Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire
Technology
About
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 th...
Episodes
- Understood Introduces: “The Human Cost of AI: Money, Sex, and Tools” from No Small Endeavor
This episode, shared from the podcast No Small Endeavor, examines the human cost of AI through the lenses of tools, sex, and money. Host Lee C. Camp and guests discuss how AI shapes human habits and desires, and the systems of power.
- Episode 4: The Fake Porn Pharmacist
After a year-long investigation into the MrDeepFakes.com website, reporter Eric Szeto tracks down the alleged operator, a pharmacist named David Do based in Toronto. The episode covers the team's pursuit and their efforts to demand answers…
- E3: The Notorious D.P.F.K.S.
Journalist Ida Herskind joins forces with intelligence specialist Zakaria Hameed and Bellingcat to identify the person behind the deepfake porn website, MrDeepFakes.com. They aim to investigate the creator and support the thousands of wome…
- E2: So You’ve Been Deepfaked
In this episode, a deepfake victim begins investigating the source of the content created about her, eventually uncovering a large-scale deepfake porn repository. The episode includes material from the documentary Another Body: My AI Night…
- E1: The Dawn of Fake Porn
In this episode, streamer QTCinderella discovers deepfake videos of herself on porn sites and begins a campaign to fight back. The episode explores the history of digital porn and deepfake technology through archival audio and expert inter…
- Introducing Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire
Tech journalist Sam Cole investigates the origins and rise of non-consensual deepfake pornography. This season of Understood follows the search for the individual running the world's largest deepfake porn website.
- The Making of Elon Musk | E4: The Great Trek
This episode details Elon Musk's SpaceX journey, focusing on his Mars colonization goals and the critiques surrounding the plan. It covers the company's culture, the feasibility of space exploration, and the ethical considerations of becom…
- The Making of Elon Musk | E3: The Legion
This episode explores Elon Musk's pronatalist views, his quest for genetic optimization through alleged embryo screening and IVF, and his relationship with his 14 children. It features insights from journalist Julia Black and archival clip…
- The Making of Elon Musk | E2: Technocracy, Inc.
This episode examines Elon Musk's authoritarian leanings, tracing them back to his grandfather Joshua Haldeman and his involvement in the 1930s Technocracy movement. The discussion covers Haldeman's ideology, Musk's early career, and the c…
- The Making of Elon Musk | E1: Escape from Pretoria
This episode delves into Elon Musk's formative years in apartheid South Africa, exploring the origins of his ambitions and connecting them to political events and his personal choices regarding military service.
- Introducing Understood: The Making of Elon Musk
This podcast series explores the origins of Elon Musk's ambitions and controversial qualities, linking his drive for dominance to his upbringing in Apartheid South Africa. Hosted by Jacob Silverman, the series examines his pursuit of domin…
- Who Broke the Internet? | E4: Kick 'Em in the Dongle
This episode explores the concept of technofeudalism, examining how a dysfunctional internet, influenced by tech giants and ineffective laws, has evolved into a dangerous system. It discusses the impact of U.S. trade pressure on Canada's i…
- Who Broke the Internet? | E3: In God We Antitrust
Host Cory Doctorow examines how the influence of legal scholar Robert Bork led to lax antitrust enforcement, enabling digital giants to dominate markets and exploit users. The episode details Lina Khan's fight to regulate monopoly power.
- Who Broke the Internet? | E2: Ctrl, Ctrl, Ctrl
This episode of Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire, hosted by Cory Doctorow, examines the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. It discusses how the law provided legal protection to tech giants, potentially hindering innovation and allow…
- Who Broke the Internet? | E1: Don't Be Evil
This episode explores allegations that Google intentionally harmed its Search function to boost ad income. Host Cory Doctorow discusses this 'enshittification' trend with guests Ed Zitron, Emmanuel Goldstein, Clive Thompson, and Steven Lev…
- Introducing Understood: Who Broke the Internet?
Novelist Cory Doctorow explains how the internet became problematic due to ads, bots, algorithms, AI, and pop-ups, detailing decisions made by powerful people and discussing how to fix these issues.
- Céline Episode 4: The Céline-aissance
This episode of Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire focuses on Céline Dion's recent years, including the period after René Angélil's death, a resurgence of her career, and the ongoing impact of illness on her life and enduring fame.
- Céline Episode 3: The Globalization of Céline
This episode covers Céline Dion's massive global fame in the mid-nineties, driven by her song from the Titanic soundtrack, and the backlash she faced in North America.
- Céline Episode 2: The U.S. Gamble
In Céline Episode 2: The U.S. Gamble, Céline Dion and her manager René Angélil navigate her U.S. career launch. They conceal a secret that René fears could derail her burgeoning career.
- Céline Episode 1: Conquering Québec
This episode details Céline Dion's childhood in a poor Québec family, her discovery at 12, and her ascent to stardom. It also covers the political climate in Québec as she began to cross over into English Canada.
- Introducing Céline: Understood
This episode, "Introducing Céline: Understood," is part of a four-part series hosted by Céline expert Thomas Leblanc. It explores the cultural, political, and business factors behind Céline Dion's enduring superstardom, with new episodes r…
- BONUS: Modi’s weak win
This bonus episode of Modi’s India: Understood discusses the recent Indian election results where Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term but lost his majority government, indicating a weaker position. Host Salimah Shivji and pro…
- Modi's India Episode 4: The Storyteller
This episode examines the current state of Indian democracy, questioning whether it is at risk. It delves into how Prime Minister Modi might be altering the national narrative, drawing connections to Gandhi's legacy and Bollywood.
- Modi's India Episode 3: The Strongman
This episode examines Narendra Modi's strengthened position in his second term, discussing domestic crackdowns on dissent and accusations of government involvement in assassination plots abroad, which the government denies.
- Modi's India Episode 2: Development Man
This episode examines the political rise of Narendra Modi, exploring his economic policies and how he garnered widespread support despite past controversy. It specifically looks at India's economic growth and status as the world's fifth-la…
- Modi's India Episode 1: Emperor of Hindu Hearts
This episode examines Narendra Modi's ascent from a tea seller's son to a powerful Indian leader. It questions whether religious riots hindered or propelled his political trajectory.
- Modi's India: Season 3 of Understood
Salimah Shivji investigates the rise of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, exploring his political power, accusations he denies, and the stakes of the upcoming election. The episode addresses how he secured the adoration of nearly a bill…
- The Pornhub Empire Episode 4: Cleanup crew
Episode 4 of The Pornhub Empire, hosted by Samantha Cole, discusses Pornhub's efforts to rebuild its reputation under new ownership and rules, while facing competition from new online porn entrepreneurs.
- The Pornhub Empire Episode 3: Pornhub’s disgrace
This episode details how Jane was coerced into making a pornographic film that was subsequently posted on Pornhub. It examines the scandal surrounding the hosting of sexual abuse material, its severe impact on individuals' lives, and the n…
- The Pornhub Empire Episode 2: Pornhub goes mainstream
This episode of Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire explores how Pornhub achieved mainstream recognition. It details the use of data, public relations, and celebrity involvement in making the platform a household name.
- The Pornhub Empire Episode 1: Free porn for everyone
This episode investigates the founding of Pornhub by competitive foosball players in Montreal, exploring its growth into the world's largest adult site and its surprising links to a Dutch cabin, VHS tapes, and the subprime mortgage crisis.
- Introducing: The Pornhub Empire
The CBC podcast 'The Pornhub Empire: Understood' details the rise and fall of Pornhub, a company that became a dominant force in the adult industry despite societal stigma, before facing a significant scandal.
- Bonus: Click Here from Recorded Future News
This bonus episode of Click Here from Recorded Future News discusses the Nigerian custody of former IRS investigator Tigran Gambaryan, who is potentially being conflated with his employer, Binance. Jacob Silverman, host of The Naked Empero…
- The Naked Emperor BONUS | Guilty: The fall of Sam Bankman-Fried
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been found guilty on seven charges, including fraud and conspiracy, after the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange. This episode details the trial and discusses the implications of the verdict for FTX c…
- The Naked Emperor BONUS: The Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried
Host Jacob Silverman discusses the kickoff of Sam Bankman-Fried's criminal trial in New York, providing updates on pre-trial events and expectations. He is joined by investigative reporter Zeke Faux.
- The Naked Emperor BONUS: Binance and its CEO sued in major crypto case
Jacob Silverman joins CBC's Front Burner to discuss a lawsuit filed against Binance and its CEO, Changpeng Zhao, by a US regulator. The exchange is accused of violating laws and mismanaging investor funds, but Binance plans a vigorous defe…
- The Naked Emperor Episode 4: It Takes a Village
Episode 4 of The Naked Emperor examines the FTX collapse, detailing how institutional investors and endorsers like Kevin O'Leary contributed to its downfall. It also explores the widespread impact of the alleged fraud on everyday investors…
- The Naked Emperor Episode 3: Busted
Sam Bankman-Fried, despite FTX’s bankruptcy and fraud charges, insisted on telling his side of the story. Even with mounting legal pressure and former allies turning against him, he continued to speak publicly, a risky move given the circu…
- The Naked Emperor Episode 2: The Beginning of the End
Episode 2 of "Understood: Deepfake Porn Empire" covers the early career of Sam Bankman-Fried in crypto, highlighting the roles of associates Gary Wang and Caroline Ellison and hinting at early indicators of the venture's eventual downfall.
- The Naked Emperor Episode 1: The Hype
Jacob Silverman examines the crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried, his FTX empire, and its sudden collapse, which left millions of customers unsure of their funds. The episode questions the extent of SBF's power and his ability to sustain his ve…
- The Naked Emperor Trailer – Season 1 of Understood
Season 1 of CBC's Understood, titled The Naked Emperor, features journalist Jacob Silverman explaining the creation and collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency empire, examining those involved and the impact of the financial downfall.