The Guilty Feminist 481. The Algorithm with Aoife Dunne and Adele Zeynep Walton - part one
May 4, 2026
Adele Zeynep Walton, British-Turkish journalist and author campaigning on tech accountability, and Aoife Dunne, Irish comedian and co-presenter, tackle algorithms, AI and online harms. They discuss addictive design, toxic forums linked to suicide, legal gaps around platform responsibility, political stakes of tech regulation, and practical ways to make online spaces safer.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Sister's Death Revealed Hidden Online Harm
- Adele Zeynep Walton lost her sister Amy to online harm after Amy joined a toxic pro-suicide forum and accessed an easy method to self-harm.
- Adele describes discovering Amy's forum use during the police investigation and how that loss reframed her view of technology's dangers.
Technology Amplifies Not Mirrors Society
- Technology is not neutral; platforms amplify offline harms rather than merely reflecting society.
- Adele argues addictive design and content amplification make online spaces a warped distortion that intensifies trauma and polarization.
Toxic Forums Tied To Incel Networks
- Adele found Amy on a toxic forum where an older American man flew to witness her death, linking the forum to incel networks.
- Investigative journalism revealed the pro‑suicide site was built by creators of the largest incel forum, with women directed to that site.
