This Week in Tech #1057: Ferret Trousering
Date: November 9, 2025
Host: Leo Laporte
Guests: Ashley Esquetha, Janko Roettgers, Ian Thompson
Episode Overview
This episode brings together veteran tech journalists and personalities—Ashley Esquetha, Janko Roettgers, and Ian Thompson—to dissect a wide array of tech headlines and issues from the week. The panelists, all now freelancers, deliver witty, candid, and sometimes irreverent takes on topics ranging from Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar salary package, the precarious landscape of streaming and sports rights, the increasing threat of digital scams and social media lawsuits, child safety online, government policies, streaming fragmentation, the demise of the Farmers Almanac, and more. The show’s light-hearted moments—like the saga of the viral "fedora detective," ferret trousering, and reminiscences about Vegas—match the seriousness of its investigation into digital well-being, regulation, and the future of tech media.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Panel Introductions & Freelancing Life
- The panel opens with Leo introducing his three guests, who are all now freelancing after long tenures at major outlets. Ian recounts how he wrote 5,000+ articles at The Register over 15 years ("It was nice to sort of slow things down, consider and start new options." – [02:18]).
2. Elon Musk’s Trillion-Dollar Pay Package and Tesla’s Prospects
- Shareholder Approval & Feasibility
- Leo and the panel pour cold water on the attention-grabbing package, citing Tesla’s declining market performance and high bars for Musk to actually receive the payout.
- Ian: “Tesla’s market share is dropping faster than—well, I’m not going to say that, but he's about as popular as pineapple on pizza.” ([03:39])
- Self-Driving & Robotaxis
- Massive skepticism is voiced about ambitious promises: 20 million Tesla deliveries, driverless fleets, etc.
- Ashley compares it to offering a child an impossible reward: "Like telling my 6 year old if you can eat an entire pan of broccoli, you can have this cake. Great incentive—not going to happen." ([04:28])
- Waymo vs. Tesla Robotaxis
- The team notes Waymo’s much smaller fleet, increased safety, and San Francisco’s reactivity to mishaps.
- Ian: “The idea that they’re going to get a million [robotaxis] on the street and not face massive lawsuits seems farcical.” ([06:01])
3. SpaceX, Apple, and Wireless Connectivity
- SpaceX’s Cell Network Ambitions
- SpaceX is buying wireless spectrum, aiming for satellite-to-phone. Elon wants Apple as a partner, which the panel jokes about—"Tim Cook sitting in a tree, Tim, Elon Musk, kis..." ([11:20])
- Chinese Astronauts Trapped & Space Debris
- The panel notes the mounting risks of orbital debris, referencing the Kessler Syndrome and historical space trash incidents.
- Ashley: “This is how horror movies start. This is the plot of a new Alien movie.” ([11:57])
- They lighten the mood by marveling that the stranded Chinese crew have managed to bake chicken wings (“We can’t get you home, but you can have drumsticks.” – Leo [14:34])
4. YouTube, Meta, and Scam/Fraud Content
- Content Moderation Extremes
- YouTube pulls tutorials showing how to bypass Windows 11 account sign-in, citing “risky or illegal” behavior that could “risk serious physical harm or death,” which the panel finds bizarre ([17:19]).
- Meta, in contrast, is exposed for letting fraudulent ads flourish, generating an estimated 10% of revenue from scams ([20:04]). Leo: “I’m not sure I fully blame Meta… You can be overzealous like YouTube, or too lenient like Meta.”
- Regulatory & Revenue Incentives
- The group highlights how platforms only act when forced by regulations or potential financial risk, not out of moral imperative.
- Ian: “Until you start fining companies based on revenue rather than profit, then that’s never going to change.” ([25:29])
5. Child Safety, Roblox Lawsuit & Regulation
- Texas Sues Roblox
- Ashley: “It is a social media platform. If you do not have the levers in place to protect your most vulnerable user… you have a responsibility. Unfortunately, we don’t regulate these companies. And so what ends up happening is, kids get hurt and then they are forced to do it [make changes]—after the fact.” ([27:57])
- Protecting Kids Online
- The panel discusses whether large platforms can actually police themselves. Consensus: they don’t want to.
- Janko: “It’s impossible to completely solve these issues, but they could always do better—and if they just did a little better, it would improve… lives or, in some cases, save lives.” ([31:58])
6. Global Moves to Age-Restrict Social Media
- Australia & Denmark Ban Social Platforms for Minors
- Countries are passing strict access laws (Australia under 16, Denmark under 15).
- Ashley: “We’ve basically created societies in which being a kid is frowned upon.” ([93:31])
- Leo: “Should the government get to step in in loco parentis?” ([98:37])
- Ashley: “We should be regulating what the companies are doing, not what we do as parents.” ([98:37])
- Decline of Third Spaces for Kids
- Panel notes loss of physical community spaces for youth; digital spaces are their “third place.”
- Ashley: “Kids want free play in person, organized activity. We are not… providing it.” ([87:18])
7. Streaming Wars, Fragmentation & Sports Rights Mess
- YouTube TV vs. Disney
- Janko breaks down the messy carriage disputes, unbundling, and surging subscription costs.
- Janko: “People are getting so much of that stuff elsewhere. Pay TV bundle isn’t the only thing in town anymore… The power dynamics have shifted.” ([55:47])
- Apple Acquires F1 Rights
- Leo and Ian geek out over Formula 1 broadcasting and whether Apple will improve or fragment the experience.
- Ian: “Nobody trusts Apple… They are ruthless when it comes to wringing the last cent out of every possible consumer.” ([43:56])
- Subscription Fatigue & Streaming Sprawl
- Leo reads a Tumblr post satirizing the explosion of ridiculous streaming services ("It's literally on Dippy. You could probably find it on Wings... It's on Poob.") ([62:12])
- Ashley: “We're basically back at cable.” ([63:48])
8. Media, Libraries, and Digital Archives
- Internet Archive Legal Attacks
- Lawsuits force the removal of 500,000 books and rare music from open library projects.
- Ian: “It’s not like this was allowing piracy… If you want to read something and you’re willing to put the time in, fine. But you don’t get a copy. You can’t pirate it.” ([129:44])
- Leo: “Publishers really don't want libraries of any kind to exist.” ([130:12])
- Role of Public Archives
- Panel laments the loss of access, especially to works no longer available or at risk.
9. Government Policy, Cybersecurity & AI Bubble
- US Cybersecurity Budget Cuts
- Staff cuts at CISA and other agencies are seen as “security vandalism.”
- Ian: “For every dollar you invest in CISA, you get 10, 20 times that back.” ([115:12])
- OpenAI’s Trillion-Dollar Spend & Possible Federal Bailout
- Discussion of OpenAI’s wild spending plans and their CFO’s search for a federal “backstop.”
- Janko: "We got a number actually a couple days ago... OpenAI lost eleven and a half billion dollars in a quarter." ([142:40])
- AI Regulation & Value Creation
- Recognition that while consumer-facing AI is overhyped, there’s real value in B2B and coding AI.
10. Memorable/Light Moments
- Fedora-Wearing Louvre “Detective”
- The photo of a stylish, Poirot-esque bystander at the Paris Louvre theft goes viral ([160:20]).
- Ferret Trousering (Legging)
- Ian explains a Yorkshire tradition: "You seal off the bottom of your trousers, you put a ferret in, and the winner is the one who keeps it in there the longest.” ([151:39])
- Vegas Childhood Stories
- Ashley recounts wild, nostalgic tales of family football viewings and airborne ice-machine fights at Circus Circus. (“My grandpa ended up getting in like a bar fight because somebody was harassing my aunt at the sports book…” – [76:05])
- Obituary: The Farmer’s Almanac (not the Old Farmer’s Almanac!)
- The team bids a tongue-in-cheek farewell to the century-old print staple.
- Ashley: “If your business lasts 207 years, you can call that a win.” ([176:13])
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On Elon Musk’s Package:
Ian: “...never gonna go anywhere near that given the limitations... Tesla's market share is dropping faster than... he’s about as popular as pineapple on pizza.” [03:39] -
On Content Moderation:
Leo: "You can be overzealous like YouTube, pull stuff down that's not... or you can be like Meta and be very lenient." [20:08] -
On Kids & Social Media:
Ashley: “We’ve basically created societies in which being a kid is frowned upon… They don’t have a third space.” [89:25]
“We are not giving [kids] or equipping them with the skills to understand that... We’ve lost the art of conversation so deeply.” [92:17] -
On Roblox’s Responsibility:
Janko: “It’s impossible to completely solve these issues, but they could always do better…” [31:58] -
On Streaming Fragmentation:
Leo (paraphrasing Tumblr): “It’s literally on Dippy… It’s a Fibo original. It’s on Poob. You can watch it on Poob…” [62:12] -
On Archives & Libraries:
Ian: “You’re literally killing off information which is not available in any other format.” [128:01]
Ashley: “Publishers are diametrically opposed to the existence of the library... they’re not making money.” [130:34] -
On OpenAI’s Finances:
Janko: “OpenAI lost eleven and a half billion dollars in a quarter.” [142:40] -
On Ferret Trousering:
Ian: “It’s a long-standing tradition... you put a ferret in your trousers and the winner is the one who keeps it longest.” [151:44]
Leo: “You don’t want to put it in your pants, I can tell you that right now.” [151:42]
Important Segment Timestamps
- 02:18 – Ian on leaving The Register
- 03:39 – Musk pay package skepticism
- 06:01 – Robotaxis lawsuit skepticism
- 11:20 – SpaceX and Apple/Tim Cook joke
- 14:34 – Chinese astronauts and wings in space
- 17:19 – YouTube pulls account bypass videos
- 20:04 – Meta’s scam ad revenue, regulation
- 27:57 – Roblox, lawsuits, and child protection
- 55:47 – Janko on shifting power in streaming
- 62:12 – “It’s on Poob” – Streaming fragmentation satire
- 86:33 – Ashley: "Kids want free play… we don’t provide it."
- 115:12 – Ian: “For every dollar in CISA…”
- 129:44 – Internet Archive’s value & threat
- 142:40 – OpenAI’s financial losses
- 151:39 – Ferret trousering explained
- 160:05 – The Louvre’s viral “detective”
- 176:13 – Obituary for the (non-old) Farmer’s Almanac
Tone & Style
- Relaxed, irreverent, and conversational
- Witty, biting, sometimes sardonic
- Reflective, critical—especially when addressing regulatory failures and the future of tech
Conclusion
A densely packed and wide-ranging episode, “Ferret Trousering” showcases the best of TWiT’s panel banter and deep dives into both whimsical and weighty trends in tech. From the giggling skepticism about trillion-dollar pay packages to earnest worries about kids online, from dissecting streaming’s absurdities to mourning the decline of open knowledge, the episode delivers concise insight, memorable anecdotes, and sharp critique—anchored by a panel whose shared roots in big media and current freelance freedom make for lively, no-holds-barred conversation.