Jamie Bartlett | Internet Subcultures and the Social Media Rage Machine

Jamie Bartlett| Internet Subcultures and the Social Media Rage Machine Jimmy interviews writer and podcaster Jamie Bartlett about his hard-to-define career researching internet culture, subcultures, and online-driven movements, shaped by early work at Demos and a fascination with being an early “expert” on emerging online worlds like the darknet.

Bartlett explains how he gains access to difficult contributors through detective-like research and by maintaining fairness and integrity, avoiding overt political positioning to reach audiences across outlets including the BBC, Telegraph, Guardian, Spectator, and varied podcasts.

They discuss how algorithms reward emotion, distort perceptions of public opinion, and turn politics into clip-farming, while long-form podcasts can restore deeper listening. Bartlett outlines ingredients of successful narrative podcasts and recounts key series: The Missing Cryptoqueen, Believe in Magic, and A Very British Cult, emphasizing relatable victims, twists, and translating complex tech risks for mainstream audiences, plus the importance of timing for story impact. 00:00 Intro 00:52 Defining Jamie’s Work 01:54 Origins in Internet Subcultures 03:22 From Darknet to Explainers 05:36 Early Jobs and Demos 06:58 EDL Facebook Research Hack 08:13 Getting Access and Trust 10:20 Journalism Labels and Integrity 11:41 Algorithms Reward Emotion 13:12 Staying Politically Neutral 17:06 Politics as Clip Culture 18:38 Echo Chambers and Crisis Addiction 21:25 Why Longform Podcasts Win 22:12 Studio Set Complaints 22:40 Producer Ad Break 23:16 Hit Podcasts Breakdown 25:03 Ingredients of Great Storytelling 28:18 OneCoin Origin Story 29:44 Career Defining Burden 31:41 Inside a British Cult 33:36 Status and Belonging 39:47 Timing Beats Being First 43:00 AI and Jobs Next Wave

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