Age-Gating the Internet + Cloudflare Takes On A.I. Scrapers + HatGPT

Hard Fork

The New York Times

Technology

4.5 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 1 August 2025

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“Frankly, if they’re going to behave like hackers, then we’re going to behave like trolls right back to them,” said Matthew Prince, chief executive of Cloudflare.

Transcript

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0:00.0	People on social media, Gen Z, people, have started referring to robots as clankers. Have you heard this?
0:08.3	I believe I saw something about this. Yes. So people are saying like, oh, like I hate when I call customer support and a clanker picks up. And, you know, this is sort of their new derogatory slang.
0:19.9	Well, and it pairs nicely with another new piece of slang that I wonder if you heard because people are talking about people who use tools like Chachibitila and they're calling them sloppers. Really? Have you heard this? No. Yeah. So it's like if you're, I don't know, you're out on the internet and you're publishing something and it seems like it's obviously just AI. somebody might call you a slopper. Mm. Well. Clankers and sloppers.
0:21.1	Glackers. you're publishing something, and it seems like it's obviously just AI. Somebody might call you a slopper. Clankers and sloppers. Clankers and sloppers. I just think this is, it makes me a little uncomfortable, even though Clankers is not, you know, actually, I think it's sort of a tug-in-cheek thing. I just don't think we should be calling the robot's names. I don't believe in slurring against anyone. You believe in an appeasement strategy with the robots. Just give them what they want.
0:59.6	They are keeping score. I believe that. I'm Kevin Roos. I'm a tech columnist at the New York Times.
1:10.0	I'm Casey Noon from Platformer.
1:11.6	And this is Hard Fork.
1:12.7	This week, why age gates are suddenly popping up all over the internet and how some could create more problems than they solve.
1:19.8	Then, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince returns to the show to discuss his company's new plan to help websites fight back against AI scrapers.
1:28.5	And finally, we're passing the hats for some hat GPD.
1:42.9	Well, Casey, we are here yet again to remind our great listeners that they can have their very own hard fork hat if they so choose.
1:51.0	It's time to get the hat. If you don't have the hat, the moment is now.
1:56.3	Yes. For a limited time, you can get a hard fork hat with the purchase of a new annual New York
2:01.5	Times audio subscription.
2:03.4	This is a special edition hat.
2:05.7	This color is not going to be available anywhere ever again.
2:09.8	And it'll be going on eBay for hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars.
2:14.5	Millions of dollars.
2:15.5	Millions of dollars.
2:17.0	And you'll be like, why didn't I get a hard fork hat back when it was available to me
2:20.7	as part of a New York Times audio subscription.
2:23.2	If you missed out on the Bitcoin boom, get this hat.
	...

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