Terms of Service with Clare Duffy Billionaire Investor Frank McCourt on Why We Should Control Our Own Data
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Oct 14, 2025 Frank McCourt, billionaire investor and founder of Project Liberty, champions user control over personal data. He discusses his bid for TikTok and the vision of an internet prioritizing individuals' rights. The conversation delves into the challenges of data ownership in the AI era and the risks posed by chatbots. McCourt outlines his ideas for sovereign AI agents that preserve user privacy and explains a new economic model for data sharing, ultimately advocating for a future where users regain agency.
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Founding Project Liberty From Personal Experience
- Frank McCourt founded Project Liberty after personal negative experiences with social media during a public divorce.
- He shifted from policy work to building infrastructure because policy alone couldn't match big tech's speed and power.
Data As Digital Personhood
- McCourt argues that data is our digital personhood and current platforms wrongly 'own' it.
- He insists individuals should control and share their data on a permissioned basis with knowledge.
Tech Built To Host An Alternative TikTok
- Project Liberty built a technology stack intended to host social platforms and move users without relying on TikTok's algorithm.
- McCourt saw the TikTok divestment moment as a chance to spin up a real alternative internet.