Gimlet 9: We Made A Mistake

The podcast explores the fallout from a mistake made during the launch of the Reply All podcast, where a producer failed to disclose to a mother that her son's interview about Minecraft would be used in an advertisement for Squarespace. This led to accusations of deceptive advertising practices and implicated This American Life, the organization the producer falsely claimed to represent. The discussion covers the ethical considerations of native advertising and the importance of transparency. Alex Blumberg interviews Linda Sharps, the child's mother, to understand her perspective and address her concerns about misrepresentation and lack of compensation. The incident prompts Gimlet Media to develop clear policies regarding advertising practices, disclosure, and editorial control.