TFTC: A Bitcoin Podcast #697: The Legal Fight Against UK Online Censorship with Preston Byrne
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Dec 22, 2025 Marty chats with Preston Byrne, a technology and constitutional lawyer passionate about free speech and internet policy. They dive into Preston's legal battles defending platforms like 4chan against UK and EU censorship laws. He explains the implications of the Digital Services Act and UK Online Safety Act on American free speech. They also discuss his proposed Granite Act, aiming to protect U.S. citizens from extraterritorial censorship. Preston shares his insights on the chilling climate for free speech in the UK and offers ways for listeners to get involved.
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Extraterritorial Laws Threaten US Free Speech
- Foreign censorship laws like the UK's Online Safety Act aim to apply extraterritorially to US hosts and threaten American speech norms.
- Preston Byrne argues that accepting this would effectively erase First Amendment protections online.
Tiny Sites, Big Legal Fight
- Byrne describes 4chan as once literally run on a few Mac minis in a closet, underscoring how small targets were chosen.
- Those tiny US-based sites refused to cede rights and decided to fight Ofcom legally in DC.
Escalate Notices To US Authorities
- If foreign regulators send coercive notices, document and present them to the US executive and Congress to prompt a legal response.
- Byrne and clients served notices to Washington to spur legislative and executive action like the proposed Granite Act.