Techdirt

In what feels like something of a throwback to much earlier days of Techdirt, the Supreme Court is getting into the weeds of the DMCA. Cox v. Sony is a case centered around questions of repeat infringers and intermediary liability, and we've submitted an amicus brief from the Copia Institute, written by Cathy Gellis. This week, Cathy joins the podcast to discuss the Supreme Court's opportunity to fix the first amendment problems with platform copyright liability. Copia Institute brief: https://www.techdirt.com/2025/09/05/something-good-the-supreme-court-could-do-finally-fix-the-first-amendment-problems-with-platform-liability-for-copyright-infringement/

Join Alix Dunn, host of the Computer Says Maybe podcast and a decentralization enthusiast, as she dives into rich discussions about the evolution of the internet. They explore decentralization's impact, the nostalgia for a more open web, and the arrival of innovative platforms like Bluesky. The conversation also addresses ethical advertising strategies and the need for user-friendly digital migration tools, all while emphasizing the importance of empowering users in a rapidly commercialized digital landscape.

The goal of Bluesky and the ATProtocol, and of the push for protocols over platforms in general, has always been to see more people building their own communities in a modular fashion. One of the most interesting projects demonstrating this potential is Blacksky, created by Rudy Fraser, which started as a custom feed within Bluesky but has grown into something much bigger. Today, Rudy joins the podcast for a conversation all about Blacksky and what it teaches us about open social media protocols.

Chris Riley, Executive Director of the Data Transfer Initiative, dives into the critical need for data portability in the age of AI. He emphasizes how user control over personal data is vital to prevent AI from controlling us. The discussion also tackles the challenges of service lock-in and the competitive landscape of AI providers. Furthermore, Riley highlights the shift towards locally hosted AI models driven by trust issues, and the importance of regulations like the DMA and GDPR in fostering a robust data portability ecosystem.

One of the most troubling things about this era in American history is the number of institutions that have caved to Trump's bullying and given him what he wants, especially when it comes to media organizations. The folks over at the non-profit Free Press have done a lot of research and put together the new Media Capitulation Index, which aims to track and dissect this distressing phenomenon. This week, Free Press's Nora Benavidez and Timothy Karr join the podcast to talk about how they made the Index and what it can teach us.

We've got a bunch of brand new episodes of the Techdirt podcast coming over the next few weeks, but first we've got one special cross-post from our other podcast made in partnership with Ben Whitelaw from Everything in Moderation: Ctrl-Alt-Speech. As we take a little break from that podcast for the month of August, we're posting a few special episodes, starting with this conversation about how it got started, how we create the episodes, our philosophy about sponsorship, and what we need to make Ctrl-Alt-Speech sustainable in the long run. We're cross-posting it here on the Techdirt podcast feed, and we hope you enjoy it!

In this engaging discussion, Aaron Ross Powell, host of the Reimagining Liberty podcast and advocate for radical liberalism, dives into the transformative power of internet decentralization. He and Mike explore the philosophical implications of an open internet, urging a shift from centralized control to enhance personal freedom. They analyze the challenges of replicating user-friendly experiences in decentralized systems and the emotional toll journalists face transitioning from traditional platforms. Together, they champion smaller, diverse online communities over monolithic ones.

This week, we've got a cross-post episode of Mike's appearance on Kevin Williamson's How The World Works podcast. Kevin conducted a wide-ranging interview that covers some of the earliest days of Techdirt, the blog's evolution, and many of the important topics we cover today — and you can listen to the whole conversation here on this week's episode.

Ben Collins, CEO of Global Tetrahedron and former journalist known for covering myths and disinformation, delves into the power of mockery in today’s political climate. He discusses how humor serves as a crucial tool against misinformation and censorship. Collins also shares insights from his journey leading The Onion, emphasizing the necessity of human creativity in satire. Additionally, he compares emerging social media platforms like Blue Sky with traditional ones, highlighting their potential for authenticity in communication.

Way, way back during the SOPA/PIPA fight, a very important part of the resistance against the bills was coming from infrastructure operators who explained how they were technically incoherent and dangerous. One prominent group was the Internet Infrastructure Coalition, co-founded by Christian Dawson. Today, with legislative amnesia setting in and new requirements for infrastructure-level site blocking rearing their heads, the Coalition has released a new report: DNS At Risk. This week, he joins us on the podcast to talk about the report and the ongoing dangers of attacks on the internet infrastructure.