Techdirt

Discussing the progress of Bluesky, a decentralized social network challenging platforms like Facebook. Exploring user empowerment and privacy, balancing centralization and decentralization, and the federation approach. Also, touching on monetization strategies and the comprehensive vision of the Bluesky project.

Critiquing child safety laws like KOSA, the podcast explores the challenges of protecting kids online. Maureen Flatley discusses the limitations of current solutions and emphasizes the need for stricter laws and consistent protections. The conversation dives into mandated reporting on child sexual abuse material by tech companies, highlighting the struggles faced in implementation and the delicate balance of liability. Insights into Congressional reactions and the role of law enforcement in prioritizing child safety initiatives are also discussed, along with the debate on tech companies and children's mental health.

Discussion on the importance of meeting kids where they are online, exploring the creation of a digital mental health platform for youth, emphasizing targeted interventions and peer support, online support strategies on platforms like Discord and Twitch, empowering dynamic interventions for youth mental health, and addressing online problems with practical solutions

A couple weeks ago, we released the 2024 edition of our Sky Is Rising report about the state of the entertainment industries. Last week, Mike and I joined Corbin Barthold on Techfreedom's Tech Policy Podcast for a discussion about the report and, more broadly, the state of culture in the internet era and the conversations that surround it. You can listen to the whole conversation here on this week's episode of the Techdirt Podcast.

Back in April, we were joined on the podcast by Chris Riley, the Executive Director of the new nonprofit Data Transfer Initiative that aimed to promote data portability and empower users to transfer their data from one service to another. Today, the Initiative has released its first annual report, and Chris is back on the podcast for a discussion all about how things are going, and what's on deck for 2024. Data Transfer Initiative Annual Report 2023 (PDF): https://dtinit.org/assets/DTI-Annual-Report-2023.pdf

A panel discussion on decentralized and federated social media, exploring the need for open protocols and moving away from walled gardens. Highlights include the potential of AI tools for safer social media, the challenges of open source software, and the importance of clear communication and proactive actions during development. Also discussed are the challenges of internet governance and the future of user mobility and account portability.

Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky discusses the universal messaging app, the conflict with Apple, and the power and benefits of open protocols. They explore the use of the Matrix protocol in building Beeper, the advantages of protocols over platforms, the challenges of launching a new chat app, and the importance of decentralization and federated services. They also touch on legal cases, data scraping, personal data ownership, and the future of messaging through decentralized apps and protocols.

We're back from the holidays, and it's time for a new episode of the Techdirt Podcast! This week, we're joined by Ravi Iyer, Research Director for the USC Marshall School's Neely Center and Managing Director of the Psychology of Technology Institute, to discuss a proposed "design code" that aims to make social media better serve society. Mike isn't entirely convinced by the approach, leading to a long discussion about all its ins and outs.

Many of you might know Andrew "K'Tetch" Norton as a Techdirt commenter, or from his work at TorrentFreak or for the Pirate Party, and some of you might know that he also runs his own podcast, Tetch Talk. Recently, Andrew asked Mike and I to join him on the podcast for a discussion about our content moderation games Moderator Mayhem and Trust & Safety Tycoon, and today we're posting a mirror of the full discussion for our last podcast of the year. See you in 2024!

There's plenty of discussion right now about what approach, regulatory or otherwise, could rein in the potential harms of AI systems. This week, we're joined by professor and researcher Chinmayi Sharma to discuss her brand new article that offers an interesting idea: professionalizing the AI field with engineer licensing and a malpractice standard. Read the article: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/setting-a-higher-bar-professionalizing-ai-engineering