Because Online Life Is Real Life

Host Veronica Belmont shares real stories of life online and real talk about the future of the Web.

IRL is an original podcast from Mozilla.

  • Season 3 Ep. 4

    Virtual Connections

    :‘-) Ever wonder why emoticons exist? They popped up in the 1980s to make online connections feel a little less digital and a little more personal :D. In this episode of IRL, host Veronica Belmont and special guest Peter Rojas explore how the Internet is both building and also confusing our relationships every day. Chloe Stuart-Ulin gives a first-hand account of her life as a “closer” for an online-dating service; we hear a dramatic, real-life story about a woman who finds her biological parent online; and Emma Brockes talks about how we can all maintain humanity while interacting with others on the internet. Show Notes

    Episode 19 - Virtual Connections

    Read more about Chloe Rose’s experience as a “closer” for hire on online dating apps.

    Emma Brockes writes a column for the Guardian called How to be Human Online. She’s just written a book too called, An Excellent Choice: Panic and Joy on My Solo Path to Motherhood.

    Read Ingrid Burrington’s essay about CorrLinks, the email service providing connection for inmates at U.S. prisons.

    Check out this article about how the internet has changed dating forever. Online dating coach Laurie Davis Edward shares her thoughts on the good, bad and ugly that comes with finding love on the web.

    And, for more about human connection, and what our innate desire for it means for us as we — more and more — love, do business, and find our tribes online, read this piece by cultural anthropologist Genevieve Bell.

    Finally, for some bonus audio on how technology interfered with a marriage proposal — and commentary on new relationship norms — head over to Mozilla’s blog.

  • Season 3 Ep. 3

    Paid Attention

    There’s a new currency in town (and no, we’re not talking about Bitcoin). We’re talking about attention. In this episode of IRL, Veronica Belmont and special guest Jane Lytvynenko explore all the ways your attention has become worth money on social media. Meet Hamlet the Piggy, an Instagram star who is helping her owner cope with epilepsy and also build a business; Lisette Calveiro, whose quest for fame online left her spending beyond her means; and media theorist Douglas Rushkoff, who discusses what’s behind the emerging attention economy. Show Notes

    Episode 18 - Paid Attention

    When does attention online turn into addiction online? Here’s a perspective from Mozilla’s Heather West.

    Imagine a world where social networks weren’t necessarily designed to capture your attention, but instead were built to benefit you and your community. Here are some thoughts by Katharina Nocun on what this would look like.

    And, here’s a piece by Nick Briz about how attention merchants online use your digital fingerprints to target you with content.

  • Season 3 Ep. 2

    Press Play

    One of the most successful recruitment tools the U.S. Army ever made was… a video game? Sometimes without even knowing it, gaming elements in technology — often designed for addiction — are incentivizing you to think certain ways and do certain things. Join Veronica Belmont and co-pilot Ashley Carman as they explore the rise of gamification in our everyday lives, its positives and negatives, and its future. Show Notes

    Episode 17 - Press Play

    Ashley Carman is the cohost of the tech podcast, Why’d You Push That Button?

    Natasha Schull has written several books including Keeping Track and Addiction by Design. She uses the Freedom App to lock herself offline.

    Long before the Internet, games were a source of entertainment, comradery, and learning. The rise of technology enabled games to take on video form, and gaming as we know it became popular. Big Tech now gamifies most elements of our online life. The more you know about the evolution of games and why we are all so connected to them, the more you can see how they’re used to sometimes make online experiences better and sometimes more addictive. Here’s more on the games we play online, from Mozilla.

  • Season 3 Ep. 1

    The Grand Bargain

    We’re told from a young age to “accept the things we cannot change.” But should this be the case online as well? We click “Accept” every day, but often don’t know what we’re giving away. Is it a fair trade, and should we demand a better bargain? Veronica Belmont and special guest Dave Pell explore if what we get for what we give online is a good deal. We hear how one man’s HIV status was exposed without permission, how a massive data-mining company is using our information to predict how we’ll behave, and why on earth our email inboxes are filling up with privacy policies. Show Notes

    Episode 16 - The Grand Bargain

    Tom Hayes works for an organization called Beyond Positive.

    Nora Young discusses the GDPR in this episode. Here are 13 more things you need to know about the GDPR.

    Beyond GDPR, check out what else is changing your online rights.

    The rest of Jaron Lanier’s talk can be heard on TED Talks Daily.

    Subscribe to Dave Pell’s NextDraft newsletter.

    Read Mozilla’s take on privacy and the trade-offs we make online.

  • Season 3 Trailer

    Introducing Season 3 of IRL: Because Online Life is Real Life

    In Season 3 of IRL, we’re exploring the bargains we make online every day, and how we might approach striking better deals with the powers that be. You’ll find out what happened when the U.S. Army got into the video game business, what it’s like to be a professional flirter on Tinder (for real), and how a super cute pig transformed a person’s life one Instagram post at a time. Episode 1 launches July 2nd.

    Episode 15 - Introducing Season 3 of IRL: Because Online Life is Real Life

  • Season 2 Ep. 7

    Ctrl+Alt+Facts

    From campaign bots to conspiracy videos, it’s harder than ever to discover the truth online. In conversation with The New York Times’ Sheera Frenkel, Data For Democracy Policy Lead and Mozilla Fellow Renee DiResta, and DisInfoMedia founder Jestin Coler, we navigate the age of disinformation. It’s the season finale of IRL, recorded live in San Francisco on March 18th, 2018. Show Notes

    Episode 14 - Ctrl+Alt+Facts

    A recent Gallup survey found that most Americans feel that it’s harder today to be well-informed than ever before. But each of us can play a part in stopping the spread of misinformation. Learn more.
  • Season 2 Ep. 6

    Social Bubble Bath

    We’ve long heard that the ways the web is tailored for each user—how we search, what we’re shown, who we read and follow— reinforces walls between us. Veronica Belmont investigates how social media can create, and can break, our filter bubbles. Megan Phelps-Roper discusses the Westboro Baptist Church, and the bubbles that form both on and offline. B.J. May talks about the bubbles he encountered every day, in his Twitter feed, and tells us how he broke free. Rasmus Nielsen suggests social media isn’t the filter culprit we think it is. And, within the context of a divided America, DeRay McKesson argues that sometimes bubbles are what hold us together. Show Notes

    Episode 13 - Social Bubble Bath

    Read B.J. May’s How 26 Tweets Broke My Filter Bubble.

    Grab a cup of coffee and Say Hi From the Other Side.

  • Season 2 Ep. 5

    Algorisky

    From Google search to Facebook news, algorithms shape our online experience. But like us, algorithms are flawed. Whether intentional or not, biases get written into code. Now, more than ever, it’s up to us to push for accountability. Because when bad code spreads disinformation, it’s never something that “the algorithm did.” It’s something people did. Veronica Belmont investigates algorithmic accountability, in conversation with Luke Dormehl, Staci Burns, James Bridle, Nick Seaver, and Safiya Noble. Show Notes

    Episode 12 - Algorisky

    Algorithms aren’t neutral. They’re really just recipes; expressions of human intent. That means it’s up to us to build the algorithms we want. Read more on how we can make algorithms more accountable.
  • Season 2 Ep. 4

    Cloak of Invisibility

    On the Internet no one knows you’re a dog, as the old joke goes. But does anonymity truly exist on the web anymore? And when it’s taken from us, what else do we lose? So Sad Today talks about the value of anonymity for women and self-care. Jonathan Hirshon shares his personal battle to keep his face off Facebook. New Yorker cartoonists Peter Steiner and Kaamran Hafeez discuss the evolution of memes and digital anonymity, in dog years. And Alison Macrina and Morgan Taylor reveal what’s underneath the surface of the searchable web. Show Notes

    Episode 11 - Cloak of Invisibility

    The most famous cartoon in New Yorker history is about a dog on the Internet. Makes sense. Cartoonist Kaamran Hafeez revisits the OG doggo meme, with an update for the post-privacy era. Check out his new cartoons, inspired by this very episode.
  • Season 2 Ep. 3

    Face Value

    From Snapchat filters to Apple’s Face ID, biometric technology plays a growing role in our everyday lives. What do we actually give up when we upload our face to these apps? Steven Talley shares his experience as a victim of mistaken identity. Joseph Atick, a forefather of facial recognition technology, reckons with its future. We head to to China, where biometric data is part of buying toilet paper. And artist Adam Harvey investigates how racial bias seeps into big data sets. Show Notes

    Episode 10 - Face Value

    Today, more than half of US adults are recorded in police facial recognition databases. For more on the far-reaching impact of facial recognition tech, check out our blog.
  • Season 2 Ep. 2

    Digital Overload

    What does it mean to grow up online? We investigate how the www is changing our bodies and our brains. A college student shares his experience at rehab for Internet addiction. Bestselling author Nir Eyal breaks down what apps borrow from gambling technology. Writer Heather Schwedel talks about taking a cue from Kanye and breaking up with Twitter. And blogger Joshua Cousins talks about the Internet as a lifeline, in the wake of recent natural disasters. Show Notes

    Episode 9 - Digital Overload

    Looking to reset your relationship with the Internet? Check out our digital detox kit. And if you still need something to stop your phone’s constant beep boops, we have the next best thing: an IRL ringtone.
  • Season 2 Ep. 1

    Bot Or Not

    From politics to poetry, bots are playing an increasingly visible role in culture. Veronica Belmont investigates the rise of social media bots with Lauren Kunze and Jenn Schiffer. Butter.ai’s Jack Hirsch talks about what happens when your profile is stolen by a political bot. Lisa-Maria Neudert measures how bots influence politics. Ben Nimmo teaches us how to spot and take down bot armies. And Tim Hwang explores how bots can connect us in surprising, and meaningful, new ways. Show Notes

    Episode 8 - Bot Or Not

    Bots, they’re just like you and me. Except easier to find, especially on Twitter. :) Here’s a handy guide to spotting bots in social media, plus the answers to the bot-or-not quiz you heard on the episode.
  • Bonus Episode

    Net Neutrality Emergency

    The battle for the open Internet isn’t over. In the days leading up to the FCC’s net neutrality vote, we investigate what’s next in the fight. We Rate Dogs’ Matt Nelson talks about trolling Ajit Pai with a pay-per-pupper plan. Verizon protesters share their experience on the ground. And the FCC’s Mignon Clyburn weighs in on net neutrality’s road ahead. Show Notes

    Episode B2 - Net Neutrality Emergency

    What does it take to get net neutrality? People like you. Find out more about how you can help here.
  • Bonus Episode

    Status Update

    We check in on some of Season One’s stories and see how they’ve evolved. Activist Amanda Werner talks about their turn as the Monopoly Man at the Equifax hearings. Investigative journalist Marcy Wheeler follows the case of hacker Marcus Hutchins, and tries to make sense of why he was arrested. And, drumroll, we finally hear back from a troll we sent cake to last season. Show Notes

    Episode B1 - Status Update

    Life on the Internet moves fast. Director of Firefox Runtime Selena Deckelmann explains why every millisecond matters. Learn more.

    And, keep it clean out there. Check out our data detox kit for more ways to keep your personal info safe.

  • Season 1 Ep. 7

    Free Speech, Limited?

    Recent events like the Charlottesville, VA rally have revealed the Internet’s role in helping spread IRL threats and violence. Leaders in the tech world have represented varying positions on both protecting free speech and also reducing hate speech online. Should tech companies regulate who says what on the Internet? Show Notes

    Episode 7 - Free Speech, Limited?

    Freedom of speech is important, online and off. And, it’s also important that free speech not infringe on the freedom of others. Tell us: what can regular internet citizens do to address this issue? How can we all accelerate the pace of change for a more free, civil and healthy Internet?
  • Season 1 Ep. 6

    All Access Pass

    What is life like without fast Internet, and how does life change once a person has it? Should Internet access be a right, rather than a luxury? Veronica Belmont explores these questions as she talks to people about joining the digital economy. Inspiring stories of access are surfaced by members of a small Minnesota community and by a Syrian refugee who found hope in Amsterdam. Show Notes

    Episode 6 - All Access Pass

    The more voices, perspectives, lanugages, and people contributing to the Web, the richer the experience for everyone. But the Internet is not yet accessible to all. Find out how you can make a difference.

    And, find out how libraries, in particular, are evolving to meet digital demand and address patrons’ connectivity issues.

  • Season 1 Ep. 5

    I Spy With My Digital Eye

    We react against the idea of surveillance, but it turns out that we’ve invited it into our homes through devices like digital assistants, connected toys and baby monitors. Are you comfortable with the idea that someone might be watching you or listening to you right now? Show Notes

    Episode 5 - I Spy With My Digital Eye

    Struck by the idea that toys made for kids may have prying eyes (and ears)? For more on connected devices and surveillance, head over to our blog.

    And, check out the Surveillance Self-Defense Kit mentioned in this episode, developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

  • Season 1 Ep. 4

    The Care and Feeding of Your Troll

    Trolls. You’ll find them in every corner of the Internet. During this episode, explore the landscape of trolling online, its impact on individuals, and its impact on the Web. Some people are fighting back in new and interesting ways. Baked goods included. Show Notes

    Episode 4 - The Care and Feeding of Your Troll

    Help form a more inclusive world and Web.
  • Season 1 Ep. 3

    Hack Jobs

    Have you been hacked, or been the victim of malware or ransomware? Humans make the internet vibrant, but we’re also the weakest link — we’re predictable and often easily fooled. This episode of IRL focuses on our internet insecurity. Meet the unsung heroes fighting to keep us safe. Show Notes

    Episode 3 - Hack Jobs

    Stay safe online! Here’s more on how to not be a ransomware victim.

    And, if you’d like to learn a bit more about the PATCH Act mentioned in our episode, go here.

  • Season 1 Ep. 2

    The Neutral Zone: The Future of Net Neutrality

    The Internet (at least in the US) is at a crossroads as the FCC is considering rolling back net neutrality regulations. If net neutrality is abolished, the Internet could shift from an essential service that all consumers can access to a product that can be packaged and sold to the highest bidders. Show Notes

    Episode 2 - The Neutral Zone: The Future of Net Neutrality

    Undecided as to whether or not you support net neutrality? Check out our blog for more.

    Find out how to participate in the Net Neutrality Day of Action here.

    You can file comments on Pai’s plan to roll back net neutrality rules at this link. Just click “Express” to write a comment directly into the FCC form by July 17.

  • Season 1 Ep. 1

    All Your Data Are Belong to Us

    You’ve heard the expression, “When something is free, you’re the product.” And, while you may think it’s no big deal to give away your personal data in exchange for free online services, how can you know that what you get for what you give is a fair trade? Show Notes

    Episode 1 - All Your Data Are Belong to Us

    Go here for the World Privacy Forum’s list of the Top 10 Most Important Opt-outs.

    Mozilla also has a few suggestions on how to manage the data privacy challenge discussed in this episode.

    For more on this episode, including editorial commentary, visit Mozilla’s Internet Citizen blog.

  • Season 1 Trailer

    Introducing IRL: Because Online Life is Real Life

    Our online life is real life. We walk, talk, work, and even love on the Internet – but we don’t always treat it like real life. Host Veronica Belmont sets out to explore this disconnect with stories from the wilds of the Web. Show Notes

    Episode 0 - Introducing IRL: Because Online Life is Real Life

    For behind-the-scenes video of IRL Trailer production, and a bit more about why we’re making this podcast, check out our blog.

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