### Introduction to "Haken Dran" In "Haken Dran," Dennis Horn and Gavin Karlmeier discuss current developments in social media and their societal implications. The episode covers various topics, from AI controversies to the corporate strategies of Meta and other platforms. ### 1. Grok Denies the Holocaust Elon Musk's AI system Grok allegedly denied the Holocaust. Instead of an official statement from xAI, the AI itself had to comment on the situation. Grok wrote: "The claim that Grock denies the Holocaust appears to be due to a programming error from May 14, 2025. [...] An unauthorized modification led to Grock questioning the common narratives." The podcasters doubt this explanation: "Even in this statement, the phrase 'the common narratives' is used. That's crazy." ### 2. Meta's Strategic Shift with Threads Meta is pursuing a new strategy with Threads. The platform now allows up to five links in the bio and will prioritize posts with links in the future. "When Threads started, what was the unique selling point of Threads? Why did we say we all wanted to go there? Because Twitter was too politicized for us." This initial incentive no longer exists: "That all fell apart in January this year. We know Meta is actually on the same political line as X." ### 3. French Court Fines Twitter Over Musk's Emails A French court has fined Twitter France almost 90,000 euros because Elon Musk's emails to a former employee were classified as "moral harassment." The employee was on maternity leave and received multiple emails with ultimatums at night: "In some cases, a response was demanded within 24 hours under threat of dismissal." ### 4. Advertising on Facebook: Surprising Insights Meta has not displayed ads to about 0.5% of users for years. The results are revealing: "Users who saw ads spent an average of 9.4% less time per day on Facebook than those without ads." At the same time, "the ads had little influence on how users rate the platform." ## Breakdown The podcast offers an entertaining and informative overview of current developments in the digital media world, with a focus on critical examination of the business practices of large tech companies. Notably, the discussion of Grok's Holocaust denial raises ethical concerns, with the hosts criticizing Elon Musk's crisis management and questioning the vague communication from xAI. The discussion of Meta's platforms highlights the contradiction between economic interests and social responsibility. The analysis shows how Meta and Twitter/X are becoming more politically aligned and how corporate decisions are influenced by social trends. The lawsuit against Twitter in France illustrates the different regulatory approaches in Europe and the USA. The moderators take a clearly critical stance towards large tech corporations while remaining nuanced and humorous. Their analysis of the ad usage study demonstrates their ability to present complex relationships in an understandable way. Overall, the podcast provides an accessible yet well-founded perspective on the evolving digital media landscape. Listening recommendation: An informative format for anyone who wants to stay up-to-date on current developments in social media and appreciates a critical perspective.