The archive

August 2, 2026

Should this creepy search engine exist?

Search Engine · Kashmir Hill · 61 min

Why we chose this episode

PJ Vogt and journalist Kashmir Hill trace the strange, largely unregulated rise of facial search engines back to one mysterious first builder. It's an investigation that manages to be gripping without sensationalism, and it leaves you with a genuinely unresolved ethical question rather than an easy verdict. This is narrative journalism at its most patient.

Listen for this question

Should a technology exist just because it's technically possible to build?

Listen to the full episode

Every link above sends you to the creator’s own platform. We respect the original work, so we never host or summarize it here — we just point you back to the people who made it.

Visit Search Engine

Who it’s for: Listeners who want a story-driven look at privacy in the age of AI.

Best way to listen

Listen alone with full attention, no multitasking.

After the episode

Think once about your own face online, then let it go and close the app.

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