On with Kara Swisher

Biden’s Antitrust Advisor Left the White House. Here’s His Exit Interview

Jan 23, 2023

Tim Wu, former Special Assistant to the President for Technology and Competition Policy, shares insights from his time in the West Wing. He discusses the significant influence of Lina Khan on antitrust efforts and why President Biden struggles to advance tech regulation despite his campaign promises. Wu predicts potential lawsuits against major tech giants like Google and Amazon. The conversation also delves into the political landscape, reflecting on recent exits like Jacinda Ardern and the complexities of regulating social media platforms.

58:28

Episode guests

Tim Wu

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

Resignations and Repercussions

6min

Navigating Political Burnout and Antitrust Challenges

3min

Navigating Antitrust Challenges

18min

Navigating Political and Tech Challenges

20min

Concerns Over AI's Impact on Human Connection

2min

Reflections on Power and Politics

5min

In his first extensive interview since he stepped down as the Special Assistant to the President for Technology and Competition Policy on the National Economic Council, Tim Wu shares what he learned in the West Wing. We find out who holds most sway with the President, how Lina Khan undid any perception that there is any antitrust exception for “nice guys,” and get Wu’s predictions on lawsuits against Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft. Also: Kara presses him on why Biden — who campaigned on getting rid of Section 230 and hinted at breaking up Big Tech — hasn’t been able to make much headway when it comes to regulating Silicon Valley.

Before the interview, Kara and Nayeema look at exits, from Jacinda Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand, to Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings. And among all the exits, they also discuss one possible return: Meta’s looming decision regarding Donald Trump’s Facebook account.

You can find Kara and Nayeema on Twitter at @karaswisher and @nayeema.

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