When it comes to empowering ourselves, we were told the internet would give us back control. But instead, has it simply delivered a more efficient way for us to become products, and successfully rebranded objectification as agency?

We’re joined by Courtney Kocak - writer, comedian, and author of the memoir Girl Gone Wild - to investigate one of the most uncomfortable questions about what technology has done to identity, autonomy, power, and the people caught in between.

Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.

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In this episode we trace the journey from early 2000s media to today's self-monetisation platforms, examine how the attention economy and algorithms have reshaped desire and self-perception, investigate the rise of online male communities and their generational impact, and ask whether AI is accelerating the problem - or simply making it harder to see.

00:00 - The Internet's impact on empowerment and objectification

03:10 - From early 2000s media to today's self-monetization platforms

07:50 - The evolution of pop culture and its increasingly explicit direction

09:12 - Tracing the cultural roots of today's online extremity

13:28 - The influence of the attention economy

14:37 - The rise of the manosphere and its impact

16:29 - The generational difference: navigating online life and authenticity

20:13 - Shifting attitudes toward sex work and societal acceptance

23:29 - The influence of explicit online content

25:34 - How online validation shapes our self-perception

27:13 - Authenticity and the rejection of algorithm-driven content

30:18 - The potential and pitfalls of AI in digital content and society

34:47 - The impact of AI-generated actors and content on creative industries

36:57 - The slow political response to AI and digital regulation

38:15 - The importance of nuanced conversations

39:41 - Concerns about technology's societal effects

Guest links — Courtney Kocak

Website: https://www.courtneykocak.com/

Podcast: https://www.privatepartsunknown.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneykocak/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@courtneykocak