This is a Decoder mailbag episode in which The Verge's Nilay Patel, producer Nick Statt and supervising producer Greg Ott discuss listener feedback and touch on why the current wave of criticism aimed at the tech industry feels different from previous backlashes. The episode responds to reader emails and comments accumulated since the show's last mailbag in April, with hosts noting a surge of engagement following Patel's "software brain" commentary, which they describe as the most-discussed episode of the past six months.

The conversation covers the origins and role of Patel's opinionated on-air "rants," which listeners have singled out as a favourite feature, with the hosts likening the format to a modern equivalent of a newspaper column delivered on video and podcast platforms instead of print. Broader themes flagged for discussion include AI backlash, surveillance, the midterms and data centres, reflecting the range of topics the show's audience raised across The Verge's website, YouTube, Spotify and social media.