Christina and Simone are bringing you a classic chaos hour of Rocket. Today’s questions: is social media dying, and is it possible to build a platform that can thrive without turning users into content for ad revenue? Also, remembering Netflix’s mail-order heyday, now that it has announced the end of physical DVD rentals. Finally, a bombshell allegation about Taylor Swift’s dealings with FTX… the perfect Rocket cocktail.

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Rocket | Cotton Bureau

Twitter promises it’s really, actually removing legacy blue on April 20th - The Verge

Social media is doomed to die - The Verge

Netflix is shutting down its original DVD business after 25 years - The Verge

The Block: Taylor Swift did due diligence on FTX, says lawyer who finally served Shaq, Tom Brady

The GitHub Shop | Home

Finally, the case of Brianna v. Christina is drawing to a close, as Elizabeth Holmes prison date looms… this week on Rocket, we’re talking about Twitter’s contentious relationship with journalism and the latest “quirks” of the platform, which include private tweets going public, and a feud with Substack. Then, HBO Max is rebranding… again! And finally, Fyre Fest 2. It’s been promised, so you know we’re packing our bags.

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Convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes must report to prison, judge rules | Ars Technica

Peter Rising MVP - YouTube

Is Twitter Circles Broken?

Twitter Is Screwing With Substack Links

NPR quits Twitter after being falsely labeled as 'state-affiliated media' : NPR

HBO and Discovery’s ‘Max’ streaming service is here - The Verge

Billy McFarland Warns, Fyre Fest 2 ‘Is Finally Happening’

The GitHub Shop | Home

There are rumors swirling about a new PlayStation handheld — but can Sony really put out an online-only handheld and expect to compete with the Steam Deck and Switch? Then, the first ChatGPT defamation lawsuits are emerging, and the situation is a mess. Brianna has some controversial opinions about Ryan Gosling as Ken in the Barbie movie, and Simone is not young anymore.

This episode of Rocket is sponsored by:

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Could a new PlayStation handheld be built for Remote Play? I like the idea - The Verge

gaming.com/playstation-handheld/">EXCLUSIVE - Sony's Next PlayStation Handheld - Insider Gaming

What happens when ChatGPT lies about real people? - The Washington Post

Watch the new Barbie trailer starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling - Polygon

Read Hari Nef's Heartwarming Letter to Greta Gerwig About Being Cast in 'Barbie' | Them

It's FINALLY time to actually talk about the TikTok hearings, and our opinions on how Congress has handled grilling the social media giant — and the potential bills that they're considering. Then, what are the terms of SBF's bail? Just how much internet access can that man have? Finally, we're talking a rambly and non-spoilery review of John Wick 4, a movie that doesn't feel almost three hours long.

This episode of Rocket is sponsored by:

• Porkbun: Get $1 off your next domain name with the code ROCKET.

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The RESTRICT ACT known as the tiktok ban, bill S.686 is a terrifying b... | TikTok

The RESTRICT Act creates blanket authority, with few checks, to ban just about anything linked to a ‘foreign adversary’

That TikTok hearing was pretty messed up, right? - The Verge

How TikTok failed to make the case for itself - The Verge

TikTok ban pushed by Missouri's Hawley blocked in Senate | AP News

The RESTRICT Act creates blanket authority, with few checks, to ban just about anything linked to a ‘foreign adversary’

SBF Cut Off From His Favorite Toys Under New Proposed Bail Conditions

The Block: Prosecutors say SBF should only access approved websites. He wants Door Dash and the New York Post

5 ways John Wick’s huge box-office success needs to inspire Hollywood - Polygon

John Wick: Chapter 4 is an eat-the-rich movie - Polygon

We’re talking TikTok WAIT NO we’re talking the SEC fining Justin Sun and numerous celebrities spokespeople for cryptocurrency shenanigans! Then, it’s sadly time to bid goodbye to DPReview, the beloved camera website. Meanwhile, we never even got to say hello to Tax Heaven 3000, a dating sim/tax filing software that Steam yanked unceremoniously this week — or did they?

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TikTok ban hearing: all the news on the US’s crackdown on the video platform - The Verge

US issues sweeping restrictions on chip sales to China - The Verge

TikTok CEO appears on TikTok to warn users about the TikTok ban - The Verge

Biden administration reportedly demanding that TikTok sell or face a ban - The Verge

Congress rolls out new bill allowing nationwide TikTok ban - The Verge

hits-jake-paul-lindsey-lohan-justin-sun-with-crypto-violations.html">SEC hits Jake Paul, Lindsay Lohan, Justin Sun with crypto violations

Tron Founder Justin Sun Sued by U.S. SEC on Securities, Market Manipulation Charges

SEC.gov | SEC Charges Crypto Entrepreneur Justin Sun and his Companies for Fraud and Other Securities Law Violations

Amazon is shutting down DPReview, the go-to camera reviews website - The Verge

The Lost Cities of Geo - 99% Invisible

MSCHF’s Tax Heaven 3000 is a dating simulator that can prepare your taxes - The Verge

Tonight’s special guest is The Verge’s senior writer Elizabeth Lopatto, to discuss what else but: THE COLLAPSE OF SILICON VALLEY BANK. She’s a pragmatic, expert voice to walk all of us through a confusing and dramatic weekend, and she knows what we should be keeping an eye on next. Then, Brianna and Simone discuss the existence of the moon, and Scream 6!

This episode of Rocket is sponsored by:

• Micro.blog: A social network that embraces the web. Save 50% on a Premium account with code RELAY.

Guest Starring:

Elizabeth Lopatto

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Bank Shares Tumble in Wake of Failures - The New York Times

The Demise of Silicon Valley Bank - by Marc Rubinstein

How Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, who it affects, and what happens now - The Verge

Samsung caught faking zoom photos of the Moon - The Verge

Scream VI review: The meta horror franchise fights for its life - Polygon

Simone is back but still dying of Italian respiratory diseases. Still, we’re in for a high-energy show! Let’s talk about Google’s forays into AI — are they behind Microsoft, or will their years of research put them out ahead in the end? Then, a Spotify redesign threatens to make the app more visually similar to TikTok. Is Spotify doing something smart or overextending itself? Finally, Christina explains one of the biggest financial scams in recent memory.

This episode of Rocket is sponsored by:

• ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.
• Porkbun: Get $1 off your next domain name with the code ROCKET.

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How Google Became Cautious of AI and Gave Microsoft an Opening - WSJ

Google’s one step closer to building its 1,000-language AI model - The Verge

ChatGPT Success Drives Google to Put AI in All Its Products - Bloomberg

Cory Doctorow (@pluralistic@mamot.fr) on Twitter: "So there's a great Thai restaurant in my neighborhood called Kiin. Yesterday, I searched for their website to order some takeout. Here's the Google result. https://t.co/JFCyvXV9be" / Twitter

I tried using AI. It scared me. - YouTube

Spotify’s new design turns your music and podcasts into a TikTok feed - The Verge

How the Biggest Fraud in German History Unravelled | The New Yorker

Covert cameras and alleged hacking: how bust payments company Wirecard ‘hired spies and lawyers to silence critics’ | Financial sector | The Guardian

Amazon.com: Money Men: A Hot Startup, A Billion Dollar Fraud, A Fight for the Truth eBook : McCrum, Dan: Kindle Store

This week on Rocket, Simone kissed too many Italians, so Brianna and Christina are running amok. They talk about the new ChatGPT API and the potential it could have on different startups and industries, the risky bets Binance made with its customer’s money (without telling them) and Elizabeth Holmes’ latest attempt to get out of jail, thus saving Christina $500.

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OpenAI announces an API for ChatGPT and its Whisper speech-to-text tech - The Verge

Introducing ChatGPT and Whisper APIs

Introduction - OpenAI API

Binance’s Asset Shuffling Eerily Similar To Maneuvers By FTX

Binance Can’t Keep Its Story Straight on Misplaced $1.8B USDC

Tweet / Twitter

Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend: Zuckoff, Mitchell: 9780812968361: Amazon.com: Books

Elizabeth Holmes Gives Birth to 2nd Child, Asks to Remain Free Pending Appeal

Court Filing

This week on Rocket, Simone is in Italy, so Brianna and Christina are joined by special guest Alex Cranz! They discuss some important technology cases in front of the Supreme Court, Meta’s new plan for verified Facebook and Instagram accounts, and finally wrap things up with some delicious dirt about the most successful show on TV that you don’t watch, but your parents definitely do, Yellowstone.

Guest Starring:

Alex Cranz

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In lawsuit against tech companies, justices debate what it means to “aid and abet” terrorism - SCOTUSblog

“Not, like, the nine greatest experts on the internet”: Justices seem leery of broad ruling on Section 230 - SCOTUSblog

Gonzalez v. Google and Twitter v. Taamneh: Supreme Court hears Section 230 arguments - The Verge

Meta’s launching $12 per month paid verification on Instagram and Facebook - The Verge

Testing Meta Verified to Help Creators Establish Their Presence | Meta for Creators

Casualties of the Costner-Yellowstone Crossfire - Puck

How ‘Yellowstone’ Became America’s Most Popular TV Show - The Atlantic

Taylor Sheridan Talks Sicario: Day of the Soldado Movie and Yellowstone TV Series

This week on Rocket, the word of the day is ENGAGEMENT! Elon Musk has ordered Twitter engineers to boost engagement of his own Tweets. So that’s normal! Meanwhile, how are things going over on Mastodon? There’s some kerfuffle in the tech world over growth on the platform(s). Brianna and Christina discuss their own experience with the decentralized social network. Finally, Marcin Wichery joins us to discuss his history of keyboards, Shift Happens!

This episode of Rocket is sponsored by:

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Yes, Elon Musk created a special system for showing you all his tweets first

The Mastodon Bump Is Now a Slump | WIRED

Martin Holland (@fingolas) | Calckey Social

Lazy Reporters Claiming Fediverse Is ‘Slumping,’ Despite Massive Increase In Usage | Techdirt

Marcin Wichary (@mwichary) / Twitter

Shift Happens

Shift Happens: A book about keyboards by Marcin Wichary — Kickstarter