From brand partnerships and algorithmic gambling to conspiracy economies and digital radicalization— digital influence is far from accidental.

Sam Ogborn (pictured left) has transformed her corporate experience at Red Bull and Synchrony into a multifaceted career spanning CMO advisory work, content creation, and academia, which balances strategic consulting, online media, and teaching.
Imran Ahmed (pictured right) is the founding CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate. He is a recognized authority on the social and psychological dynamics of social media, as well as what goes wrong in those spaces, such as trolling, identity-based hate, misinformation, conspiracy theories, modern extremism, and fake news.

What happens to democracy, trust, and shared reality when influence is driven by engagement rather than truth—and belief itself becomes a business model? In Episode 7, Dr. Mara Einstein sits down with two other experts to examine how digital influence actually works today—and why it has become one of the most powerful belief-shaping systems of our time.

In Part 1, Dr. Mara is joined by Sam Ogborn, a marketing strategist and content creator who understands platforms from the inside. Sam explains how influencer culture really functions behind the scenes: why follower counts no longer matter, how creators are incentivized to keep producing regardless of pay, and how platforms quietly shift risk onto unpaid labor. Together, they unpack the myths of authenticity, the rise of stealth brand partnerships, and why “values-driven” branding often collapses when tested.

So when brands and platforms begin to replace social institutions, what obligations do they actually have—and what happens when there’s no accountability? In Part 2, Dr. Mara speaks with Imran Ahmed, founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate. Ahmed traces how misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories spread—not because they’re fringe, but because they’re profitable. He explains how algorithms reward outrage, how influencers act as the retail layer of extremist ecosystems, and why young people are now among the most conspiratorial demographics. They also discuss why platforms resist transparency, how Section 230 shields tech companies from accountability, and why generative AI threatens to push disinformation into a new phase—where lies can be generated, tested, and optimized at scale.

Part 1 – Sam Ogborn

Why she started on TikTok anonymously—and what that taught her about algorithms
The myth of “overnight success” and why most creators never get paid
Why engagement now matters more than follower count
How influencer agencies, networks, and platforms really operate
Stealth brand deals, gifting, and disclosure gray areas
Why brands adopting “values” without infrastructure eventually fail
Mara’s distinction between purpose and impact—and why most brands get it wrong

Part 2 – Imran Ahmed

What misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, and conspiracy theories actually mean
How online conspiracy theories lead to real-world violence
Why digital platforms reward lies, outrage, and identity-based hate
Why Gen Z is now among the most conspiratorial age groups
Why platforms resist transparency more than any other reform
How AI dramatically escalates the scale and speed of disinformation
What meaningful regulation could actually look like
Why real-world connection is the strongest antidote to digital manipulation

Mentioned in this episode:

Books & Concepts

Hoodwinked — Dr. Mara Einstein
Cult Marketing Continuum
Parasocial relationships
Rage bait and engagement farming
Algorithmic amplification
Epistemic chaos
Surveillance capitalism
Enshittification

Documentaries

None

Scholars, Thinkers, and Public Figures

Sam Ogborn — marketing strategist and content creator
Imran Ahmed — founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate
Cory Doctorow — writer who coined “enshittification”
Zeynep Tufekci — scholar on technology and democracy
Maria Ressa — journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Alex Jones — referenced as a case study in monetized conspiracy culture

About the guest — Sam Ogborn

Marketing strategist Sam Ogborn has transformed her corporate experience at Red Bull and Synchrony into a multifaceted career spanning CMO advisory work, content creation, and academia. With 150,000+ followers drawn to her big-picture marketing insights, she's built a professional path that balances strategic consulting, online media, and teaching.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samogborn/?hl=en

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samogbornn

About the guest — Imran Ahmed

Imran Ahmed is the founding CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate. He is a recognized authority on the social and psychological dynamics of social media, as well as what goes wrong in those spaces, such as trolling, identity-based hate, misinformation, conspiracy theories, modern extremism, and fake news. He regularly features in the media as an expert in online malignant behaviour and how bad actors use digital spaces to harm others and benefit themselves. Imran is a trustee of the UK charity, Victim Support. He advises politicians in the US, UK, Europe, and elsewhere on policy and legislation. Imran was raised in Manchester, England. He holds an MA in Social and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge. Imran lives in Washington, DC.

Website: https://protectingkidsonline.org/

TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE

About the host

Dr. Mara Einstein spent a decade in corporate marketing working for some of the world’s biggest brands before turning her focus to exposing the industry’s inner workings. Now a tenured professor of media studies at CUNY, she’s dedicated to helping people understand how marketing shapes what we buy, what we believe, and even who we think we are. With a background spanning business, media, and the arts, Dr. Einstein brings sharp insight and humor to the systems that sell us our identities—and the power we have to push back.

Pick up Dr. Einstein’s book Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults on

Bookshop.org (and beyond): https://bookshop.org/a/116018/9781493086153

Website: https://www.drmaraeinstein.com

Books: https://www.drmaraeinstein.com/writing

Instagram, TikTok, Threads: @drmaraeinstein

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Drmaraeinstein

Credits

Production: Multitude

Lead Producer & Editor: Bren Frederick

Music: Marc Langer

Cover art: Cayla Einstein