How the Algorithm Exploits New Parents

How the Algorithm Exploits New Parents

Update: 2026-10-07
Share

Description

New parents know the feeling. You’re sleep-deprived, scrolling, and desperate to solve the problem with a baby product. One $2000 bassinet later, you feel bamboozled! Chabeli Carrazana, reporter for The 19th, uncovers the manipulative marketing strategies around baby-rearing. 


…


Recommendations from the archive


• My very first episode is about struggling to get a newborn to sleep! Your Singing Really Interferes With My Going-To-Sleep Process


• Another early one: My Newborn, the A**hole 😂


…


Episode resources


• Chabeli’s article: You’ll do anything for your baby. The algorithm knows how to exploit that.


• Subscribe to Chabeli’s newsletter about mom guilt and consumerism


• There’s tons of other great reporting on gender, politics, and power from The 19th


…


Get Wedlocked!


I promise, if you love this show, you’re gonna love my original audiobook, Wedlocked. It’s basically a thriller about all of the things we cover on the podcast. Preorder now!


…


• Join LST+ for community and access to You Know What, another show in the Longest Shortest universe!


• Follow us on Instagram


• Sign up for our newsletter, where we recommend other parenting + reproductive health media


• Buy books by LST guests (your purchase supports the show!)


• Website: longestshortesttime.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comments 
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

How the Algorithm Exploits New Parents

How the Algorithm Exploits New Parents

Hillary Frank | Realm