Podcast: Unveiling the truth behind the tragic 2015 Mariana Dam disaster

WWho is behind the most notorious ‘deepfake’ apps on the internet? The Guardian’s new podcast series ‘Black Box’ has been trying to answer that question for months now, as we explore a hall of mirrors. It was like wandering.

The app, ClothOff, has hundreds of thousands of followers and has already been used to generate dozens of images of underage girls in at least two cases. The photos have traumatized the girls, outraged their parents and left police at a loss as to how to stop it.

Producers Josh Kelly, Alex Atack and I followed Cross-Off’s footsteps to a nondescript, seemingly vacant address in central London. We’ve encountered fake businesses, distorted voices, and fake employee photos.

This was a frightening insight into the future we’re all heading into in our careers. In the age of artificial intelligence, is everything you see and hear on your screen real?

The search for ClothOff is just one story to tell about the times we live in. We’re in the first few years of AI infiltrating our lives, but it’s not yet deep enough that we can’t remember what life used to be.

We wanted to take a snapshot of this moment in time to explore the impact AI is already having on the world and look for clues about what’s to come. We met the scientists who pioneered AI software until they dramatically turned against it last year. We’ve heard stories of people reminiscing about their first dates with their boyfriends (smartphone chatbots), and stories of heartbreaks when the same lover turned cold due to system girlfriend updates. Ta.

We’ve been hearing about the prospect of AI systems that can detect cancer years before doctors and machines could offer desperate people what no one else has: humanity.

Everywhere we go, we encounter an even bigger mystery: people using AI. What has fascinated us again and again is the way in which we are already reshaping what it means to be human in a series about artificial intelligence that is not just about technology, but actually about us.

michael safi
Presenters, today’s highlights

This week’s picks

Hear Me Out
Wide range of weekly episodes available
Get to know some of the dramatic talents of multiple stars in this chatty theater podcast from actor Lucy Eaton. They each choose their favorite speech and act it out in a private chat, giving it a Desert Island Disc feel for the stage. In the first episode of the new series, hear Mark Gatiss perform Hamlet’s “Longing” and “Rage” “Speech the Speech” soliloquy from Jack Thorne’s Motives and Clues. Alexi Duggins

dead river
Wide range of weekly episodes available
This alarming story focuses on one of the most devastating environmental catastrophes in history: the 2015 Mariana Dam disaster in Brazil. The disaster led to the largest class action lawsuit in British history involving 700,000 claimants. It’s an emotional and worrying listen, packed with music that tugs at your heartstrings as you hear locals talk about their fears that the dam is sick. advertisement

The Blame of Fame: Milli Vanilli
Wide range of weekly episodes available
You may already know the story of Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvern, but Insecure’s Amanda Seales brings you the inside story in this fun podcast. When German producer Frank Farian asks the tight-trousered pop duo to make a deal with the devil, they are exposed as impostors, leading to exploitation and tragedy. Hannah Verdier

Time Capsule: Silver Chain
Wide range of weekly episodes available
The 1970s swing scene is the stuff of myth and legend, so when Paul Ditty heard that the secret club Silver Chain had kept a stash of newsletters in a safe deposit box, he couldn’t resist investigating. His brilliant unraveling of the mysterious Minnesota club begins with a simple question. How did they find the time to swap partners? HV

if i speak
Wide range of weekly episodes available
Novara Media journalists Ash Sarkar (above) and Moya Lothian-McLean have questions on their minds, including “Can I really be friends with my boss?” and “Are dating apps dead?” By grappling with questions, he swaps politics with personal (of sorts) issues. “Should I give my mom some money?” As Sarkar says, this is “the place where we can reveal our most free and nosy selves without judgment.” Holly Richardson

There’s a podcast for that

this week, robin winter choose the best five Comedy podcasts that actually teach you somethingfrom comedy quizzes with Chase star Paul Sinha to investigating urban legends in black culture.

Do Go On
It’s surprising how little-known this Australian podcast is despite its longevity. Hosted by incredibly likeable Melbourne comedians Matt Stewart, Jess Perkins and Dave Warneke, each week one of them chooses a topic to report on. Recent episodes include History of Monopoly, Pirate Queen of Ireland, Eurovision, and more. Unlike many other long-running podcasts (Do Go On is entering its ninth year), the inside jokes are easy to follow and there’s a genuine, contagious enthusiasm from the trio.Rare podcasts that will make you laugh out loud and Full of fascinating stories.

Paul Sinha’s Perfect Pub Quiz
The Chase’s Paul Sinha is also a popular touring comedian and combines these pursuits in this clever BBC Radio 4 podcast. If you can imagine him doing his set of tight 20-minute stand-up encyclopedias, you’ll be able to get pretty close to this vibrant show. In series two, Sinha takes his trivia skills to different parts of the country, testing Ipswich residents on their most famous politicians and Manchester’s tallest buildings. However, there is not much time to think, so the listener needs to respond quickly.

mom taught me
Comedians Langston Carman and David Goboly explore black conspiracy theories, superstitions, urban legends, and, in their words, “the old lady’s story that your uncle told you about who wore jeans to the beach.” Dive deep into the world of “public pool. They often have hilarious guests to discuss reader suggestions. After almost 300 episodes, there’s no sign of running out of material.

big flop
With only a handful of episodes to date, The Big Flop explores everything from the laughably bad movie Cats to the banned Four Loko, an alcoholic energy drink invented by a bunch of frazzled boys. It’s a show that focuses on events that didn’t go well. Hosted by actor, singer, and TikTok star Misha Brown, it was produced by pod giant Wonderly. Two weekly guests (mostly American stand-ups and performers) bring freshness to each episode, and thanks to an experienced behind-the-scenes team, it’s well-researched and well-produced.

That’s not true fish
If you love comedy podcasts, you’ll be spoiled for choice with No Such Thing As a Fish, created by the writers of the long-running BBC quiz show QI. The authors started the podcast in 2014 after discovering interesting facts that weren’t aired during their research. Now his 500-episode podcast is the granddaddy of the genre, unapologetically nerdy but beautifully accessible even for non-Oxbridge fans. Winner of many well-deserved awards and published as a book, No Such Thing As a Fish is a must-listen for anyone looking for quirky facts to share at the pub table.

Why not try it…

• In an 8-part series show on the streetcelebrities are taken out of the studio and presenter and veteran podcaster Alex Lugui takes the driver’s seat as they embark on a personal road trip through the places that shaped them.

• just jack and will is the ultimate Will & Grace rewatch podcast with Sean Hayes and Eric McCormack.

• Who is a good person? So who is the bad guy? alphabet boys Revealing secret investigations by the FBI, DEA, ATF, and other three-letter agencies in the United States.