With the rise of IoT and tracking technologies (both online and in the real word), we are generating staggering amounts of highly personal information. This massive trove of juicy data has drawn the attention of several interested parties outside the realm of consumer marketing. Like chum in the water, it’s created a feeding frenzy from data aggregators as well as from law enforcement and intelligence agencies, both foreign and domestic. The journalists at 404 Media have published several blockbuster articles on this data ecosystem which have triggered backlashes from lawmakers and consumers alike. Today I’ll speak with two of the founders: Justin Cox and Jason Koebler.

• 404 Media: https://www.404media.co/ 
  
• 404 Media podcast: https://www.404media.co/the-404-media-podcast/
  
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• Formation of 404 Media: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/22/business/media/404-media-vice-motherboard.html 
  

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Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:01:03: Interview setup
  
• 0:02:45: How did 404 Media come to be?
  
• 0:12:00: When do we think law enforcement started buying our data?
  
• 0:15:39: What’s up with companies listening to our conversations?
  
• 0:23:01: Where does law enforcement go to get our data?
  
• 0:27:46: How are video feeds being gathered and sold?
  
• 0:34:23: Can’t all this data also be used by “bad guys”?
  
• 0:39:13: Is it legal for law enforcement to buy data from foreign sources?
  
• 0:44:28: Have your stories triggered responses from the US government?
  
• 0:50:01: Trust in media is low these days – how can we fix that?
  
• 0:59:37: How can we support good work like yours?
  
• 1:03:22: Wrap-up