Fauxbituaries
Summary
Host Alex Goldman investigates "fake obituaries" that exploit grief for ad revenue, revealing an AI-driven clickbait scheme. With experts Joe Supan, Joshua Braun, and Claire Atkin, the episode exposes the opaque digital ad ecosystem that inadvertently funds these scams. It concludes with actionable steps for consumers to combat ad fraud and a teaser for a bonus episode on tracking down scammers.
Topics discussed
Intro, sponsors, and listener contest announcement
Listener Marcus discovers fake AI obituaries for his friend
Investigating the source: CNET reporter and Nigerian scammer
The broken digital ad ecosystem and Normal Accident Theory
Solutions: Regulation, transparency, and the Sleeping Giants campaign
How to report bad ads and credits
Listen ad-free on Castria