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/vanity-fair-goes-to-the-white-house-trump-2-edition

Washington Post releases an AI-generated podcast. It's filled with errors and hallucinations. https://www.semafor.com/article/12/11/2025/washington-posts-ai-generated-podcasts-rife-with-errors-fictional-quotes

Meta arbitrarily shuts down hundreds of accounts over reproductive and queer content. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/dec/11/meta-shuts-down-global-accounts-linked-to-abortion-advice-and-queer-content 

Tennessee man jailed for 37 days for refusing to take down a Facebook post critical of Trump in the days after Charlie Kirk's assassination. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2025/09/23/tennessee-larry-bushart-arrest-charlie-kirk/86313013007/

Bridget loves the new Netflix show Heated Rivalry, which bucks the trend of "casual viewing" in streaming. hfilm.com/2043077/canada-heated-rivalry-destroys-worst-trend-american-streaming-tv/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever looked at your timeline and thought “there’s no way this is real,” you’re probably right. 

In this episode, Bridget and Mike speak to two data professionals about two recent reports from their companies that shed light on how bot networks attempt to hijack our online discourse: the Taylor Swift Nazi narrative after the release of Swift’s album Life of a Showgirl and the Cracker Barrel logo change backlash. Through the lens of these two seemingly unrelated campaigns, we unpack how bot-driven narratives spread, why it works, how online culture wars get engineered for clicks, chaos, and control, and what it means for the rest of us humans trying to engage in actual discourse online. 

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you think, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you see the narrative claiming Taylor Swift is a secret “trad wife Nazi” take off across social media? In this emergency episode, we break down a new report from analytics firm Gudea that examines how this discourse spread online, the role bot networks may have played, and what it reveals about misinformation, amplification, and the current internet ecosystem.

Stay tuned because we’ll hear from Gudea’s CEO and another third party expert about how this report came to be and what it means for how information travels online.

Taylor Swift’s Last Album Sparked Bizarre Accusations of Nazism. It Was a Coordinated Attack: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swifts-social-media-campaign-life-of-a-showgirl-1235480646/

Here’s the full report: https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/69370c45ee6946ee05e9618a/6938f591279bf559ec50cd1c_GUDEA%20-%20Taylor%20Swift%20_%20Anatomy%20of%20a%20Narrative.pdf

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a psychology course at University of Oklahoma, junior Samantha Fulnecky was assigned to write a short essay responding to a research paper about social enforcement of gender typicality and children's mental health. Rather than engage with the assignment, she wrote a moralistic screed about demons and God's plan for women to be helpers, citing unspecified parts of "the Bible." Her paper received a zero, but she has become a cause celebre among right-wing culture warriors thanks to the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Points USA, who view her as a righteous victim being persecuted for her faith. Bridget and Producer Mike have both graded their share of college papers, so they weigh in on the fairness of her grade, and unpack what's really going on (spoiler: it's a stunt). 

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you think, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet || bsky.app/profile/tangoti.bsky.social

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's news roundup, Bridget talks with Producer Mike about all the tech news you might have missed. TRIGGER WARNING: One story is about a misogynistic podcaster who says and does some disturbing stuff.

Sabrina Carpenter pushes back when the Trump admin uses one of her songs without permission in a hateful video. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/02/sabrina-carpenter-donald-trump-music-00672754

A violent misogynist got bad career advice from ChatGPT. Now he's going to prison. https://www.404media.co/chatgpt-spotify-brett-michael-dadig-indictment-harassment-stalking/

Organizers of the Black Romance Book Festival got into heated exchanges on Threads about authors using AI. https://www.threads.com/@blackromancebookfestival

iHeart Radio (our production partner) doubles down on human creators, vows to avoid AI generated content. https://www.insideradio.com/free/iheartmedia-makes-guaranteed-human-a-core-branding-message-across-all-stations/article_3ad0b04f-76ba-4466-8839-5a4bdce798a1.html

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The newly released Epstein emails offer a troubling look at the people who stayed in his orbit and the ways they interacted with him — including former Harvard president and influential public figure Larry Summers. You may not recognize his name immediately, but Summers has played a major role in shaping tech, academia, and government. We break down what the emails show, why they matter, and what they reveal about power networks at the highest levels.

Bridget tells Samantha and Anney why Larry Summers and his Epstein connection should concern us all.

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there or email us at [email protected]!

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! Many vids each week.

instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ 

tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc 

youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people know about the call to boycott Target, but don't understand why Target has been specifically singled out. So we're re-airing this interview to help get everyone on the same page. 

In 2020, Target loudly pledged to support Black creators and communities. Target spotlighted their products, and made headlines with its public commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It was great PR for Target. But now, those promises look like little more than PR spin.

Black creators and vendors who once collaborated with the brand say they weren’t just abandoned — they were exploited. From one-sided partnerships to pay-to-play marketing schemes,  this episode investigates how a major corporation cashed in on the racial justice movement… and then just walked away.

We speak to Kiara Imani, a former Target vendor who is one of the Black entrepreneurs  now speaking out. She was originally thrilled when a game she designed, "LikeU Cards," was included in Target's collection, only to quickly realize she was caught up in a pay-to-play scheme that was more about Target's PR than actually selling her product. 

She's also an attorney and author of the book Therapy Isn’t Just For White People. She explains what went down, what she was promised versus what she actually got, and unpacks the backlash, the boycott, and why some former Target collaborators are now calling it what it really was all along: a scam.

Kiara’s TikTok about Target: https://www.tiktok.com/@kiara_imani_will/video/7481347076442606894

Buy Kiara book Therapy Isn’t Just For White People: https://www.mahoganybooks.com/9781735145884

Check out LikeU cards: https://likeucards.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqCZCnuFV-4u8l9PynC9x1nNFbC0DCrVv0_IYqoRsPTvnt-FEX5

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there or email us at [email protected]!

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! Many vids each week.

instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ 

tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc 

youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s not every day Bridget gets to talk to one of her heroes! 

Soledad O’Brien has built her career on stories that hit hard and stick with you, winning multiple Emmys and Peabody awards along the way. Her work has inspired Bridget since she was a young girl, watching her coverage of the emerging Internet in the 1990s. 

In this wide-ranging interview, Soledad talks about her two new documentaries, both of which are the subject of considerable online discussion.

 'The Perfect Neighbor,' on Netflix, tells the tragic story of AJ Owens and examines the legal and systemic failures that almost allowed her death to go unpunished due in part to Florida's stand-your-ground law. 

'The Devil is Busy,' now streaming on HBO Max, follows a day in the life of Tracii, the head of security at a Georgia abortion clinic, and the relentless work she does to keep the clinic operating safely. The documentary offers a powerful, ground-level, humanizing view of the challenges faced by those working to provide reproductive healthcare in the current landscape. 

In addition to talking about the films, Soledad also shares her perspectives on journalism, online culture, and the roles of filmmakers and journalists in creating change. 

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about this episode, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you watched The Perfect Neighbor, be sure to check out the impact campaign highlighting Stand Your Ground laws and racialized violence, Standing in the Gap: https://standinginthegapfund.org/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget is joined by producer Joey Patt to cover the week's tech news that you might have missed. 

Meg Thee Stallion targeted by racist, sexist deepfakes: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/megan-thee-stallion-responds-sexually-explicit-deepfake-x-rcna156424

Trump Administration planning executive order preventing AI regulation by states: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/19/white-house-prepares-executive-order-to-block-state-ai-laws-00660719

Women are under-represented in the building trades, where they often face harassment or worse. A young welder's murder highlights the risks: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sarah-kotzen_tradeswomen-workplacesafety-nawic-activity-7395254105088323584-NNd4/

Youth sports are costing parents a fortune, and private equity firms are making it worse: https://www.levernews.com/wall-street-is-paywalling-your-kids-sports/

AI-powered teddy bear talks to kids about knives, bondage, and starting fires: https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/tech/folotoy-kumma-ai-bear-scli-intl

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! || instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Tate is back in the news. ProPublica reports that the White House may have been secretly trying to help him evade sex trafficking charges. Tate is also back on Meta platforms, all while he’s suing Meta for $50 million.

Bridget revisits her conversation with Media Matters researcher Justin Horowitz to understand how Tate and the broader manosphere continue to exploit social media systems and harm us all.

Read Justin’s Media Matters research: https://www.mediamatters.org/diversity-discrimination/beyond-andrew-tate-meet-misogynistic-manosphere-influencers-proliferating

The White House Intervened on Behalf of Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation: https://www.propublica.org/article/andrew-tate-investigation-dhs-paul-ingrassiaMeta Aims To Get Geographically Challenged Andrew Tate’s $50M Deplatforming Case Tossed, Moved Out Of L.A.: https://deadline.com/2025/10/meta-andrew-tate-lawsuit-latest-1236589558/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you think, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christmas has come early for Bridget, because Joyce Carol Oates is beefing with Elon Musk on Twitter. Bridget explains to Producer Mike what it's about, why Joyce Carol Oates is one of her all-time problematic faves, and why Elon is now performatively demonstrating his commitment to literacy with insightful takes like "great movie" and ads declaring that he likes to read.

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you think, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Birth control is the latest battleground in a wave of online misinformation targeting young women — and doctors and reproductive health advocates are sounding the alarm about its impact.

But this isn’t your typical fearmongering about birth control coming from Bible-thumpers or conservative men in suits. This new wave is coming from wellness influencers — the ones in matching pastel workout sets — who are linking a “balanced, natural life” with ditching hormonal birth control.

Bridget explains to Stuff Mom Never Told You’s Samantha and Anney why this may look like a rebrand, but this kind of misinformation is just as harmful as ever. 

You can find more information about the safety and effectiveness of birth control in this article from the American Medical Association: https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/population-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-birth-control 

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about this episode, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s just turtles and scams all the way down.

Meta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents show: https://www.reuters.com/investigations/meta-is-earning-fortune-deluge-fraudulent-ads-documents-show-2025-11-06/

‘You’re not rushing. You’re just ready:’ Parents say ChatGPT encouraged son to kill himself: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/06/us/openai-chatgpt-suicide-lawsuit-invs-vis

Condé Nast abruptly fires 4 staffers after HR confrontation: https://www.semafor.com/article/11/06/2025/cond-nast-abruptly-fires-4-staffers-after-hr-confrontation

Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/dc-sandwich-guy-verdict-rcna242142

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black women are leaving the workforce and it’s a warning sign for the entire economy. From media to tech, more than 300,000 Black women have left their jobs in the last year. What’s driving this exodus, and what does it reveal about the state of work in America? Bridget speaks with:

Anna Gifty, economist and author of the fascinating new book The Double Tax: How Women of Color Are Overcharged, and Underpaid, and 

sociologist Marianne Cooper,  Senior Research Scholar at Stanford University's VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab, 

about the economic pressures, pay gaps, and burnout pushing Black women out and why their exit should concern everyone.

Anna and Marianne’s Time piece: https://time.com/7315624/rising-unemployment-black-women-economy/

Get Anna’s great book! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/734115/the-double-tax-by-anna-gifty-opoku-agyeman-foreword-by-chelsea-clinton/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Halloween, boys and ghouls! In this week's news roundup Bridget is recapping all the tech news stories you might have missed, so you don't have to.

Creeps in Meta Raybans are nonconsensually filming massage women in massage parlors: https://www.404media.co/metas-ray-ban-glasses-users-film-and-harass-massage-parlor-workers/

China implements a new law cracking down on influencers who spread misinformation. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/china-cracks-down-fake-experts-banned-from-social-media/

Surveillance company Flock used by police to charge a Colorado woman for a crime she didn't commit, forcing her to prove her innocence. https://coloradosun.com/2025/10/28/flock-camera-police-colorado-columbine-valley/

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue publishes a new study shedding light on the ecosystem of non consensual deep fake material online, highlighting the easy available of the software. https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/the-ecosystem-of-nonconsensual-intimate-deepfake-tools-online/

A librarian has launched a creative protest against Good Reads, which is owned by Amazon, over the company's censorship and favorable treatment of Eric Trump's new book. https://www.404media.co/rogue-goodreads-librarian-edits-site-to-expose-censorship-in-favor-of-trump-fascism/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know the internet loves a viral story. But what happens when that story is about a real woman being harassed and the platforms that ostensibly should be protecting her instead punish her? That’s what happened to Livie, a DoorDash driver in New York State whose story is currently going viral on TikTok. Bridget breaks down what actually happened, why the story is drowning in misinformation and AI generated fake videos, and what the story tells us about where we’re at right now when it comes to women speaking up online. 

See Livie's video(s) for yourself: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19jTtPWjZH/?mibextid=wwXIfr 

MuURLS, a creator on TikTok was cloned by AI: https://www.tiktok.com/@muurlz/video/7563725293693783309?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

NotKristen’s TikTok on AI clones: https://www.tiktok.com/@notkhristen/video/7563433687476358430?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Liberal feminist “triggered”: https://imgflip.com/i/65wr5r

The real “triggered feminist” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byOlBCpNKeM

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digging into all the tech news you might have missed so you don't have to.

Tea App pulled from Apple's app store: https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/22/apple-confirms-it-pulled-controversial-dating-apps-tea-and-teaonher-from-the-app-store/

Spotify running anti-immigrant ads for ICE, bands and labels pull their content: https://www.stereogum.com/2317141/king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-remove-their-music-from-spotify-fuck-spotify/music/

Boycott Spotify campaign info: bit.ly/cancelspotify

Dodgy website collecting donations to punish people over Charlie Kirk comments won't say how the money was used, donors feel scammed (because they were): https://x.com/forcharliekirk1/status/1967019271097295187

Kristy Noem posted a video of a masked youth with captions saying he was targeting ICE agents for a bounty offered by drug cartels: https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1979265889599131994

Except the guy in the video says he recorded it months ago, it was about Iran, and DHS added those captions themselves: https://www.tiktok.com/@mr.floridajhit/video/7562384689126837518?_r=1&_t=ZP-90nJ1pU7qkZ

Live streamers were afraid to go to TwitchCon because of lax security and past incidents and then streamer Emiru was assaulted on stage: https://www.tubefilter.com/2025/09/25/valkyrae-qtcinderella-twitchcon-security-dan-clancy/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/comments/1oam2d3/twitch_streamer_emiru_was_assaulted_at_twitchcon/

OpenAI announces a new AI-powered web browser. It's a convenient security nightmare. This hilarious review sums it up well: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7386538226838183936-lXqZ/

The annual survey "Teen and Screens" is full of interesting data about what young people are into. Among other things, they want to see authentic friendships: https://www.scholarsandstorytellers.com/teens-screens-25

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Elon Musk took over X, a lot of us left the platform, searching for alternatives. One platform that gained attention is Bluesky. It looks a lot like Twitter, but it’s different. Bluesky is built on a decentralized system, and that decentralized nature has allowed powerful pockets of community to emerge. To date, Blacksky is the biggest and most successful effort to take advantage of Bluesky's decentralization. 

It's led by Rudy Fraser, a technologist committed to building resilient, independent infrastructure that can be a home for Black folks online. 

During a session at Rights x Tech, the growing community forum that brings together technologists, policy makers, and movement leaders to explore the intersections of technology and power, Bridget had a fascinating conversation with BlackSky’s founder, Rudy Fraser, about the project and the future of Black voices online.

Learn more about Rights x Tech: https://www.rightsxtech.com/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the weekly News Roundup! Bridget recaps the week's tech stories that you might have missed.

Pop superstar apparently pulls controversial necklace after Nazi imagery backlash: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/10/pop-superstar-apparently-pulls-controversial-necklace-after-nazi-imagery-backlash.html

Here's Bridget's 2016 take on Taylor Swift: https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/smnty-classics-problematic-faves-taylor-swift/id304531053?i=1000421529530

OpenAI Says It Will Move to Allow Smut: https://futurism.com/future-society/openai-chatgpt-smut

A Pregnant Amazon Employee Asked for a Chair to Sit on—and Wound Up Homeless: A Pregnant Amazon Employee Asked for a Chair to Sit on—and Wound Up Homeless: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/10/pregnant-amazon-warehouse-workers-accommodations-eeoc-trump/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories.

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  || instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taylor Swift is getting married. And on her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, she sounds over the moon about it. But online, everyone’s asking: Is Taylor Swift a “trad wife” now?

In this episode, Bridget dives into the rise of trad wife culture with author and journalist Jo Piazza, host of the podcast Under The Influence and author of the juicy new book about trad wives, Everyone Is Lying to You. They unpack what “trad wife” really means, why so many people are labeling Taylor Swift one, and what that says about how marriage, womanhood, and online identity are evolving in 2025.

If you’ve seen “trad wife” trending on TikTok or wondered what it has to do with feminism, marriage, and pop culture, this conversation is for you.

Everyone Is Lying to You is one of Bridget’s favorite books of the year: Penguin Random House 

Listen to Jo Piazza’s podcast Under The Influence: Apple Podcasts

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the weekly News Roundup! Bridget and Producer Mike recap the week's tech stories that you might have missed. 

It’s True: The Internet Skews the Reality of Women (and Men) in the Workforce https://www.motherjones.com/media/2025/10/nature-study-berkeley-haas-online-internet-images-gender-bias-workforce-false-reality-women/

Read the study (Guilbeault et al., 2025) 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09581-z 

Google Women Techmakers moves to Technovation, but not everyone is cheering

https://piunikaweb.com/2025/10/08/google-women-techmakers-moves-to-technovation/

Robin Williams’ daughter begs fans to stop sending her AI videos of her late father: ‘Just stop doing this to him'

https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/news/robin-williams-daughter-zelda-ai-videos-b2840650.html

and

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/10/dj-bruce-lee-and-jackass-mr-rogers-dead-celebrities-become-puppets-in-sora-2-videos/

'Coward of a man' kills 2 teenage girls in NJ after mom's warnings were dismissed. https://archive.is/aMOV9 

Kendrick's Drake Diss Defamation Dismissed 

https://www.billboard.com/pro/drake-lawsuit-kendrick-lamar-not-like-us-dismissed-judge/ 

Send us an email for the upcoming mailbag episode! [email protected] 

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories.

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook is all about free speech, just not when it comes to abortion.

New reports from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reveal how Facebook and Instagram censor abortion content, even when it’s medically accurate and completely legal. Bridget joins Samantha and Anney and Stuff Mom Never Told You to unpack how Meta’s abortion content moderation really works, why posts about reproductive health keep disappearing, and what that means for free speech and reproductive rights online.

Learn more: EFF’s Stop Censoring Abortion campaign 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transgender for everybody! Everything is computer! We’re in a silly, tangent filled mood for this one!

Every week Bridget recaps the tech news stories you might have missed, so you don't have to. This week she's joined by TANGOTI producer Joey Patt.

Elon Musk calls for a Netflix Boycott, but we're not linking to him and you can't make us.

Misinformation/disinformation leads to US couples’ divorces, breakups: https://news.illinois.edu/misinformation-disinformation-leads-to-us-couples-divorces-breakups/

AOL’s dial up internet takes its last bow, marking the end of an era https://apnews.com/article/aol-dial-up-internet-shuts-down-08162912737f2fb221f10ba87ce5fc41

Ted Cruz blocks privacy protections: https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/30/ted-cruz-blocks-bill-that-would-extend-privacy-protections-to-all-americans/?utm_campaign=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellness influencers are perfecting the art of turning pseudoscience into profit. Whether they're selling supplements, offering classes, or just chasing engagement, an army of wellness grifters has weaponized mistrust of institutions and Big Pharma, peddling false health claims that trick people into treatments and practices that are ineffective at best, and in some cases outright dangerous. 

Last week the Trump administration claimed without evidence that Tylenol during pregnancy causes autism. The science is clear that it isn't true, but that didn’t matter. Doctors pushed back, but the damage was already done—because wellness influencers pounced. They didn’t just spread the fear, they profited off it. And suddenly, one of the only safe pain relievers for pregnant women became the latest weapon in a war over women’s health. Once again, Trump and RFK Jr are playing disingenuous, dangerous political games with women's health and wellbeing.

This isn’t just about Tylenol. It’s about how wellness influencers turn misinformation into a business model—and how their influence helped shape a dangerous narrative straight out of the White House.

Mallory DeMille, content creator and correspondent on the podcast Conspirituality, has been pushing back against these dangerous grifters with hilarious videos and posts that make fun of their most ridiculous claims. Do yourself a favor and follow her on Reels, Threads, and TikTok at @this.is.mallory and on YouTube at @MalloryDeMille. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

App for outing people who were insufficiently mournful of Charlie Kirk critics leaked its own users’ personal data through security blunders: https://san.com/cc/app-for-outing-charlie-kirks-critics-leaked-its-users-personal-data/

Meta is using parents’ back-to-school photos of their girls to advertise Threads to grown men: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/20/parents-outraged-meta-uses-photos-schoolgirls-ads-man

AI-Generated YouTube Channel Uploaded Nothing But Videos of Women Being Shot: https://www.404media.co/ai-generated-youtube-channel-uploaded-nothing-but-videos-of-women-being-shot/

Controversy on subreddit r/TwinPeaks over AI: https://www.reddit.com/r/twinpeaks/comments/1npqm2k/ai_generated_content_is_no_longer_allowed/

YouTube to reinstate users banned for spreading COVID misinformation and election misinformation: https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/youtube-reinstate-channels-banned-election-covid-misinformation-1236527333/

Jessica Chastain's new show about preventing extremist violence postponed by AppleTV. Smells like censorship: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO_V2EyEZmj/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder, the Trump Administration and their collaborators are prosecuting a widespread crackdown on free expression. Karen Attiah has been a columnist at the Washington Post for 11 years, and was the last remaining Black columnist at the newspaper until last week. She was fired, allegedly for being insufficiently mournful over murdered racist Charlie Kirk, but at this point her firing seems less about what she actually said and more about sending a message: dissent will be punished. 

But unlike some people (looking at you, Bezos), she has no intention of backing down or going quietly. 

Read the letter sent to Karen from the Washington Post's HR chief, informing Karen that she was fired: https://bsky.app/profile/karenattiah.bsky.social/post/3lzbpq3tzck2o

SUPPORT KAREN! FOLLOW HER SUBSTACK: https://karenattiah.substack.com/

SIGN UP FOR KAREN’S RESISTANCE SUMMER SCHOOL: https://www.resistancesummerschool.com/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not gonna lie - it's been a rough week. The Trump administration has used Charlie Kirk's murder to crack down on dissent, shocking even their allies with their willingness to threaten critics and trample First Amendment values. But these authoritarians will fail. Bridget is joined by L. Joy Williams, president of the New York NAACP and host Sunday Civics on Sirius XM and wherever you get your podcasts, to recap the latest developments in our slide towards autocracy.

Jimmy Kimmel was fired to protect a multi-billion dollar merger of two of the country's biggest broadcast networks: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/nexstar-jimmy-kimmel-suspension-fcc-pressure-1236523812/

Read Karen Attiah's Substack post about her firing from the Washington Post for repeating Charlie Kirk's own words: https://karenattiah.substack.com/p/the-washington-post-fired-me-but

Listen to guest co-host L. Joy Williams' podcast Sunday Civics: https://www.sundaycivics.org/ 

Read the DOJ report about domestic terrorism that the Trump Administration tried to hide. It's surprisingly readable, and unequivocal about the most common perpetrators of domestic terrorism – the far right: https://terrorismresearch.uark.edu/new-nij-article-highlights-decades-worth-of-research-findings-from-the-trc/?ref=404media.co   

Michigan lawmakers continue Republicans' assault on speech and war against trans people: https://www.them.us/story/michigan-total-porn-ban-trans-josh-schriver

Some good news! Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have teamed up to co-sponsor a bill that would restore funding for suicide prevention among LBTQ+ youth: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2025/09/18/baldwin-introduces-bill-to-restore-988-crisis-line-for-lgbtq-youth/86201082007/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! || instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc || youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our weekly news round up, where we dig into some of the tech stories you might have missed. This week, Bridget is joined by guest co-host Ashley Ray, host of Courier's smart podcast "TV I Say."

CBS just keeps caving harder and harder to appease the Trump administration. https://newrepublic.com/article/199889/kristi-noem-attack-cbs-kilmar-garcia-trump-scam 

Creator of porn site "Girls Do Porn" sentenced to 27 years for sex trafficking. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/09/girlsdoporn-founder-27-year-prison-sentence-sex-trafficking 

5,000 Podcasts. 3,000 Episodes a Week. $1 Cost Per Episode — Behind an AI Start Up’s Plan: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/ai-podcast-start-up-plan-shows-1236361367/ 

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Kirk built his career by debating students and spreading rhetoric that was too often dismissed as “spirited debate.” 

Now, in the wake of his death, politicians and media outlets are rushing to rewrite his legacy. In this episode, Bridget digs into what Kirk really stood for, why his words mattered, and why violence doesn’t erase bigotry.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week in Wired, Taylor Lorenz published an exposé on Chorus, a new force in Democratic politics that is funding Democratic influencers. Her piece has sparked major controversy among political influencers and their observers online.  

In this episode, Bridget breaks down what the article reveals (and what it leaves out), and explores what this fight says about money, power, and trust in American democracy.

Read the full piece here: https://www.wired.com/story/dark-money-group-secret-funding-democrat-influencers/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected]  

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's edition, Bridget runs through the news with Producer Mike. Tech companies saying, "Our policies prohibit the harm that is rampant on our platform!" is the theme of today's episode.

AI deepfake comic: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/aaaah

Meta creates flirty celebrity chatbots without permission, calls it "parody," trains them to talk to children romantically. https://www.reuters.com/business/meta-created-flirty-chatbots-taylor-swift-other-celebrities-without-permission-2025-08-29/

Age verification on adult sites is putting queer adult industry workers at risk, and pushing everyone to sketchier corners of the Internet. https://19thnews.org/2025/09/age-verification-queer-adult-industry-workers/

A Shein merchant used Luigi Mangione’s AI-Generated Face to Sell a Shirt. https://www.404media.co/shein-luigi-mangione-ai-generated-listing-shirt/

Sad abortion news: Texas bans abortion pills from being mailed to anyone in the state. https://19thnews.org/2025/09/texas-abortion-pill-ban/

Positive abortion news: Illinois mandates access for university students. https://msmagazine.com/2025/09/02/chicago-illinois-abortion-pills-birth-control-contraception-college-university-health-center-students/ .

Child sex abuse victim begs Elon and X to take down photos of her abuse. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq587wv4d5go

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories (Bridget reads every Spotify comment personally)  or email us at [email protected] ! 

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media!  ||  instagram.com/@bridgetmarieindc  || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc  ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rightwing media often spread the myth that trans people are violent or dangerous — a false narrative with zero evidence. These “trans terror” stories persist online and in the news, fueling real-world harm against the trans community. In this episode, Bridget and producer Joey Patt unpack the origins of these myths, explain why they stick, and show how the false idea of “trans terror” makes everyone less safe.

A Trans Pilot Was Falsely Blamed for a Plane Crash. Now She’s Fighting the Right-Wing Disinfo Machine: https://www.wired.com/story/a-trans-pilot-was-falsely-blamed-for-a-plane-crash-now-shes-fighting-the-right-wing-disinfo-machine/

If you’re listening on Spotify, leave us a comment there! (Bridget personally reads them all!) or email us at [email protected]  

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media  ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this week's News Roundup, Bridget is joined by her longtime friend and colleague Nima Shirazi, co-host of the OG podcast "Citations Needed" about how media shapes power.

TikTok Shop Sells Viral GPS Trackers Marketed to Stalkers: https://www.404media.co/tiktok-shop-sells-viral-gps-trackers-marketed-to-stalkers/

ICE Is Using Taylor Swift’s Loophole To Hide Deportation Flights: https://archive.ph/dPDqw#selection-701.0-704.0

Grand jury declines to indict man who threw a sandwich at federal officer in D.C.: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/grand-jury-declines-indict-sandwich-guy-threw-sub-dc-federal-officer-rcna227464

Microsoft Asked FBI for Help Tracking Employee Protests over Palestine: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-asked-fbi-help-tracking-204559938.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALE2eGyVYVuUQ7Iw3XlXK-4gRnbqSdJzXZ25_u0zYLgHcdvssTEXHrj7bNMZM_tlZtpkHkqfKXtoYpqHRsbODfjex4rE0acMyK2n76_-apXRlkREXs1EVL_Dtuxy_HLmIzt0xg-1YLaphFhSffgLJNE-ckWGgjWYy6Dk9NtkGR6c

Protesters occupy Microsoft office as company reviews its work with Israel's military: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/27/nx-s1-5518786/microsoft-protesters-office-israel

Will Smith tour video criticized for featuring a ‘fake AI crowd’: https://www.the-independent.com/bulletin/culture/will-smith-ai-tour-video-concert-b2813880.html

Put on some headphones, listen to all 13 minutes of "Do You Feel Like We Do", and try to remember the last time you felt as excited as the people in the audience: https://open.spotify.com/track/0qqRwBkq7oWv6QnIRLfQKe?si=354474b5d03a4b67

Buy a copy of the important new book "The Podcast Pantheon: 101 Podcasts That Changed How We Listen–From Wtf to Serial." Nima is in there! https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781797232249 

Support Citations Needed on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/citationsneededpodcast

Listen to Citations Needed: https://citationsneeded.libsyn.com/

Save Our Signs: https://umn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4VKNSNsfJuIVOIu

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] !

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! Many vids each week ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does it feel like the main voices dominating tech today are basically super villains? Billionaires who don’t care if the world gets worse, just as long as they get a little richer.

We hear them everywhere— their bad ideas, their grievances are all amplified. 

Anil Dash, one of the internet’s earliest voices, says it didn’t used to be this way. He's been a highly visible and impactful techie, writer, and entrepreneur for decades. In this thoughtful, wide-ranging, and optimistic interview, he talks with Bridget about how fun and personal the early Internet was, why tech bros keep making it worse, and how we can create a better Internet that once again centers fun, compassion, and human connection.  

If you’re listening on Spotify, leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about this interview, or email us at [email protected]!

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! Many vids each week ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget is joined in this week's news roundup by tech journalist Dexter Thomas, prolific writer, videographer, and host of the excellent podcast "Kill Switch".

Dex recently wrote a piece in Wired about anime girl VTubers selling out concerts, and how the question of whether they're "real" depends on kayfabe and who you ask: https://www.wired.com/story/anime-girl-vtubers-are-selling-out-concerts-but-are-they-real-depends-on-who-you-ask/  In addition to listening to Kill Sitch, you can follow him on YouTube and social media at "D E X D I G I".

DC Disinfo.  Real Footage Combined With AI Slop About DC Is Creating a Disinformation Mess on TikTok: https://www.404media.co/real-footage-combined-with-a-ai-slop-about-dc-is-creating-a-disinformation-mess-on-tiktok/

The Tea App story gets worse. Turns out that weren't just sloppy, they were actively undermining other efforts to keep women safe.  https://www.404media.co/how-teas-founder-convinced-millions-of-women-to-spill-their-secrets-then-exposed-them-to-the-world/

Meta’s flirty AI chatbot invited a vulnerable retiree to New York. He never came back. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/meta-ai-chatbot-death/

If you’re listening on Spotify, you can leave a comment there to let us know what you thought about these stories, or email us at [email protected] !

Follow Bridget and TANGOTI on social media! Many vids each week ||  instagram.com/bridgetmarieindc/ || tiktok.com/@bridgetmarieindc ||  youtube.com/@ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.