The 404 Media Podcast The Disappearing DOGE Depositions
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Mar 18, 2026 They unpack public deposition videos about DOGE that went viral and were later ordered removed, and how those recordings were archived across the web. They spotlight AI data labelers in Kenya organizing for labor rights and legal fights against tech contractors. They also touch on torrents, archiving, and the cultural impact of AI work on local economies.
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DEI Defined By Executive Order Not Principle
- DOGE members relied on following an executive order to justify cutting grants rather than a coherent definition of DEI.
- Joseph Cox watched six hours of Justin Fox testimony where Fox repeatedly defers to the EO and cannot or will not define DEI himself.
Bizarre Rationales Used To Terminate Grants
- The DOGE grant cuts sometimes used bizarre rationales, like claiming a Holocaust documentary was discriminatory or not for the benefit of humankind.
- Joseph recounts Fox saying a Black civil rights film was cut because it "wasn't for the benefit of humankind," then trying to walk it back under questioning.
Judge Orders Removal After Viral Mockery
- Viral clips of the depositions triggered a court filing claiming harassment and reputational harm, prompting a judge to order videos removed from YouTube.
- Emmanuel and Joseph note the rapid media spread and the government's emergency request citing alleged death threats to Fox.