Kids Used NPR Podcast Comments as Group Chat, Producer Says
Middle schoolers turned NPR podcast comment sections into a group chat, a producer discovered. The activity was first noticed on Spotify episodes of Wild Card.
Middle schoolers used NPR podcast comment sections as a group chat, according to a producer who noticed the activity under Spotify episodes of NPR's Wild Card podcast last fall.
The producer initially assumed the comments were bot traffic and reported them to Spotify. NPR audio producer Hannah Chin later identified the commenters as likely middle schoolers.
Similar activity had been spotted on TED Radio Hour the previous year, suggesting the behavior is not isolated to one show.
Ira Glass, who has hosted This American Life for three decades, said a kid told him they looked for podcasts with few comments. The detail points to a deliberate search for quieter comment sections where kids can chat.
The discovery was reported by techcrunch.com.
Quick answers
Which NPR podcast had comments used as a group chat?
The activity was noticed under Spotify episodes of NPR's Wild Card podcast last fall.
Who identified the commenters?
NPR audio producer Hannah Chin identified the commenters as likely middle schoolers.
What did a kid tell Ira Glass?
A kid told Glass they looked for podcasts with few comments.