Transcript

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Marques Brownlee (1:02)

Yo, what's up people of the Internet? Welcome back to another episode of the Waveform Podcast.

Adam Molina (1:07)

We're your hosts.

Marques Brownlee (1:07)

I'm Marques.

Andrew Manganelli (1:08)

I'm Andrew.

Ellis Roven (1:08)

And I'm David.

Marques Brownlee (1:09)

And don't adjust your calendars. It's not actually Friday. This is a bonus episode of the Waveform Podcast. That's how you know it's not Friday is cause you hear that not a regularly scheduled episode disclaimer. But this is a fun one. We've got a bit of a not a game, but a fun thing we want to try and there's too much going on in the regular episode so we're just going to do this as a bonus. So take it away, Ellis.

Summary

Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast — "I Refuse to Share my Location, AITA?" (Feb 24, 2026)

Hosts: Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Andrew Manganelli, Ellis Roven, Adam Molina, David Pierce

Summary by request. All timestamps in MM:SS format. Ads, intros, and outros skipped.

Episode Overview

This bonus episode of Waveform features the crew playing a tech-infused version of the popular Reddit game "Am I the Asshole?" (AITA). Each scenario centers on tech-related social dilemmas – from location sharing with partners to group chat drama and etiquette for device use in public and private life. The conversation is raw and uncensored, with the crew’s candid takes on modern tech behaviors, social norms, and personal boundaries.

Main Themes & Structure

Tech-Related AITA Scenarios: The team reviews hypothetical and real situations submitted by themselves, colleagues, or inspired by Reddit posts.
Debate & Discussion: Each prompt is openly debated, with strong views, jokes, and the weighing of intent, etiquette, and principle.
Reflections on Modern Tech Etiquette: Group explores how tech disrupts older social conventions and creates new gray areas.
Relationship & Privacy Nuances: Special focus on privacy, boundaries, and interpersonal tech use—especially regarding location sharing, device usage, and information sharing.

Detailed Episode Breakdown

1. "Am I the Asshole?" Game Introduction

[01:09-03:30]

The hosts frame AITA as a judgment game where scenarios are posed, and everyone weighs in.
Only tech-centric situations allowed for this episode.

2. Social Networks & Platform Nostalgia

"Ellis Roven, am I the asshole for still using Twitter instead of Blue Sky?"

[04:10-09:03]

No, not the asshole, says Marques — Twitter remains the biggest, most relevant text-based platform, despite being a "mess".
David Pierce: Blue Sky and Threads lack Twitter's monoculture and speed for current events.
Ellis: "There's just no good social media anymore. All of it's bad now." [05:28]
Andrew: “I’m just way happier not using Twitter.” [08:26]
Group agrees nostalgia for old Twitter is real, but sticking with it doesn’t make you an asshole.

3. Breaking Up the iOS Group Chat

"Am I the asshole for switching to Android in an iOS family/friend group?"

[09:30-12:32]

Responses nuanced: “Depends” (Marques). If the group depends on iMessage for family communication/facetimes, it's more disruptive.
Ellis: Argues Apple is at fault for locking users in and fostering guilt around switching platforms.
"It's Apple's fault. Apple's the asshole." [11:18]
Andrew: Never experienced issues, but others say subtle exclusion/bullying can happen.
Adam: Shares real story—his family actually renamed their group chat “Adam no longer has an iPhone” after his switch.
Consensus: Switch isn’t inherently asshole behavior, but constant switching or knowingly breaking up communication can create issues.

4. The iCloud Storage Dilemma

"Am I the asshole for asking my family to delete photos/videos to free up iCloud space?"

[12:43-13:57]

Not the asshole. If you’re paying, you’re justified in asking others to clean up their storage or chip in for more space.
Andrew: “This is me, like, I got dinner tonight and then your mom’s like ‘A5 Wagyu!’ Chill mom, you’re getting a roasted chicken at best. No drink.” [13:14]

5. Gaming Honeymoon Scenarios

"Am I the asshole for bringing my Xbox on my honeymoon?"

[13:57-17:02]

Immediate laughs and “Divorce!” jokes, but group tries to find a charitable scenario (e.g., insomnia, couple both gaming).
Marques: “I think you gotta be able to find a way to — how about communication? Let’s start there.” [16:12]
Ultimately, probably the asshole unless gaming is something the couple shares or has discussed.

6. Swallowed AirPod: Tech Prank or Safety Fail?

"Am I the asshole for connecting to an AirPod my 3-year-old niece swallowed to see if it would play in her stomach?"

[17:11-21:10]

Group mostly agrees: asshole-adjacent, but more in poor taste than truly bad.
Ellis: “You just don’t know what it’s going to do if you play music through it while someone has it in their stomach… especially a young kid.” [18:10]
Andrew: “If you’re trying to lighten the mood … you can just pretend you heard music.” [18:21]
Marques points out a utility argument if it helps confirm the AirPod’s location, but most agree it’s a bad move.

7. Pedantry in Tech Conversations

"Am I the asshole for correcting someone who says their phone has 256GB of RAM?"

[21:16-25:18]

In the studio: not an asshole; elsewhere: possibly a 'well-actually' guy.
Andrew: “I’m the asshole because I don’t care enough to correct them.” [22:31]
Marques: “As long as you didn’t say it like an asshole.” [21:33]
If it helps prevent a costly mistake, correction is justified; otherwise, don’t nitpick out in the wild.

8. Killing the “Magic” with Instant Google Facts

"Am I the asshole for Googling every random conversational question immediately?"

[26:02-31:04]

Marques admits habitually looking up facts during casual chat, wonders if it’s ruining fun.
Andrew (joking): “I feel like Marques is arguing for us to call him an asshole right now.” [30:35]
Mixed responses: On one hand, it can shift conversation to facts-based; on the other, it kills fun speculation. Awareness and context are key.

9. Location Sharing and Privacy in Relationships

"Am I the asshole for refusing to share my location with my partner, even though they want me to?"

[56:26-63:12]

Heated debate.
Marques: “The simple question is why? Why do they want it so badly?” [56:50]
Ellis: Feels it’s about principle and not wanting to surrender anonymity.
“I just don’t think anyone has the right to have my location ever. Just as a principle thing.” [57:02]
Adam notes safety reasons are especially cited by women.
Andrew: After having a child, sharing location with spouse became pragmatic and common.
David: If your reason is only “it’s a principle,” you’re “probably the asshole” [59:24], but hosts concede you can be “right” and still be “the asshole” for not adapting to societal norms.

10. "Nice to e-meet you" and Other Tech/Email Etiquette

[36:26–39:25]

Whole group loathes this email phrase; “Just say meet” or “good to see you” preferred.
Ellis: “If I see the email and it says (e-meet you), I delete it immediately.” [36:43]
Joking on worse variants like “Thank you for gracing my digital sanctum.”

11. Phone Use During Movie Night

"Am I the asshole for checking my phone during a movie at home with someone?"

[39:28-41:47]

David: Unyielding — “I don’t think you can pull your phone out even for one second, even for one frame of a movie and still say you watched the movie.” [40:46]
Others are gentler, advocating for awareness of situation, but group consensus sides with try not to do it out of respect for shared experience.

12. Mechanical Keyboards in the Studio

"Am I the asshole for using a mechanical keyboard in a shared workspace?"

[50:41–52:23]

Not really, since everyone now has one; it’s become the accepted office background noise.
Marques analogizes to hobbies that annoy others (like loud cars): “If all your neighbors had loud cars, you’d all be chill.” [52:37]

13. Device Use and “Screen Divides”

VR Headsets, Smart Glasses, and Social Isolation

[43:41–45:52]

Use of VR/AR headsets for “bed scroll” with a partner crosses into asshole territory;
- Marques: “You have to take the headset off. You can’t share that with them.” [45:24]
- Only exception is if the headset use is more courteous (e.g. solo viewing so as not to wake sleeping partner).

14. Reels, Messages, & Group Etiquette

"Am I the asshole for confronting a friend for sending too many reels?"

[66:48–70:43]

Group says “probably not,” as long as the confrontation is tactful.
Andrew: “If they keep sending them and don’t get responses back and they keep sending them, they obviously don’t care.” [70:10]
Not engaging/reacting hurts less than constant pestering for replies.

15. Birthday Cards Written by ChatGPT

"Am I the asshole for using ChatGPT to write a birthday card?"

[72:07-78:09]

Marques: “Writing someone a birthday card is already very high effort ... I think you’re trying to take it to the next level with some AI assistance.” [73:03]
If it’s impersonal or a way to “mail in” a relationship, yes; but a clever, personalized use could actually up the effort.

16. Cold Calling Friends

"Am I the asshole if I just cold call a friend out of the blue?"

[78:44–80:43]

Andrew: “Especially because we all have caller id…and if the person doesn’t want to pick up, you don’t have to pick up.” [79:09]
Marques/Adam: Think it can be a little anxiety-inducing or off-putting, prefer a text first unless it’s truly urgent (e.g. birthday call).
Consensus: Not an asshole if it’s a true connection, but in the modern era, giving someone a heads-up is preferred.

Notable Quotes & Moments

On Twitter’s decline:
“When they say that place has turned into like a Nazi porn bar… and sometimes I’ll watch it, I’ll click on a video… next one, and it’s just straight porn.” —Ellis, [05:28]
“Are online people correcting us assholes? Not really, because you expect us to get it right and it’s important, but if it’s just a random person out there… not that important.” —Marques, [24:21]
“Would it be fun if your phone just lit up blue every time someone looked at your location?” —Marques, [62:38]
“Every hobby has this. It’s like people who like loud cars. Well, all your neighbors hate you, but if all your neighbors had loud cars, you’d all be chill.” —Marques, [52:37]

Timestamps of Key Segments

AITA Game Introduction: [01:09–03:30]
Twitter vs. Blue Sky: [04:10–09:03]
iOS Group Chat/Android Switch: [09:30–12:32]
iCloud Storage Drama: [12:43–13:57]
Xbox on Honeymoon: [13:57–17:02]
Swallowed AirPod: [17:11–21:10]
Pedantry & Corrections: [21:16–25:18]
Googling in Conversation: [26:02–31:04]
Location Sharing Debate: [56:26–63:12]
E-Meet You Email Etiquette: [36:26–39:25]
Phone Use During Movie: [39:28–41:47]
Mechanical Keyboards: [50:41–52:23]
Cold Calling Friends: [78:44–80:43]

Tone & Takeaways

Candid and irreverent, liberally mixing humor and real takes.
Hosts generally advocate for good intent, communication, and situational awareness over rigid rules.
Being “the asshole” is often about context, awareness, and tone — not just the act itself.

Suggestion to Listeners

The hosts invite listeners to submit more tech-related “Am I the Asshole?” scenarios for a possible Part 2.

Final Note

Waveform’s AITA episode showcases both the absurdity and subtlety of navigating tech etiquette in modern life. Their bottom line: be thoughtful, considerate, and if you’re paying for the iCloud — yeah, you can tell everyone to delete their photos.