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.

Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation - new episodes regularly.

Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/

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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

The internet was supposed to make the rental market more efficient and transparent. But has it instead turned the basic human need for shelter into a frantic, dehumanising battle with technology - where algorithms, platforms, and data have more power than the people looking for a home?

We're joined by Thomas Sigler - Deputy Head of the School of the Environment and Associate Professor of Human Geography at the University of Queensland - whose research sits at the exact intersection of urban geography, technology, and how we live.

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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Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/

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In this episode we investigate how short-term rental platforms hollowed out housing supply, examine the role of PropTech in reshaping how we search and apply for homes, explore the data privacy implications of digital rental applications, and ask whether the technology that promised transparency has simply handed more power to landlords, platforms, and property influencers.

00:00 Introduction to the Rental Market Crisis

02:57 The Impact of Short-Term Rentals

06:04 Understanding the Rental Market Dynamics

08:47 The Role of PropTech in Rental Searches

11:55 Community Resistance and Transient Populations

15:02 The Rise of Digital Nomadism

17:51 The Transparency of Digital Platforms

21:07 Privacy Concerns in Rental Applications

24:09 Regulatory Challenges in the Rental Market

26:45 The Influence of Property Influencers

29:56 FOMO and the Property Market

33:10 Crisis in the Housing Market

36:05 The Future of Housing and Technology

38:59 What renters can actually do

Guest links — Thomas Sigler:

https://environment.uq.edu.au/profile/9602/thomas-sigler

The internet promised to make self-improvement accessible to everyone. But has it instead turned it into a spectator sport - replacing process with performance, and pushing us to consume playbooks rather than actually build habits?

We're joined by Justin Leff - behavioural coach and founder of Solilium Coaching - who helps people with discipline, wellness, and self-understanding, and has seen firsthand what happens when the algorithm becomes the self-improvement plan.

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

Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation - new episodes regularly.

Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/

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In this episode we investigate how algorithms and social media have reshaped our goals and motivation, examine the danger of social comparison in a world of curated success, explore how digital overload creates decision fatigue, and ask whether AI is finally the personalised self-improvement tool we were promised - or just a more sophisticated version of the same one-size-fits-all problem.

00:00 The Impact of the Internet on Self-Improvement

03:12 Globalisation of Ideas and Goals

06:07 The Dangers of Social Comparison

09:08 The Role of Role Models in the Digital Age

12:03 Chasing Status vs. Genuine Self-Improvement

15:12 The Journey of Self-Discovery

18:05 The Process Over Quick Fixes

21:14 The Impact of Digital Overload on Motivation

24:08 Navigating Decision Fatigue in a World of Options

28:03 The Future of Self-Improvement Without Social Media

30:41 AI's Role in Tailored Self-Improvement

35:08 Finding Authentic Peer Support in Self-Improvement

37:13 The Importance of Community in Personal Growth

Guest links - Justin Leff

Website: https://www.soliliumcoaching.com/

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SoliliumThoughts

The internet promised to revolutionise how we get around - delivering a modern, efficient, and affordable alternative to the old ways. But did the revolution simply replace one system with an unstable, exploitative gig economy, offering the illusion of flexibility with almost zero protections?

We're joined by Rod Barton - former Victorian Member of Parliament and founder of the Transport Matters Party - who fought the regulatory battle for taxi drivers firsthand, and understands better than most what happens when platforms disrupt an industry and governments struggle to keep up.

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

Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation - new episodes regularly.

Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/

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In this episode we investigate how rideshare platforms dismantled the traditional taxi industry, examine the safety and insurance gaps that opened up in the process, explore the rights of gig economy workers caught between flexibility and exploitation, and ask whether government regulation has any hope of keeping pace with the platforms rewriting the rules.

00:00 - The internet's impact on the taxi industry

03:01 - What the taxi industry looked like before rideshare

05:52 - The regulatory framework rideshare bypassed

08:57 - Safety and insurance gaps in rideshare services

12:13 - Gig economy workers — flexibility or exploitation?

15:05 - Customer service in the age of algorithmic dispatch

17:50 - Where the gig economy is heading

21:00 - The role of government in regulating platform transport

23:55 - What a fair path forward looks like for drivers and riders

Guest links — Rod Barton

Website: https://rodbarton.com.au

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/rod-barton

Facebook: https://facebook.com/RodBarton08

The internet promised to be an escape from centralised power - a user-controlled, peer-to-peer network that would democratise access and dismantle the gatekeepers. But thanks to the domination of Big Tech and Venture Capital, has that dream been systematically stolen and replaced by a new set of gatekeepers wearing different clothes?

We're joined by Joseph Kennedy - Head of Marketing & Growth at blockchain platform Alephium - who works at the centre of decentralisation and understands better than most the gap between what the technology promised and what it delivered.

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 investigate how venture capital and Big Tech quietly captured the decentralisation movement, examine the rise and fall of crypto's public credibility, explore the regulatory battle between governments and decentralised networks, and ask whether true decentralisation is still possible - or whether the centre always wins in the end.

00:00 - The promise of decentralisation and how it was eroded

02:50 - The role of venture capital in shaping crypto

06:11 - The infrastructure dilemma: centralised tools in a decentralised world

08:57 - Public perception of crypto and Web3: how did it go so wrong?

12:11 - The influence of regulation on decentralised innovation

15:08 - Corporate involvement in Web3: help or hijack?

17:52 - NFTs beyond the hype: is there real utility?

20:50 - How value is perceived in the digital asset space

23:07 - The rise and fall of Steemit as a cautionary tale

28:08 - The ethical dilemma at the heart of centralisation vs decentralisation

30:29 - Can the decentralised space self-regulate?

33:18 - Government control and the decentralised response

37:50 - The real barriers to mass adoption

40:12 - A divided landscape — where decentralisation goes from here

42:55 - A vision for what true decentralisation could look like

Guest links – Joseph Kennedy

Website: http://www.alephium.org

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bigpepghost

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephkennedyuk/

The internet brought connectivity unlike anything we'd ever experienced. But by making so much of our communication instant and effortless, has it actually eroded everything we need to truly connect with each other?

We're joined by Dr Maria-Elena Lukeides - clinical psychologist specialising in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapies, drawing on neuroscience, behavioural design, and evolutionary psychology - who understands better than most what genuine human connection actually requires, and what the digital world is quietly stripping away.

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

Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation - new episodes regularly.

Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/

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In this episode we investigate how digital communication has changed the nature of relationships, examine the neuroscience behind why online validation feels like connection but isn't, explore the battle between dopamine and oxytocin in a world optimised for instant gratification, and ask whether AI is the most dangerous substitute for human connection yet - or simply the most convenient.

00:00 - The internet's impact on human connection

02:34 - The illusion of connection in a hyper-connected world

06:03 - What online communication can and can't replicate

10:37 - How the internet is eroding our patience for real relationships

13:30 - Why we avoid unpleasant emotions - and what that costs us

17:14 - Dopamine vs oxytocin: the chemistry of real vs digital connection

20:53 - The quest for meaningful relationships in a fast-paced world

24:17 - How digital habits are bleeding into real-life connections

28:23 - AI as a substitute for human connection: comfort or catastrophe?

33:43 - The challenges facing modern relationships

38:07 - Building resilience in relationships in a distracted world

41:00 - Psychedelic therapy and its role in rebuilding connection

Guest links - Dr Maria-Elena Lukeides

Website: https://www.drmariaelenalukeides.com.au

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

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-elena-lukeides-270379a5

The internet has made ayahuasca more accessible than ever - bringing the promise of spiritual awakening and deep healing to people worldwide. But in doing so, has it commodified a sacred practice, fuelling a rise in unqualified facilitators and a dangerous disregard for the cultural traditions it came from?

We're joined by Bia Labate - Brazilian anthropologist, founder and Executive Director of The Chacruna Institute of Psychedelic Plant Medicines, and one of the world's leading ayahuasca experts - who has spent her career at the intersection of indigenous knowledge, psychedelic research, and the ethics of what happens when ancient practices meet the modern internet.

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

Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation - new episodes regularly.

Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/

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In this episode we investigate how social media transformed ayahuasca from a protected indigenous practice into a globally marketed experience, examine the ethical minefield of selling spiritual healing online, explore the very real risks of unqualified facilitators operating in an unregulated digital marketplace, and ask whether the internet's role in spreading ayahuasca has done more harm than good — or opened doors that needed opening.

00:00 - Introduction to ayahuasca and the internet's impact

01:03 - Bia's personal journey with ayahuasca

04:09 - How ayahuasca practices have evolved in the digital age

07:37 - Social media's role in shaping ayahuasca experiences

12:28 - Authenticity versus misrepresentation in online ayahuasca culture

17:16 - Guidelines for finding safe ayahuasca practices online

19:58 - The role of facilitators in healing ceremonies

21:02 - Navigating the real risks of digitally sourced ceremonies

22:45 - Cultural etiquette and the question of community control

24:35 - The genuine positive outcomes of ayahuasca's global exposure

27:46 - The paradox of ayahuasca's popularity

29:26 - Ethics and sustainability in a commodified practice

31:03 - How digitalisation is changing the ceremony itself

34:16 - What prospective participants should know before they look online

Guest links – Bia Labate

Website: http://www.bialabate.net

Chacruna Institute: https://chacruna.net/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC22F9iOhoGVWPiVlO9ueN0Q/featured

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

Further reading: https://chacruna.net/the-commodification-of-ayahuasca-how-can-we-do-better/

The internet promised a place where people from diverse backgrounds could find connection and understanding. But has it instead become a deeply polarised medium where echo chambers and ideological extremism make meaningful common ground harder to find than ever?

We're joined by Dr Andres Reiljan - political scientist at the European University Institute - whose research into affective polarisation puts him at the exact intersection of politics, psychology, and what the digital world is doing to how we see each other.

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

Follow or subscribe to never miss the next investigation - new episodes regularly.

Visit us: https://www.ruinedbytheinternet.com/

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In this episode we investigate the mechanics of affective polarisation in a digital age, examine how algorithms amplify divisive sentiment without most people realising it, explore the psychological toll of constant exposure to conflict, and ask whether technology that created the polarisation problem can ever meaningfully solve it.

00:00 - Introduction to affective polarisation

02:30 - What affective polarisation actually means and why it matters

04:30 - The role of politics in driving digital division

07:05 - Party versus leader polarisation: what's the difference?

09:17 - The biggest misconceptions about polarisation

11:35 - How algorithms amplify divisive content

13:44 - Factual belief polarisation: when we can't agree on reality

16:13 - Navigating disagreement with curiosity rather than conflict

18:02 - The outsized influence of loud voices in political discourse

19:56 - The mechanics of how polarisation spreads and sticks

24:36 - Social media's specific role in the polarisation crisis

29:11 - Finding common ground in a fragmented world

32:24 - The psychological toll of living in a polarised environment

34:06 - Practical strategies for overcoming polarisation

36:09 - Can technology be used to combat what technology created?

Guest links - Dr Andres Reiljan

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=uBEitnwAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Twitter/X: https://x.com/AReiljan

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andres.reiljan

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/areiljan.bsky.social