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Techdirt

Techdirt
Social Media
Section 230
Artificial Intelligence
Decentralization
Twitter
Content Moderation
Blue Sky
Trust and Safety
Bluesky
Elon Musk
First Amendment
Free Speech
Donald Trump
Generative AI
Mental Health
Democracy
Attention
Decentralized Social Media
Silicon Valley
Data Portability

The Techdirt Podcast, hosted by Michael Masnick.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes460Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Techdirt

Latest Episodes

If you know anything about Techdirt, you know we're big fans of the EFF and its decades of advocacy for digital rights and the open internet. Recently, the organization went through a big change in the form of a new executive director: legal expert a... more

The concept of "enshittification" has helped illuminate why companies and their products so often get worse over time, but the causes of this process are complex and multifaceted. In his new book Incorruptible, author Eric Ries presents a related but... more

Recently, Mike joined Dave Hansen, Mark Graham and Kendra Albert on a panel for the Future Knowledge podcast, a joint production of the Internet Archive and the Authors Alliance. The discussion covers a wide variety of questions related to keeping th... more

As we work our way towards a better future for the internet, the most encouraging and exciting part is the people out there building towards that future. Kickstarter founder Yancey Strickler is one such person, and his new company Metalabel has some ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Nicole Ozer
Executive Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
Episode: Meet The EFF's New Executive Director
Eric Ries
Author of Incorruptible, tech industry author and thought leader
Author, Incorruptible
Episode: How To Stop Good Companies From Going Bad
Mark Graham
Director, The Wayback Machine
Internet Archive
Episode: Preserving The Web In The Age Of AI
Kendra Albert
Tech and media policy expert
Albert, Sellers LOP
Episode: Preserving The Web In The Age Of AI
Yancey Strickler
Kickstarter founder and former CEO; involved with Metalabel and DEFOS
Metalabel
Episode: Infrastructure For The New Private Internet
Nico Perrino
Host of So To Speak Podcast
Fire's So To Speak Podcast
Episode: The Dangers Of Product Design Liability For Social Media
Rainey Reitman
Civil liberties advocate, author of Transaction Denied
Author, civic advocacy
Episode: Transaction Denied
Jess Meyers
Visiting/Assistant Professor of Law at University of Akron School of Law
University of Akron
Episode: The Future Of Section 230
Matt Perault
Head of AI Policy, Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z)
Andreessen Horowitz
Episode: The Future Of Section 230

Host

Mike Masnick
Host of The Techdirt Podcast

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 109 ratings
  • Love it!

    It’s obvious Mike puts extraordinary effort in covering salient topics and finding guests that are authentic and truly care about being a positive force in this space - the insights they bring to bear are still mind-blowing every. single. time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dan1777999877
    United States3 years ago
  • Literally does not understand tech or the law

    Opines CONSTANTLY on the first amendment, understands nothing of how that works. Doesn’t understand how IP law works, nor CDA 230. Worthless site and worthless commenters.

    Generally a politics blog pretending to be tech related.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Sir_Prometheus.
    United States4 years ago
  • People that don't know tech, attempt to talk about tech. Painful to listen to.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Brad
    4 years ago
  • Literally does not understand tech or the law

    Opines CONSTANTLY on the first amendment, understands nothing of how that works. Doesn’t understand how IP law works, nor CDA 230.

    Worthless site and worthless commenters.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Sir_Prometheus.
    United States4 years ago
  • Good niche podcast

    Episodes either go really deep into a specific topic or introduce a niche subgenre of tech policy. Mike seems weirdly uncomfortable with hosting at times, but he is pretty thoughtful.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jarnold palmer
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise deep analysis and guest selection, noting insights are thoughtful and impactful for tech policy.
Fans appreciate a niche blend of technology, policy, and civil liberties discussions and seek more episodes with in-depth governance perspectives.
Some critics feel coverage can be opinionated or off-topic at times, and audio quality varies across episodes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#233
Austria/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Transaction Denied
Q: What's the core distinction you see between speech platforms and financial services when it comes to policy?
The closer you are to the speech, the more it makes sense for you to regulate it; payment intermediaries are far removed from content and should not act as gatekeepers over speech. They are infrastructure, and policy should reflect neutrality and prevent censoring lawful expression.
Transaction Denied
Q: What inspired you to write Transaction Denied and compile these stories?
I began collecting cases starting in 2012 after witnessing how activists and journalists were blocked from financial services, which threatened their ability to operate and fund their work. The book grew from those stories into a broader argument about how financial gatekeeping affects speech and civil liberties.
The Vision For The Decentralized Internet
Q: What was the place from which you were writing Protocols, Not Platforms?
The guest explains that early social media optimism and later realization of platform power spurred the idea to push for a protocol-based, edge-empowered internet rather than centralized control.
The Vision For The Decentralized Internet
Q: What was the starting point for Techdirt and why write about technology at all?
The guest describes starting as a way to chronicle and think through the implications of technology and innovation, eventually turning writing into a full-time focus to explore how to improve innovation and policy.
Answering Your Questions
Q: How do you balance projects and staying current on news and social media activity?
Masnick suggests setting aside specific time blocks for writing and checking news, and using tools to stay focused.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Techdirt

What is Techdirt about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A tech-forward show rooted in technology policy, digital rights, and the governance of online platforms. Across recent episodes, the discussions routinely center on open web concepts, AI policy and governance, Section 230, and the balance between innovation and safeguards for civil liberties. Notable angles include the tension between centralized platforms and decentralized protocols, practical implications for journalism and publishing in the AI era, and the evolving regulatory landscape shaping tech entrepreneurship. The format often features deep dives with industry commentators and policy experts, offering actionable perspectives for builders, lawyers, and researchers who want to understand how policy, law, and technology intersect. A s... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with Techdirt:

1. Ctrl-Alt-Speech
2. The 404 Media Podcast
3. Uncanny Valley | WIRED
4. Decoder with Nilay Patel
5. Pivot

How many episodes of Techdirt are there?

Techdirt launched 12 years ago and published 460 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Techdirt?

Recent guests on Techdirt include:

1. Nicole Ozer
2. Eric Ries
3. Mark Graham
4. Kendra Albert
5. Yancey Strickler
6. Nico Perrino
7. Rainey Reitman
8. Jess Meyers

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