Podcasts about Techdirt

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host Zeve Sanderson, the founding Executive Director of the NYU Center for Social Media & Politics. Together, they cover:If algorithms radicalize a mass shooter, are companies to blame? (The Verge)Large Language Models Are More Persuasive Than Incentivized Human Persuaders (Arxiv)A dangerous plan to ‘win' the AI race is circulating (Washington Post)Texas governor signs law to enforce age verification on Apple, Google app stores (Reuters)AB 853: California AI Transparency Act.(CalMatters)Regulators Are Investigating Whether Media Matters Colluded With Advertisers (NY Times)Anthropic's new AI model turns to blackmail when engineers try to take it offline (TechCrunch)Why Anthropic's New AI Model Sometimes Tries to ‘Snitch' (Wired)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor Modulate. In our Bonus Chat, we speak with Modulate CTO Carter Huffman about how their voice technology can actually detect fraud. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Kevin D. Williamson is joined by Mike Masnick, founder and editor of Techdirt. They discuss the evolving challenges of content moderation, the day-to-day realities of running an independent tech publication, and how the internet has changed over time from its early decentralized roots to a more complex and structured environment.

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host Hank Green, popular YouTube creator and educator. After spending some time talking about being a creator at the whims of platforms, they cover:Crash Course Coin (Complexly)Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College (NY Mag)The Professors Are Using ChatGPT, and Some Students Aren't Happy About It (NY Times)How Miami Schools Are Leading 100,000 Students Into the A.I. Future (NY Times)We Shouldn't Have To Explain To The FTC Why Content Moderation Is So Crucial To Free Speech, But We Did (Techdirt)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host Cathy Gellis, an internet and First Amendment lawyer. Together, they cover:The Copyright Office Issues A Largely Disappointing Report On AI Training, And Once Again A Major Fair Use Analysis Inexplicably Ignores The First Amendment (Techdirt)Trump fires Copyright Office director after report raises questions about AI training (TechCrunch)Elon Musk's X caves to ‘censorship' demand from India as tensions build with Pakistan (AFP)In the government's war on ‘disinformation', facts are collateral damage (The Hindu)Elon Musk's Twitter: Indian government has asked us to block 8,000 accounts, however, we disagree as (Times of India)Elon Musk's Grok AI Can't Stop Talking About ‘White Genocide' (Wired)White Afrikaner brought to US by Trump administration has history of antisemitic posts (The Guardian)U.S. says it is now monitoring immigrants' social media for antisemitism (NPR)Kanye's Nazi Song Is All Over Instagram (404 Media)Instagram and Facebook Blocked and Hid Abortion Pill Providers' Posts (NY Times)Wikipedia fights the UK's ‘flawed' and ‘burdensome' online safety rules (The Verge)What Attacks on Wikipedia Reveal about Free Expression (Tech Policy Press)Missouri AG Thinks Supreme Court Ruling Lets Him Control Social Media Moderation (It Doesn't) (Techdirt)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:The group chats that changed America (Semafor)Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy Is Done. Powerful Conservatives Are Listening (New York Times) Meta faces Ghana lawsuits over impact of extreme content on moderators (The Guardian) Social media moderators' lives are getting worse. Big Tech needs to take responsibility (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism)Meta's ‘Digital Companions' Will Talk Sex With Users—Even Children (Wall Street Journal)Kids should avoid AI companion bots—under force of law, assessment says (CalMatters)I'm a mom who works in tech, and AI scares me. I taught my daughter these simple guidelines to spot fake content (Business Insider) Playing ‘whack-a-mole' with Meta over my fraudulent avatars (Financial Times)Meta slowest to remove scam content, says City watchdog (The Guardian)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor Modulate. In our Bonus Chat, we speak with Modulate CEO Mike Pappas about the evolving landscape of online fraud and how the company's work detecting abuse in gaming environments is helping identify financial misconduct across different types of digital platforms. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:4chan is dead. It's Toxic Legacy is everywhere (Wired)Wide-Ranging Decisions Protect Speech and Address Harms (Oversight Board)Meta's oversight board rebukes company over policy overhaul (Reuters)Why Techdirt Is Now A Democracy Blog (Whether We Like It Or Not) (Techdirt)Most young Aussie men are turning to masculinity influencers, and it's impacting their mental health (ABC News)Young Men's Health in a Digital World (Movember)Teens, Social Media and Mental Health (Pew Research Center)National Science Foundation cancels research grants related to misinformation and disinformation (Nieman Lab)Bluesky Is Rolling Out Official Verification (Wired)Government censorship comes to Bluesky, but not its third-party apps … yet (TechCrunch)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Inside Mark Zuckerberg's Failed Negotiations to End Antitrust Case (Wall Street Journal)Mark Zuckerberg once suggested wiping all Facebook friends lists to boost usage (The Verge) Would You Give PornHub Your ID? (The Atlantic) How Social-Media Sites Can Fight Hate Without Censorship (The Atlantic) Facebook Banned Me for Life Because I Help People Use It Less (Slate, 2021)ASML Fellow Launches CLR:SKY (Berkman Klein Center)Block Party deep cleans your social media, notifications, settings, and more in one clickLiz Truss to launch ‘uncensored' social network to counter mainstream media (The Guardian)OpenAI is building a social network (The Verge)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

The president's on-again, off-again tariffs are wreaking havoc on the economy. On this week's On the Media, how the press is struggling to keep up with covering the chaos. Plus, the CEO of Bluesky, an alternative to Twitter, shares her vision for a better internet.[00:00] Host Micah Loewinger breaks down a wild week in the economy–why the press can't keep up, and what we can learn from the rollercoaster of tariffs the Trump administration has implemented.[00:00] Host Micah Loewinger speaks with Jay Graber, the CEO of Bluesky, a competitor to Twitter/X that's seen massive growth recently, about how Bluesky is structured in a fundamentally different way than other social media platforms, and why that might make it “billionaire-proof.” Plus, TechDirt founder and editor Mike Masnick documents the surprising role that his wonky paper played in the founding of Bluesky.[00:00] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with Douglas Rushkoff, whose many books probe the practice and philosophy of digital technology, about whether the apocalypse survival fantasies of tech billionaires are actually viable.Further reading/listening:Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech, by Mike MasnickSurvival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires, by Douglas Rushkoff On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Ben is joined by guest host Prateek Waghre, former executive director at the Internet Freedom Foundation and currently a fellow at Tech Policy Press. Together, they cover:BookMyShow Restores Kunal Kamra's Profile After Controversy (Medianama)Kunal Kamra show audience members served notices (The Times of India)Cops force banker to cut short vacation to join Kamra probe (The Times of India)Unblock Vikatan Website – Madras High Court Orders Central Government (Vikatan)A Lack of Sense, and Censor-ability in India (Tech Policy Press)India befriends Big Tech as Trump tariffs knock on door, aided by a string of biz-friendly moves (Livemint)Meta can be sued in Kenya over posts related to Ethiopia violence, court rules (Reuters)US to screen social media of immigrants, rights advocates raise concerns (Reuters)In Karnataka HC, Centre defends use of IT Act for takedown notices (Hindustan Times) This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Zuckerberg Tries to Enlist Trump in Fight Against Meta EU Ruling (WSJ)EU set to limit Apple and Meta fines to avoid ire of Donald Trump (Financial Times)Adolescence hard to watch as a dad, Starmer tells creators (BBC)‘Adolescence' on Netflix: A painful wake-up call about unregulated internet use for teens (The Conversation)Adolescence hits Netflix's Top 10 Global chart in just three weeks as it reaches over 96MILLION views (Daily Mail)Online ‘Pedophile Hunters' Are Growing More Violent — and Going Viral (NY Times)ESPN's Pat McAfee and others amplified a false rumor. A teenager's life was ‘destroyed' (NY Times)Myanmar's Internet Censorship Limits Information About Quake (NY Times)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor Internet Society, a global nonprofit that advocates for an open, globally connected, secure and trustworthy Internet for everyone. In our Bonus Chat, Internet Society's Natalie Campbell talks about issues around US leadership on digital trade and an open internet, related to a letter the Internet Society sent this week to the US Trade Representative. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

If you're a Techdirt reader, you're probably familiar with Senator Ron Wyden. In January, he released his new book It Takes Chutzpah, offering up a call for political boldness that feels even more relevant with every day that passes. This week, Senator Wyden joins Mike on the podcast to talk about the book and the political moment we find ourselves in.

 On Tuesday, March 25th, Tech Policy Press hosted a webinar discussion to talk shop with others on the tech and democracy beat. We gathered seven colleagues from around the world to explore how tech journalists are grappling with the current political moment in the United States and beyond. In this episode, you'll hear the first session of the day, which features a discussion with Michael Masnick from Techdirt, Vittoria Elliot from Wired, and Emmanuel Maiberg from 404 Media.This session explored the intersection of technology and the current political situation in the US. Key questions included: How are tech journalists addressing the current situation, and why is their perspective so crucial? What critical questions are journalists covering the intersection of tech and democracy currently asking? How does the field approach reporting on anti-democratic phenomena and the challenges journalists face in this work?

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:X takes Indian govt to court, alleges arbitrary censorship of content (Business Standard)India criticises X for calling compliance website a censorship tool (Reuters)Musk's X suspends opposition accounts in Turkey amid civil unrest (Politico)Elon Musk pressured Reddit's CEO on content moderation (The Verge)Snapchat CEO Talks Zuckerberg, Content Moderation, AR Glasses and More (SocialMediaToday)YouTube CEO on content moderation: ‘Where the world was five years ago is very different' than today (Semafor)Porn on Spotify Is Infiltrating the Platform's Top Podcast Charts (Bloomberg)Ofcom fines provider of OnlyFans £1.05 million (Ofcom)A New Social Media App Punishes Users for Rage-Baiting (Wired)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund.  Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Twitter Inc. Official 'Bird Logo' Fascia Sign - An Iconic Fixture from the Company's Market Square Headquarters in San Francisco (RR Auction)AI Slop Is a Brute Force Attack on the Algorithms That Control Reality (404 Media)Spain to impose massive fines for not labelling AI-generated content (Reuters)China Announces Generative AI Labeling to Cull Disinformation (Bloomberg) After Axing Fact-Checkers, Meta's Community Notes Will Have Help From X (Adweek)UK to crack down on illegal content across social media (Financial Times)Lobsters and the Online Safety Act (Lobste.rs)We are sorry. The forum has closed down (The Hamster Forum)‘Kids can bypass anything if they're clever enough!' How tech experts keep their children safe online (The Guardian)The Snapchat Move That Leaves Teen Girls Heartbroken (WSJ)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. If you're in London on Thursday 27th March, join Ben, Mark Scott (Digital Politics) and Georgia Iacovou (Horrific/Terrific) for an evening of tech policy, discussion and drinks. Register your interest. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Chair of the Federal Communications Commission Brendan Carr has quietly positioned himself as one of the most dangerous figures in the Trump administration's ongoing war on free speech.Carr is using his government position to intimidate journalists, punish media outlets, and pressure tech companies into cracking down on free expression. And he has done all of this while building his profile as a "free speech" influencer on X. If left unchecked, Carr's censorship crusade could fundamentally reshape our information ecosystem and have massive consequences for anyone seeking to speak freely without fear of government retaliation. Mike Masnick, founder of TechDirt, joins me to break down who Carr is, why his agenda is so dangerous, what exactly he's doing to dismantle free speech protections in America, and how it all fits into a much bigger movement to control who can speak freely online. SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/taylorlorenzFOLLOW ME ON IG: https://instagram.com/taylorlorenzREAD TECHDIRT: https://www.techdirt.com

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Bluesky's CEO on the Future of Social Media (YouTube)The Take It Down Act isn't a law, it's a weapon (The Verge)Trump Promises To Abuse Take It Down Act For Censorship, Just As We Warned (Techdirt)Ex-Facebook employee alleges sexual harassment and human rights failures in new memoir (NBC News)Meta goes to arbitrator to prevent whistleblower from promoting tell-all book (CNBC) Reddit's rule check feature will help users avoid breaking subreddit rules (Engadget)Users Make Voices Heard as Appeals Centre's First Decisions Overturn Platforms (Appeals Centre Europe) 'Pretty Vile:' Spotify Removes Andrew Tate 'Pimping Hoes' Class After Employees Complain (404 Media)Keep kids off Roblox if you're worried, its CEO tells parents (BBC)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor Resolver, the leading provider of risk intelligence and advisory services. In our Bonus Chat, Karley Chadwick, head of platform Trust and Safety Delivery at Resolver, talks about emerging safety trends in gaming and augmented reality and reflects on her experience as a threat analyst.If you're in London on Thursday 27th March, join Ben, Mark Scott (Digital Politics) and Georgia Iacovou (Horrific/Terrific) for an evening of tech policy, discussion and drinks. Register your interest. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Techdirt has finally accepted the inevitable and gone full democracy blog—because let's face it, politics and tech are now the same dumpster fire. Google rolled out AI Mode for Search, proving once again that the internet is just Clippy with better branding. Meanwhile, Billy McFarland insists Fyre Festival 2 is totally happening, despite Mexican officials pointing out that his coordinates literally lead to the ocean. Speaking of fraud, Tesla sales are in freefall thanks to Elon's alt-right cosplay, and people are setting Teslas on fire in protest. And in rich-guy disconnect news, Google's Sergey Brin thinks engineers should work 60-hour weeks to build the AI that will replace them. That's some late-stage capitalism poetry right there.Elsewhere, Trump Media paid Don Jr. nearly a quarter of its revenue to show up twice, while indie musicians can't afford to tour, proving once again that grifting is more profitable than making art. Technicolor shut down overnight, stranding 10,000 workers because Hollywood's financial planning is apparently as stable as a Starship rocket launch. Oh yeah, SpaceX exploded another one.Meanwhile, Netflix's attempt to upscale A Different World turned it into a Lovecraftian horror show. A quarter of Y Combinator startups now run on “vibe coding,” meaning their software is basically a Ouija board with extra steps. The AI takeover continues as OpenAI plans to charge $20,000 monthly for specialized AI "agents," proving once again that the revolution will be monetized. Meanwhile, Moscow's Pravda network has been poisoning Western AI chatbots with Russian propaganda, because if you can't convince humans, just brainwash the robots that humans increasingly trust.On the bright side, hackers brought the Humane AI Pin back to life after it was bricked, transforming an overpriced paperweight into... a slightly less useless overpriced paperweight. ChatGPT can now directly edit code in macOS development tools, making it easier for AI to introduce bugs you never would have thought of yourself. Over At the Library, check out "The Tempest" by Peter Cawdron for your first contact fix, and if you're worried about where society is heading (and who isn't?), Timothy Snyder's "On Tyranny" offers a survival guide for our slow-motion constitutional collapse. Finally, in "everything is fine" news, 82% of indie artists can't afford to tour anymore.Enjoy the dystopia, kids – at least we still have our sense of humor.Sponsors:DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/687FOLLOW UPWhy Techdirt Is Now A Democracy Blog (Whether We Like It Or Not)Google announces ‘AI Mode' as a new way to use Search, testing starts todayGovernment Officials for Announced Fyre Festival 2 Location Say Event “Does Not Exist”‘I'm selling the Nazi mobile': Tesla owners offload cars after Musk's fascist-style salutesTesla Just Got Even More Bad NewsTesla Just Got News About Its Sales in Germany, and It Shows That Elon Musk Has Seriously Messed UpArsonists Set Fire to a Dozen Teslas, Charging Stations Amid "Anti-Capitalist Coordination to Target Tesla"Google's Sergey Brin Says Engineers Should Work 60-Hour Weeks in Office to Build AI That Could Replace ThemEx-Amazon VP explains why rich a-holes with helicopters and personal assistants don't get why you hate your commuteTrump Media Paid Donald Trump Jr. Nearly A Quarter Of Its Annual Revenue. He Attended Just Two Board MeetingsIN THE NEWSCinema Giant Technicolor's Abrupt Shutdown Affects 10,000 Workers WorldwideUS employers cut more jobs last month than any February since 2009No part of Amazon is 'unaffected' by AI, says its head of AGIChatGPT doubled its weekly active users in under 6 months, thanks to new releasesHugging Face's chief science officer worries AI is becoming 'yes-men on servers'A well-funded Moscow-based global ‘news' network has infected Western artificial intelligence tools worldwide with Russian propagandaOnlyFans Model Amouranth Held at Gunpoint for Her Crypto in Home InvasionCrypto Soars Then Plunges Following Trump's Post About a Strategic ReserveFact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and U.S. Digital Asset StockpileTrump creates a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve one day ahead of White House crypto summitCFPB drops Zelle lawsuit in latest reversal under Trump administrationCanadian Municpalities and the Canadian Supreme Court to stop using twitter.Ontario once again promises to nix $100 million Starlink deal over Trump tariffsOpenAI reportedly plans to charge up to $20,000 a month for specialized AI 'agents'Kevin Rose, Alexis Ohanian acquire DiggDoes the World Even Want Digg in 2025?Scrolling Through Social Media Has a Unique Effect on Your BodySpaceX's latest Starship test flight ends with another explosionA second Intuitive Machines spacecraft just landed on the moon — and probably tipped overTouch down on the moon with private Blue Ghost lander in this amazing videoMEDIA CANDYHow Many Episodes Should You Watch Before Quitting a TV Show? A Statistical AnalysisNetflix Is Using AI to Upscale a 1980s Sitcom and the Results Are Borderline HorrificDaredevil: Born AgainDavid Duchovny to Explore Real-Life X-Files for History ChannelBeyond Belief: Fact or FictionAncient MysteriesIn Search Of...82% of indie artists can't afford to tour anymoreAPPS & DOODADSThe Humane Ai Pin Has Already Been Brought Back to LifeChatGPT on macOS can now directly edit codeA quarter of startups in YC's current cohort have codebases that are almost entirely AI-generatedThe Vanishing Middle Class of TechWill the future of software development run on vibes?Hallucinations in code are the least dangerous form of LLM mistakesAT THE LIBRARYThe Tempest (First Contact) by Peter CawdronOn Tyranny by Timothy SnyderWarning - DomesticIs Trump preparing to invoke the Insurrection Act? Signs are pointing that waySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host Kat Duffy, Senior Fellow for Digital and Cyberspace Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations and CEO of RightsDuff Strategies. They cover:Why Techdirt Is Now A Democracy Blog (Whether We Like It Or Not) (Techdirt)America's Global Presence Isn't ‘Soft Power.' It's a Superpower. (Foreign Policy)These teenage boys were blackmailed online – and it cost them their lives (USA Today)United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (UN)Chairman Jordan Subpoenas Big Tech for Information on Foreign Censorship of American Speech (House Judiciary Committee)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

On the latest episode of The New Abnormal, Trump is poised to recreate Russia's oligarch system by putting a $5 million price tag on U.S. citizenship with his “gold card” visas. Plus! Mike Masnick, founder and editor of Techdirt, breaks down how Elon Musk's latest DOGE move mirrors his Twitter takeover. Then incoming Center for American Progress president Neera Tanden discusses how Democrats can turn the tables on Trump's agenda. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Facebook & Content Moderation (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver)Australia takes enforcement action against Telegram for serious delay in terror and child sexual abuse transparency (eSafety Commission) US judge says Trump Media, Rumble need not follow Brazilian order they deem censorship (Reuters)Why the Rumble Suit Against a Brazilian Justice is Not About Free Speech (Tech Policy Press)Underage Users at Meta, Snap Show Large Australian Breaches (Bloomberg)‘Big Tech Censorship' of Users Targeted by Trump's FTC Chief (Bloomberg)Instagram 'Error' Turned Reels Into Neverending Scroll of Murder, Gore, and Violence (404 Media)Meta's ‘free speech' revamp divides oversight board (Financial Times)Microsoft Hosted Explicit Videos of This Startup Founder for Years. Here's How She Got Them Taken Down (Wired)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

This Day in Legal History: Lincoln Signs Legal Tender ActOn February 25, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Legal Tender Act into law, allowing the U.S. government to issue paper money not backed by gold or silver. These new notes, called "greenbacks" due to their color, became the first widely circulated fiat currency in American history. The Civil War had placed enormous financial strain on the Union, and the government needed a way to fund its war effort without relying solely on borrowing or taxation. By making greenbacks legal tender for all debts except customs duties, the law ensured their widespread use. However, the move was controversial, as some feared it would cause inflation and undermine public confidence in the currency. Despite this, the greenbacks helped stabilize the wartime economy and ensured that soldiers and suppliers were paid. After the war, legal battles arose over whether the government could require creditors to accept paper money instead of gold or silver. The Supreme Court initially ruled against the policy in Hepburn v. Griswold (1870) but reversed its decision in The Legal Tender Cases (1871), upholding the government's power to issue fiat currency. The Legal Tender Act set a precedent for the federal government's control over the monetary system, paving the way for modern U.S. currency.A federal judge has temporarily blocked Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DGE) from accessing sensitive data held by the U.S. Education Department and the Office of Personnel Management. The ruling, issued by Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland, came in response to a lawsuit from labor unions arguing that granting DGE access to personal records violated the Privacy Act of 1974. The data in question includes Social Security numbers, addresses, income details, and citizenship status of federal employees and student aid recipients. The Trump administration contended that restricting DGE's access would hinder its government downsizing efforts, but the judge determined that the agency had no legitimate need for such information. The White House has not commented on the decision. Since Trump's return to office, DGE, led by Musk, has pursued aggressive cost-cutting measures, including mass layoffs. The ruling follows another court decision in New York that blocked DGE from accessing Treasury Department systems, amid multiple lawsuits challenging its authority.US judge blocks Musk's DOGE team from accessing Education Department, OPM data | ReutersPresident Donald Trump is set to appoint Kash Patel, the newly confirmed FBI director, as the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), according to a source. Patel, a staunch Trump ally, will oversee both agencies simultaneously, a move that has sparked concerns among Democrats and moderate Republicans who previously opposed his FBI nomination due to his history of targeting Trump's critics. Patel has strong backing from pro-gun groups and is expected to shift the ATF's focus away from firearm regulation. The decision aligns with Trump's campaign rhetoric criticizing the ATF for being overly aggressive toward gun owners. Attorney General Pam Bondi recently fired the agency's top legal counsel, Pamela Hicks, claiming ATF officials had unfairly targeted gun owners. Bondi has also redirected the ATF's priorities toward immigration enforcement. Patel's dual appointment is part of a broader Trump administration strategy, with multiple officials holding multiple roles, including Marco Rubio at the State Department and Russ Vought at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.Trump to name FBI chief Patel as acting ATF director, source says | ReutersFrom a great piece written by Karl Bode for Techdirt, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is funding affordable, community-owned broadband networks in underserved areas, challenging monopoly control by major telecom companies. In New York, Oswego County received a $26 million grant to build an open-access fiber network, allowing multiple internet providers to compete over shared infrastructure. The network's primary provider, Empire Access, is offering 500 Mbps service for $50 a month and 1 Gbps for $65, significantly undercutting industry giants like Charter and Verizon.Similarly, Minnesota's Carver County has used ARPA funds to build dark fiber infrastructure, leasing it to MetroNet in a public-private partnership. MetroNet now provides residents with gigabit fiber for $50 and 5 Gbps for $110, far cheaper than traditional providers. This strategy contrasts with other states that continue to funnel broadband subsidies to large telecoms with a history of neglecting rural and low-income areas.Some states—Vermont, Maine, California, and New York—are using federal funds to expand community-owned broadband, treating internet access as an essential utility. However, with an additional $42.5 billion in broadband grants from the 2021 infrastructure bill set to be distributed, the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DGE) will likely attempt to redirect these funds toward corporate-backed projects instead of community-driven initiatives.ARPA Is Quietly Funding Cheap ($50-$65 A Month) Community-Owned Gigabit Fiber Access To Long Neglected Neighborhoods | Techdirt This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben are joined by a group of students from the Media Law and Policy class at the American University School of Communication. Together they cover:U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users' encrypted accounts (Washington Post)US lawmakers respond to the UK's Apple encryption backdoor request (Engadget)UK: Encryption order threatens global privacy rights (Human Rights Watch)Analysis: AI Summit emphasizes innovation and competition over trust and safety (DFR Lab)An overdue idea for making the internet safer just got the funding it needs (Platformer)Google-backed public interest AI partnership launches with $400M+ for open ecosystem building (Techcrunch)Britain dances to JD Vance's tune as it renames AI institute (Politico) Section 230 Still Works in the Fourth Circuit (For Now)–M.P. v. Meta (Eric Goldman)TikTok Opts to Not Take Section 230 Immunity Fight to the US Supreme Court (Law.com)Shopify says risk of fraud, not Nazi swastika, was reason for Kanye West store takedown (The Logic)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Elon's Twitter Destruction Playbook Hits The US Government, And It's Even More Dangerous (Techdirt)US presses Brussels for answers over EU social media law (Politico)Inside the Elon Musk-Jim Jordan ‘mind meld' shaking up Capitol Hill (Politico)Musk adds Shell, Nestlé, Lego to X advertiser ‘boycott' lawsuit (The Hill)Musk Shows Us What Actual Government Censorship On Social Media Looks Like (Techdirt)In wake of Meta moderation shift, advertisers have accepted new status quo: brand safety is a myth (Digiday)Meta sees no ‘noticeable impact' in advertiser demand since content policy shift (Marketing Week)Amazon Raises Its Ad Spending on Elon Musk's X, in Major Reversal (Wall Street Journal)Senator Hawley Proposes Jail Time for People Who Download DeepSeek (404 Media)Apple Blasts EU Laws After First Porn App Comes to iPhones (Bloomberg)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

This Day in Legal History: 13th Amendment PassedOn January 31, 1865, the U.S. Congress passed the 13th Amendment, formally abolishing slavery in the United States. The amendment declared that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." While President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had freed enslaved people in Confederate-held territories two years earlier, it lacked the permanence of a constitutional amendment. The House of Representatives passed the measure by a vote of 119 to 56, narrowly reaching the required two-thirds majority after intense political maneuvering. The Senate had already approved it in April 1864. Ratification by the states followed, culminating in its adoption on December 6, 1865. The amendment marked a legal end to slavery, but systemic racial discrimination persisted through Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, and other restrictive measures. Despite this, the 13th Amendment laid the foundation for future civil rights advancements. Its passage was a key victory for abolitionists and a defining moment of the Civil War's aftermath. The amendment's "punishment for crime" clause later became a subject of controversy, as it allowed convict leasing and forced labor in prisons, disproportionately affecting Black Americans. Even today, debates continue over its implications for the U.S. prison system.Fox Rothschild LLP has blocked its lawyers from using DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, due to concerns about client data security. While the firm allows AI tools like ChatGPT with restrictions, DeepSeek's data storage in China raises unique risks, according to Mark G. McCreary, the firm's chief AI and information security officer. A recent data breach involving DeepSeek further heightened security concerns. Other major law firms, including Wilson Sonsini and Polsinelli, are also implementing strict vetting processes for new AI models. Wilson Sonsini requires its chief information security officer and general counsel to approve AI tools before use, while Polsinelli enforces firm-wide restrictions on unapproved AI software. Law firms are also monitoring AI use by third-party vendors to ensure compliance with security protocols. McCreary emphasized that established legal tech companies prioritize data protection, reducing the risk of firms switching to less secure AI models.Fox Rothschild Blocks DeepSeek's AI Model for Attorney UseA federal appeals court has ruled that the U.S. government's ban on licensed firearms dealers selling handguns to adults under 21 is unconstitutional. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a previous ruling, citing the Supreme Court's 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which requires modern gun laws to align with historical firearm regulations. The federal ban, enacted in 1968, was challenged by young adults and gun rights groups, who argued it violated the Second Amendment. Judge Edith Jones, writing for the court, found insufficient historical evidence to justify restricting gun sales for 18-to-20-year-olds. The ruling marks a major shift in gun policy, aligning with broader legal trends expanding Second Amendment protections. The Justice Department, which defended the ban under the Biden administration, has not yet commented on the decision. Gun rights advocates hailed the ruling as a victory against age-based firearm restrictions.US ban on gun sales to adults under age 21 is unconstitutional, court rules | ReutersIn a piece for Techdirt, Karl Bode critiques the Trump FCC's decision to roll back efforts to curb exclusive broadband deals between landlords and internet providers. The Biden FCC had attempted to update outdated rules that allowed ISPs to form monopolies within apartment buildings, driving up prices and reducing competition. However, due to delays caused by industry opposition and the failed nomination of reformer Gigi Sohn, key proposals—including a ban on bulk billing—were left unapproved. When Brendan Carr took over as FCC chair under Trump, he quickly scrapped these pending consumer protections. Bode argues that U.S. telecom policy is stuck in a cycle where Democrats make half-hearted attempts at reform, only for Republicans to dismantle them entirely under the guise of deregulation. The result is a landscape where telecom giants and landlords continue to collude, leaving consumers with fewer choices, higher costs, and poor service.The Trump FCC Makes It Easier For Your Landlord And Your ISP To Collude To Rip You Off | TechdirtBally's Chicago casino project is facing a legal challenge over its commitment to reserving 25% of its investment opportunities for women and people of color. Conservative activist Edward Blum, known for spearheading lawsuits against affirmative action, filed the suit on behalf of two white men who claim they were unfairly excluded from investing. The lawsuit argues that the policy violates federal civil rights law and should be open to all investors regardless of race. This case is part of a broader push against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which gained momentum after a recent executive order from President Trump eliminating DEI programs in the federal government. Bally's maintains that its agreement with the city complies with legal requirements. The lawsuit references an 1866 civil rights law originally meant to protect Black Americans' economic rights and is similar to other cases challenging race-conscious corporate policies. Blum's organization has previously led legal battles against diversity-focused scholarships, grants, and hiring programs, including the Supreme Court case that struck down race-based college admissions in 2023.America's Battle Over DEI Strikes a Chicago Casino's Financing PlanThis week's closing theme is by Franz Schubert.Franz Schubert, one of the most beloved composers of the early Romantic era, was born on this day in 1797 in Vienna, Austria. Though he lived only 31 years, his vast output of music—ranging from symphonies and chamber works to piano music and over 600 songs—continues to inspire musicians and audiences alike. Schubert's music is often characterized by its lyricism, rich harmonies, and deep emotional expression, seamlessly bridging the clarity of the Classical era with the passion of Romanticism.Despite his immense talent, Schubert struggled with financial stability and never achieved widespread fame during his lifetime. He spent much of his career composing in relative obscurity, supported by a close-knit circle of friends and fellow artists. His songs, or lieder, are especially celebrated for their ability to capture both the beauty and melancholy of the human experience, with works like Erlkönig and Winterreise standing as some of the greatest achievements in the genre.His instrumental music, however, remained underappreciated until long after his death. Today, his symphonies, string quartets, and piano sonatas are recognized as masterpieces, filled with lyrical beauty and striking contrasts. Among his later works, the Piano Sonata No. 20 in A major, D. 959 showcases his mature style, blending elegance with deep introspection. The final movement, Rondo: Allegretto, serves as this week's closing theme, capturing both Schubert's charm and his poignant sense of longing.Though he died in 1828, just a year after Beethoven, Schubert's influence only grew in the decades that followed. Composers like Schumann, Brahms, and even Mahler admired his work, helping to cement his legacy as one of music's great geniuses. Today, on the anniversary of his birth, we celebrate the life and music of a composer who, despite facing struggles and setbacks, left behind an extraordinary body of work that continues to resonate across centuries.Without further ado, Franz Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 20 in A major, D. 959.  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host Renee DiResta, associate research professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. They cover:The new free speech crisis hiding in plain sight (MSNBC)‘Free Speech' Warrior RFK Jr. Has Been Trying To Censor a Blogger for Years (Who What Why)In motion to dismiss, chatbot platform Character AI claims it is protected by the First Amendment (TechCrunch)Trump Signs Agreement Calling for Meta to Pay $25 Million to Settle Suit (WSJ)Meta's Free-Speech Shift Made It Clear to Advertisers: ‘Brand Safety' Is Out of Vogue (WSJ)X refuses to remove stabbing video watched by Southport killer (Financial Times)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Application Of Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act To TikTok (The White House)Restoring Freedom Of Speech And Ending Federal Censorship (The White House)America Is No Longer the Home of the Free Internet (The Atlantic)Good morning, America: Why India banned TikTok 5 years back (India Today)Facebook, X, YouTube to do more against online hate speech, EU says (Reuters)Commission welcomes the integration of the revised Code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online into the Digital Services Act (European Commission)Bluesky 2024 Moderation Report (Bluesky)Bluesky's 2024 moderation report shows how quickly harmful content grew as new users flocked in (Engadget)The Technological Poison Pill: How ATProtocol Encourages Competition, Resists Evil Billionaires, Lock-In & Enshittification (Techdirt)We need to protect the protocol that runs Bluesky (MIT Technology Review)If you're in London on Thursday 30th January, join Ben, Mark Scott (Digital Politics) and Georgia Iacovou (Horrific/Terrific) for an evening of tech policy, discussion and drinks. Register your interest.This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:TikTok Oral Arguments (Supreme Court)Biden administration looks for ways to keep TikTok available in the U.S. (NBC News)Trump considers executive order hoping to ‘save TikTok' from ban or sale in U.S. law (Washington Post)TikTok Users Gleefully Embrace Even More Chinese App To Spite US TikTok Ban (Techdirt)Meta employees criticize Zuckerberg decisions to end fact-checking (CNBC)Meta moderators were already in Texas before Zuckerberg announced move, say ex-workers (The Guardian)Not Many Meta Employees Will Have to Move to Texas After All (Wired)Meta just flipped the switch that prevents misinformation from spreading in the United States (Platformer)Brazil expresses concern over Meta's changes to content moderation (Al Jazeera)EU reassesses tech probes into Apple, Google and Meta (Financial Times)Despite DEI & content moderation reversals, advertisers won't flee Meta (The Drum)Meta's ‘free speech' overhaul sparks advertisers' concern (Financial Times)French Woman Says AI Brad Pitt Scammed Her Out of $850K (Hollywood Reporter)French TV show pulled after ridicule of woman who fell for AI Brad Pitt (The Guardian)Why This OnlyFans Model Posts Machine Learning Explainers to Pornhub (404 Media)If you're in London on Thursday 30th January, join Ben, Mark Scott (Digital Politics) and Georgia Iacovou (Horrific/Terrific) for an evening of tech policy, discussion and drinks. Register your interest.This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Here's why Meta ended fact-checking, according to experts (ABC News)Meta Follows Elon Musk's Lead, Moves Staffers to Billionaire-Friendly Texas (Wired)Leaked Meta Rules: Users Are Free to Post “Mexican Immigrants Are Trash!” or “Trans People Are Immoral” (The Intercept)Trust & Safety is how platforms put values into action (T&S Insider from Everything in Moderation)Nadler Releases Democratic Staff Report on Republicans' Deluded Theory to Undermine Free Speech (House Committee on the Judiciary)EU vows to 'energetically' pursue X probe under Digital rulebook (Bloomberg)Twitter Briefly Blocked The NY Post, Elon Cried Foul. Now He's Doing Far Worse (Techdirt)The Great Decentralization (Noema Mag)If you're in London on Thursday 30th January, join Ben, Mark Scott (Digital Politics) and Georgia Iacovou (Horrific/Terrific) for an evening of tech policy, discussion and drinks. Register your interest.This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

From the SAG-AFTRA picket lines to the New York Times lawsuit against OpenAI, the battle over AI's role in creative industries is heating up. In this second episode of The Dynamist's series on AI and copyright, we dive into the messy reality of how artists, creators, and tech companies are navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.Our guests bring unique perspectives to this complex debate: Mike Masnick, CEO of Techdirt, who's been chronicling the intersection of tech and copyright for decades; Alex Winter, the filmmaker and actor known for Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, who offers boots-on-the-ground insight from his involvement in recent Hollywood labor negotiations; and Tim Hwang, Senior Fellow at FAI, who explores how current legal battles could shape AI's future.The conversation covers everything from "shakedown" licensing deals between AI companies and media outlets to existential questions about artistic value in an AI age. While the guests acknowledge valid concerns about worker protection and fair compensation, they challenge the notion that restricting AI development through copyright law is either practical or beneficial. Drawing parallels to past technological disruptions like Napster, they explore how industries might adapt rather than resist change while still protecting creators' interests.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Social media platforms have work to do to comply with Online Safety Act, says Ofcom (The Guardian)LFGSS and Microcosm shutting down 16th March 2025 (the day before the Online Safety Act is enforced) (LFGSS)The GamingOnLinux Forum is shutting (GamingOnLinux)Australia leads the world in setting new standards for online child safety (eSafety Commission)How will Australia's under-16 social media ban work? We asked the law's enforcer (NPR)Fentanyl Almost Killed Michael Brewer. Now He Wants Snap to Pay (Bloomberg)Telegram Moderation Overview (Telegram)U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to TikTok ban (CNBC)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. While Online Regulators may have stolen Christmas, Ctrl-Alt-Speech is going to try to take a short holiday break and will return in early January. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

We talk with TechDirt's Cathy Gellis, who is going to walk us through the DC Circuit's opinion banning TikTok. And in the subscriber bonus, we'll bring you up to speed on Rudy Giuliani's continuing efforts to dodge justice in multiple courts. Links: TikTok v. Garland (DC Cir.) https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/opinions/docs/2024/12/24-1113-2088317.pdf   Petition for injunction staying order https://sf16-va.tiktokcdn.com/obj/eden-va2/hkluhazhjeh7jr/2024.12.09%20-%20TTI%20v.%20Garland%20-%20Petitioners'%20Emergency%20Motion%20for%20Injunction(1).pdf   Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) 15 U.S. Code § 9901 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/9901   Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:He was suicidal and needed help. A 15-year-old girl pushed him to kill himself on a live stream (Washington Post)Romania's top court annuls presidential election result (CNN)Continuing to protect the integrity of TikTok during Romanian elections (TikTok)Covert Facebook Network Found Targeting Romanian Voters (Bloomberg)TikTok pushes far right candidate content in Romanian election, Global Witness investigation shows (Global Witness)Romania annulled its presidential election results amid alleged Russian interference. What happens next? (Atlantic Council)X's Yaccarino Praises Child Safety Bill and Urges House Backing (Bloomberg)Elon Musk's X comes out in favor of pro-censorship law (Mashable - January 2024)Kenya's President Wades Into Meta Lawsuits (TIME)Attacker Has Techdirt Reclassified As Phishing Site, Proving Masnick's Impossibility Law Once Again (Techdirt)No actual moles were harmed in the making of this episode, which is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Trump has nominated Brendan Carr to chair the FCC, calling him a “warrior for Free Speech” who “will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America's Job Creators and Innovators, ​​and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America." But as tech journalist Karl Bode explains, Carr has threatened to go after media outlets that criticize Trump, and his plans for rural broadband are even worse. And Liz and Andrew break down the issue “scrutiny” in Skrmetti, the SCOTUS case on healthcare for trans kids. Plus, we check in with Rudy Giuliani's shenanigans in the subscriber bonus.   Links: Skrmetti: It Was THAT Bad https://www.lawandchaospod.com/p/skrmetti-it-was-that-bad   Institute for Local Self Reliance https://ilsr.org/   Karl Bode at Techdirt https://www.techdirt.com/user/kbode/    Show Links: https://www.lawandchaospod.com/ BlueSky: @LawAndChaosPod Threads: @LawAndChaosPod Twitter: @LawAndChaosPod Patreon: patreon.com/LawAndChaosPod  

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:TikTok Ban Upheld (DC Circuit)TikTok's Romanian reckoning (Politico)Romania asks EU to investigate TikTok's election handling after ultranationalist's stunning win (Politico)TikTok Removes Covert Network Linked to Romanian Candidate (Bloomberg)GOP FTC Commissioners Abuse “Free Speech” Rhetoric To Push For Government Control Over Online Speech (Techdirt)Race to replace FTC chair Lina Khan pits antitrust hawks against candidate softer on Big Tech: sources (NY Post)Meta says it's mistakenly moderating too much (The Verge)The Curious Case Of ChatGPT's Banned Names: Hard-Coding Blocks To Avoid Nuisance Threats (Techdirt)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor Internet Society, a global nonprofit that advocates for an open, globally connected, secure and trustworthy Internet for everyone. In our Bonus Chat, Natalie Campbell and John Perrino from Internet Society join us to talk about the social media age restriction law in Australia, a proposed age verification bill in Canada, and the trend of age gating and age verification globally, and what it means for the open internet. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

It may be last call for one of Donald Trump's most controversial nominees—and not for the reasons you may think. Then, author Jared Yates Sexton joins the program to emphasize the fact that nobody is coming to save us from the chaos of a second Trump Administration. Plus! A conversation with founder and editor of the popular blog Techdirt, Mike Masnick, about one of Trump's scariest nominees: Brendan Carr. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host David Sullivan, the Executive Director of the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership. They cover:Trump's FCC Pick Wants to Be the Speech Police. That's Not His Job (Wired)Sauce for the Goose: The FCC Lacks Authority to Interpret Section 230 Post-Loper Bright (The Federalist Society)Roblox gives parents more power to protect the safety of young gamers (NBC)Meta should allow third party imagery of terrorist attacks, with a warning (Oversight Board)As Bluesky soars, Threads rolls out custom feeds globally (TechCrunch)Threads' algorithm will focus more on the people you follow (The Verge)The communications minister cited a study in support of a teen social media ban. Its co-author disagrees (Crikey)Meta says it has removed 2 million accounts linked to pig butchering scams (The Record)You Too Can Hire an ‘Etsy Witch' to Curse Elon Musk (Wired)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia follows The Guardian in quitting Elon Musk's X due to disinformation and ‘disturbing content' (Fortune)Bluesky attracts millions as users leave Musk's X after Trump win (Reuters)Advertisers set to return to X as they seek favour with Elon Musk and Donald Trump (Financial Times) The plan to ban children under 16 from social media (The Times) Should smartphones be banned in schools? (Financial Times) Facebook and Instagram to Offer Subscription for No Ads in Europe (Facebook) An update on political advertising in the European Union (Google)Facebook's Algorithms Think a Small English Community Is Up to No Good (Gizmodo)Phony X accounts are meddling in Ghana's election (Rest of World)Sockpuppet network impersonating Americans and Canadians amplifies pro-Israel narratives on X (DFR Lab)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

It's been a few weeks, but we're back! Although the podcast schedule is still going to be sporadic for a little while longer (Mike explains further in the intro) we've got a couple cross-post episodes lined up, starting with today's. Recently, Mike joined Ed Zitron on his Better Offline podcast for a far-reaching interview about (among other things) the history of Techdirt, the future of Bluesky, and the origins of the Streisand Effect. You can listen to the whole conversation here on this week's episode. Better Offline Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-streisand-effect-with-mike-masnick/id1730587238?i=1000675856146

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Pennsylvania Becomes Hot Spot for Election Disinformation (NY Times)After Trump Took the Lead, Election Deniers Went Suddenly Silent (NY Times)X Is a White-Supremacist Site (The Atlantic)Papers, Please? The Republican Plan to Wall Off the Internet (Tech Policy Press)What Trump's Victory Means for Internet Policy (CNET)The government plans to ban under-16s from social media platforms. Here's what we know so far (ABC Australia)Canada orders shutdown of TikTok's Canadian business, app access to continue (Reuters)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:These look like Harris ads. Trump backers bought them (Washington Post)Facebook Took More Than $1 Million For Ads Sowing Election Lies (Forbes)Election officials are outmatched by Elon Musk's misinformation machine (CNN)Election Falsehoods Take Off on YouTube as It Looks the Other Way (New York Times)Exploiting Meta's Weaknesses, Deceptive Political Ads Thrived on Facebook and Instagram in Run-Up to Election (ProPublica)The U.S. Spies Who Sound the Alarm About Election Interference (New Yorker)This Is What $44 Billion Buys You (The Atlantic) How Russia, China and Iran Are Interfering in the Presidential Election (New York Times) Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen's Suicide? (New York Times) 'Sickening' Molly Russell chatbots found on Character.ai (BBC) This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor Concentrix, the technology and services leader driving trust, safety, and content moderation globally. In our Bonus Chat, Dom Sparkes, Trust and Safety Director for EMEA, and David Elliot, Head of Technology, try to lighten the mood by discussing how to make a compelling business case for online safety and the importance of measuring ROI. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

Ben and Mike are technically off this week, but we decided to run an experiment. After discussing Google's NotebookLM and its ability to create AI-generated podcasts about any content, Mike experimented with how it would handle one of the stories Mike & Ben discussed last week: Daphne Keller's The Rise of the Compliant Speech Platform on Lawfare. Mike explains why we're running this, some of the work that went into it, as well as his thoughts on the experiment, followed by the AI-generated version.This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:How Russian disinformation is reaching the U.S. ahead of the 2024 election (NBC News)The Rise of the Compliant Speech Platform (Lawfare)ExTwitter Makes It Official: Blocks Are No Longer Blocks (Techdirt)People are flocking to Bluesky as X makes more unwanted changes (The Verge)Instagram blames some moderation issues on human reviewers, not AI (TechCrunch)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our launch sponsor Modulate, which builds prosocial voice technology that combats online toxicity and elevates the health and safety of online communities. Mike Pappas joins us for our bonus chat, talking to Mike about the ever important decision between building your own trust & safety tools versus buying them from vendors. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:States sue TikTok over app's effects on kids' mental health (CNBC)Risks vs. Harms: Youth & Social Media (Substack)Instagram and Threads moderation is out of control (The Verge)TikTok lays off hundreds in Malaysia in move toward AI moderation (Asia Nikkei)​​Meta ‘Supreme Court' expands with European center to handle TikTok, YouTube cases (Washingon Post)The DSA article you didn't know about, but should (T&S Insider)Streaming platform Kick bans Jack Doherty after he crashed his car on a livestream (Polygon) Truth Social Users Are Losing Ridiculous Sums of Money to Scams (Gizmodo)Hacked ‘AI Girlfriend' Data Shows Prompts Describing Child Sexual Abuse (404 Media)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host Professor Kate Klonick, who has studied and written about trust & safety for many years and is currently studying the DSA & DMA in the EU as a Fulbright Scholar. They cover:EU Commission's Digital Fairness Fitness Check (European Commission)Differences in misinformation sharing can lead to politically asymmetric sanctions (Nature)Inside Two Years of Turmoil at Big Tech's Anti-Terrorism Group (Wired)Big Tech's Promise Never To Block Access To Politically Embarrassing Content Apparently Only Applies To Democrats (Techdirt)Someone Put Facial Recognition Tech onto Meta's Smart Glasses to Instantly Dox Strangers (404 Media)Americans' Views Mixed on Tech's Role in Politics (Anchor Change with Katie Harbath)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor TaskUs, a leading company in the T&S field which provides a range of platform integrity and digital safety solutions. In our Bonus Chat at the end of the episode, Marlyn Savio, a psychologist and research manager at TaskUs, talks to Mike about a recent study they released regarding frontline moderators and their perceptions and experiences dealing with severe content. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Ben is joined by guest host Cathryn Weems, who has held T&S roles at Yahoo, Google, Dropbox, Twitter and Epic Games. They cover:Google outlines plans to help you sort real images from fake (The Verge)Fake AI “podcasters” are reviewing my book and it's freaking me out (Ars Technica) We Don't Need Google to Help "Reimagine" Election Misinformation (Tech Policy Press)Social media owners top global survey of misinformation concerns (The Guardian)Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment (IPIE)X's First Transparency Report Since Elon Musk's Takeover Is Finally Here (Wired)Telegram will now provide some user data to authorities (BBC)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund, and by our sponsor Concentrix, the technology and services leader driving trust, safety, and content moderation globally. In our Bonus Chat at the end of the episode, clinical psychologist Dr Serra Pitts, who leads the psychological health team for Trust & Safety at Concentrix, talks to Ben about how to keep moderators healthy and safe at work and the innovative use of heart rate variability technology to monitor their physical response to harmful content. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Breton's resignation could mark a new chapter for EU digital policy (Euractiv)Finnish horse enthusiast is an EU tech front-runner (Politico)Instagram, Facing Pressure Over Child Safety Online, Unveils Sweeping Changes (New York Times)Instagram to make teenagers' profiles private by default (Financial Times)AI chatbots might be better at swaying conspiracy theorists than humans (Arstechnica)SocialAI offers a Twitter-like diary where AI bots respond to your posts (TechCrunch)Meta bans Russian state media for 'foreign interference' (Reuters)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

If you're a Techdirt reader (or any tech news reader) you've already heard a lot of stories about the chaos of Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, but no matter how much you know, there's a lot to learn in a new book that hits the shelves today. Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter, by New York Times reporters Kate Conger and Ryan Mac, is the definitive retelling of the saga-so-far, and it's full of fascinating details that make it a gripping read. Today, Kate joins us on the podcast to talk all about the book and the stories therein. Get the book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737290/character-limit-by-kate-conger-and-ryan-mac/

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike is joined by guest host Riana Pfefferkorn, a Policy Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human Centered AI. They cover:Australia threatens fines for social media giants enabling misinformation (Reuters)Social media ban for children to be introduced this year, but age limit undetermined (ABC)ASIO director-general Mike Burgess issues warning to big tech companies they may soon be forced to unlock encrypted chats (ABC)Utah Social Media Restrictions Likely Violate First Amendment, Judge Rules (Media Post)Nearly 40 states back surgeon general's social media warning labels (The Verge)How TikTokers think about misinformation (Washington Post)Meta, TikTok, and Snap pledge to participate in program to combat suicide and self-harm content (TechCrunch)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

In this week's round-up of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Mike and Ben cover:Social networks can't be forced to filter content for kids, says judge (The Verge)Judge Rejects Yet Another Attempt By Texas To Police Online Speech (Techdirt)Telegram apologizes for handling of deepfake porn content in S. Korea (Yonhap)Brazilian Supreme Court panel upholds X ban (Axios)Elon Musk's Starlink backtracks to comply with Brazil's ban on X (The Guardian)With Musk's X banned in Brazil, its users carve out new digital homes (AP)The Internet Archive Loses Its Appeal of a Major Copyright Case (Wired)Posts That Include “From the River to the Sea” (Oversight Board)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

The Daily Beast's political reporter Jake Lahut tells The New Abnormal's co-host Danielle Moodie that some Republicans were hopeful that the former president would still be able to host events like fundraisers while his trial takes place but they have had to go back to the drawing board to work out how he can connect with voters in key battleground states. Plus! Mike Masnick, the founder and editor of Techdirt and CEO of The Copia Institute, talks to The New Abnormal about the newly signed law that could see TikTok banned in the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.