Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire
CBC
Deepfake porn is a billion-click industry built on stolen faces, while the people making it hide theirs behind screens. Hosted by journalist Sam Cole, Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire traces the decades-long rise of synthetic porn, the targets who are fighting back, and the global investigation that led to its Canadian kingpin.Understood takes you deep inside the seismic shifts reshaping our world right now. From online porn and crypto chaos to the rise of tech oligarchs, deepfake AI, and the broken promises of the internet — we explore the stories that define our digital age with hosts and characters embedded in the heart of the action.Season 1 - The Naked Emperor: the rise and fall of bitcoin king Sam Bankman-Fried.Season 2 - The Pornhub Empire: the story of how a Montreal-founded company came to dominate the adult industry.Season 3 - Modi’s India: how one man rose from poverty to the peak of political power.Season 4 - Céline: the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created a superstar.Season 5 - Who Broke the Internet? The internet sucks now, and it happened on purpose.Season 6 - The Making of Elon Musk: exploring the little known side of the polarizing billionaire
Episodes
Mentioned books
%3BResize%3D(3000).jpg&w=360&h=360)
29 snips
May 26, 2025 • 41min
Who Broke the Internet? | E4: Kick 'Em in the Dongle
In this engaging discussion, Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and authority on digital policy, dives into the troubling rise of techno-feudalism and its implications. He warns against stringent digital lock laws while unpacking the challenges posed by Canadian legislation like Bill C-11 and Bill C-18. The conversation explores how these laws impact user rights, especially during crises, and advocates for an internet that prioritizes community-driven solutions and innovation over profit-driven motives.
60 snips
May 19, 2025 • 37min
Who Broke the Internet? | E3: In God We Antitrust
Lina Khan, Chair of the FTC and a leading voice in antitrust law, takes center stage discussing the historic influence of Robert Bork on competition policy. She reveals how his ideas granted tech giants like Amazon unchecked power for decades. Khan dives into the struggles of small business owners facing Amazon's ruthless tactics and the pressing need for renewed regulation. The conversation sheds light on the ethical dilemmas of e-commerce and the fight to restore agency to consumers in a monopolized market.
67 snips
May 12, 2025 • 29min
Who Broke the Internet? | E2: Ctrl, Ctrl, Ctrl
In the vibrant DEF CON hacker conference atmosphere, diverse minds unite to share innovative ideas. A programmer reveals a vulnerability allowing the conversion of restricted eBooks, challenging Adobe's dominance. The arrest of Dmitry Sklyarov highlights the DMCA's chilling effect on internet freedom. Discussions reveal the struggle against corporate control over digital content and the importance of reverse engineering. Teenagers' attempts to reclaim the original Instagram experience underscore the ongoing battle between innovation and the overreach of tech giants.
30 snips
May 5, 2025 • 37min
Who Broke the Internet? | E1: Don't Be Evil
The podcast dives into Google's transformation from an innovative search engine to a revenue-driven giant. It explores the ethical dilemmas faced by the company in prioritizing ads over user experience. The conversation touches on the origins of Google's motto 'Don't be evil' and how it contrasts with current practices. Listeners are taken through the challenges of navigating a cluttered online landscape filled with SEO-driven content, highlighting the frustrations of finding reliable information amidst the decay of quality.
12 snips
Apr 28, 2025 • 4min
Introducing Understood: Who Broke the Internet?
Cory Doctorow dives into the decline of the internet, revealing how commercialization turned a promising platform into a playground of ads and algorithms. He introduces the concept of 'inshittification,' highlighting the deliberate choices of powerful figures that led to today's chaos. The discussion raises critical questions about the accountability of online spaces and presents a roadmap for how we can reclaim the internet. Prepare for an eye-opening journey through the tangled web we've created!
%3BResize%3D(3000).jpg&w=360&h=360)
Nov 5, 2024 • 33min
Céline Episode 4: The Céline-aissance
In the aftermath of René Angélil’s death, a Céline-aissance. But then, illness strikes. In the final episode of Céline: Understood, a look at her recent years, and why her fame endures.
Oct 29, 2024 • 31min
Céline Episode 3: The Globalization of Céline
Céline Dion becomes inescapable in the mid-nineties with her hit song from the Titanic soundtrack, My Heart Will Go On. She achieves a unique level of global fame, earning fans from Jamaica to Iraq. But her ubiquity will also inspire a backlash in North America.
Oct 22, 2024 • 30min
Céline Episode 2: The U.S. Gamble
With her manager René Angélil by her side, Céline Dion is starting to crossover into the US. But there’s a secret René and Céline have been keeping: one René feared could stop Céline’s blooming career in its tracks.
Oct 15, 2024 • 38min
Céline Episode 1: Conquering Québec
Céline Dion slept in a drawer as a baby born into a poor francophone Catholic family in Québec. At 12, she gets discovered in an office in Montreal, and she becomes a rising star in the insular constellation of Québec celebrity. But just as Céline is trying to break into English Canada, political tensions are running high in Québec. And some accuse her of selling out.
Oct 8, 2024 • 3min
Introducing Céline: Understood
Céline Dion is having a moment. It’s not her first. And millions of fans are hoping it won’t be her last. While Céline’s international stardom seems obvious now, it was all so unlikely. This four-part series hosted by Céline expert Thomas Leblanc explores the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created one of the most enduring superstars the planet has ever seen. Four episodes releasing weekly starting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
